Let’s be the Somebody who did ‘the good’
A Simple Message
“Then the man said, “The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate.” And the LORD God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”
Genesis 3:12,13
This passage reminds me of a story about four people named Everybody, Somebody, Anybody, and Nobody.
There was an important job to be done and Everybody was asked to do it.
Everybody was sure Somebody would do it.
Anybody could have done it, but Nobody did it.
Somebody got angry about that, because it was Everybody’s job.
Everybody thought Anybody could do it but Nobody realized that Everybody wouldn’t do it.
It ended up that Everybody blamed Somebody when Nobody did what Anybody could have done.
It’s easy to read this story and laugh; and equally easy to read the account of Adam and Eve and judge their irresponsibility.
Although, if we’re being honest, we’ve all been guilty of “passing the buck” at some point.
This behavior is called “the bystander effect” and states that the more people present, the less likely any one person is to do something because they’re all waiting for someone else in the group to do it.
It is human nature to want to be a bystander, free of accountability and unburdened by responsibility. Although as much as Adam wanted that lifestyle, his actions (or lack thereof) affected his wife; Eve’s choices likewise affected her husband.
The couple’s combined choices affected the entirety of humanity.
The same is true for us. Be it our children, spouses, friends, or coworkers, someone will be affected by our choices.
We cannot change that, but we can change the effect our choices have.
God had given Adam and Eve a job to do. They both failed to take accountability of that work, and the job was left a failure that we today pay the price for.
God has given each of us a job to do as well. Like Adam and Eve, if we fail to do the good work God has set aside for us, others will pay the price for our failure.
Let us take accountability for the life and opportunities God has given us.
When given the chance, let’s be the Somebody that did the good Nobody else would.
Jason Shockley is an experienced evangelist and teacher passionate about uplifting others through the word of God. Contact him via email at jrshockley25@gmail.com
