The state of neutrality: The state of not supporting or helping either side in a conflict, impartiality.
During World War II, nine countries remained neutral from the war. Five of those nine were European countries. I was a bit surprised that they were not drawn into the conflict based on the fact that the war was being fought on European soil.
Remaining neutral on issues of conflict may seem to be an admirable way to live because you don't pick sides. Yet isn't there a moral obligation to take sides when evil has presented itself as harmful to society? In the recent Hamas invasion of Israel where innocent Israelis were murdered, including women and children, there needed to be no neutrality in condemning such acts.
As neutrality is applied to our personal lives, living a life in neutral means we are not moving forward or backward, we are standing still. I am reminded that Jesus said something about neutrality that most of us may not catch:
Revelation 3:16 But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth!
Hot water was used for cleansing and healing … to purify. Cold water was used for refreshing and revitalizing. When Jesus saw they were lukewarm, providing neither the healing properties of hot water nor the refreshing properties of cold water, He said that He would spit them out of His mouth. Seems like being lukewarm is not much different than being neutral. As the world continues to implode and our society spirals, the last state of mind or heart is being in neutral. We must speak out against evil wherever we find it. We must not take the attitude that it's not our fight, it is not our cause, and retreat into a safe place of silence.
The only thing necessary for evil to triumph in the world is that good men do nothing. ~Edmund Burke
When good people choose a neutral ground and retreat to silence, is when we have lost our humanity.
First, they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a socialist. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—because I was not a Jew. Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me. ~Martin Niemöller, World War II Lutheran Pastor
If we provide silence when we are to speak out, we are denying the truth to be known, and that is a form of lying.
In the last days, you will not know either good or evil, because they will appear the same. ~David Wilkerson, Pastor, Author, Prophet
John 10:10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy.
The main thing he steals, kills, and destroys is the truth of God’s Word. This is why we cannot let the neutrality of silence rule our lives. We have been given the privilege by God to be the messengers of His truth. Yet many have opted for the silence of being neutral.
Challenging the Culture with Truth … Larry Kutzler