You’re probably familiar with Spider-Man from Marvel Comics. It’s the story of a teenage boy infected by the bite of a radioactive spider and given phenomenal powers.  There’s times as a child that I wished I was Spider-Man being able to crawl up walls and swing through my neighborhood.   There’s a pivotal point in his story though that happens soon after he gains his new-found powers.  It’s just after he gets scammed by the promoter at a winner-take-all wrestling match where he should have received the prize winnings.  Instead he gets taken advantage of and on his way out he has an opportunity to stop a thief who’s just stolen the prize winnings from the promoter.  All he had to do was trip him or bump him just enough to slow him down so that security could catch up.  Instead he allows him to pass by, uncontested.  When asked why, his usual response in the retelling is; ‘why, it’s not my problem.’  Unfortunately it does become his problem when later that same thief ends up mugging his beloved Uncle Ben and ends up killing him in the process.

In the Bible there’s a story of a high priest named Eli who had two scoundrels as sons.  Both Hophni and Phineas took advantage of the people coming to the temple in terrible ways.  The troubling part is that Eli new about and did nothing.  In 1 Samuel 4:13 the Lord says to Samuel that Eli “failed to restrain them.”  As a result Israel ended up losing their prized possession the Ark of the Covenant as well as their High Priest. 

How do we handle situations when we know someone is doing something wrong.  It could be harmful or not but in either case we know that it’s just wrong. In our culture today it’s easy to not say anything and be like Peter Parker and reply, ‘ ‘It’s not my problem.’  Unfortunately there’s a fear that has gripped our culture regarding taking a stand on difficult issues, especially anything that might be labeled moral or sinful.  But what' happens when we don’t?

In the book of proverbs it says;

  Like a muddied spring or a polluted well is a righteous man who gives way to the wicked. Proverbs 25:26 (NIV)

When those that know what’s right say nothing it’s as if they allow those with dirty feet to swim in their drinking water.  When we choose to be silent, we surrender.  But it doesn’t have to be that way.  What if, Peter Parker stopped that burglar? Uncle Ben would probably still be around.  What if Eli had restrained or put an end to his son’s terrible behavior?  Israel would have never lost the Ark.  What if today you spoke out?  Who knows the impact that you could have.