Eradicate Passivity

The definition of passivity is an acceptance of what happens, without active response or resistance. Passivity is apathy, indifference, numbness and resignation. It’s like an ostrich who buries its head in the ground.

Nothing brings hell to earth faster than passive, whiny men who blame everyone and everything for their lack of responsibility.

Passivity harms a man’s relationship with God and it makes his family vulnerable because he is unwilling to engage in the most important things. In this episode of Locker Room we are going to dig into what can become a huge obstacle for men.

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Discussion Guide

The best stories often involve a hero who faces conflict and takes action to overcome it. Who are some of your favorite heroes (in movies/stories, or real life). What about them makes them admirable?

When we are passive, we are still making a choice—a choice to do nothing about a situation. We all have had times in life where we can look back and see that taking action could have led to a different result. Think back on a time in your life when taking action would have been the right call. What did the lack of action cost you?

Read Genesis 3:1-8. At the beginning of history, Adam—the very first man—stands passively by as Eve eats from the tree that God forbid; and then goes along with the crowd by eating it himself. When God asks what they have done, they both pass the blame—Adam blames Eve and Eve blames the serpent. The impulse to be passive, when action is needed to restrain sin, can entangle us deeply in sin.

Read Romans 5:12-20. Notice how sin entered the world through one man’s passivity (Adam), and how sin was atoned for the whole world through Jesus taking responsibility. (It wasn’t his problem, but he made it his responsibility).

Passivity and responsibility are opposed to each other. One says, “It’s not my fault, it’s not my problem—there’s nothing I can do about it.” The other says, “It may not be my fault, it may not be my problem, but I can do something about it.” How can we shift our attitude in life from being passive to being someone who takes responsibility?

Scott talked about the big beautiful house across from the dairy farm, and how whoever lived there must have gotten to the point where they didn’t notice the stench anymore—but that doesn’t mean the stench was gone—they just became oblivious to it. What are some things in life that you’ve ignored for too long, to the point where you don’t even notice them anymore?

-  It could be something in your home that you forgot to put away, and now it’s been there for months. You see it every time you enter the room, but you’ll get to it… 

-  It could be a maintenance need on your vehicle that started off as a nuisance but now has become a real problem that is affecting your ability to get to work or participate in activities with friends and family.

-  It could be being passive about your personal finances and you need to buckle down and make good choices now so that you can escape debt and get financial freedom in the future.

-  It could be your physical health—maybe you used to be active, but life has just been so busy that you have neglected your body. Passivity in our health can bleed over into so many areas.

-  Sometimes our passivity can stem from a feeling of being overwhelmed. One small step in the right direction could lead us to success in multiple areas once we see some results. What is one step you could take in each of the areas mentioned above?

Have you become passive about your walk with God? Do you find yourself checking in at church on Sundays and waiting to be fed, then going about your week all on your own strength? Look at your calendar and put in one intentional time this week to have a conversation with God and read some of His Word. Even if it is just fifteen minutes, take the first step.

Have you become passive in your friendships? Do you spend most of your time thinking about your own needs and not investing in others? If a close friend had a crisis, would you be someone they could call? What can we change about our friendships to build into others? How can we be better listeners?

Are you struggling with being passive in your marriage? Do you focus on your work so much that you don’t have anything left in the tank for your spouse? Jobs may come and go. We have to prioritize our marriage relationships. Find some time this week when you were planning to do something for yourself or work that you can instead build into your relationship with your wife. Surprise her by taking responsibility.

Have you become passive with your kids? Our children are our responsibility for sure. If we neglect this area, there is no shortage of other things that will influence them. If we don’t maintain a relationship with our kids, they are not going to feel comfortable coming to us when problems arise. What is one step you can take this week to improve your relationship with your children? Consider carving out some time this week to spend with each child. Be slow to speak and eager to listen.