In the days before radar and Ring video doorbells, the job of the watchman of a city was critical. It was his job to be alert and constantly on the lookout for any dangers that could threaten the city, especially dangers that come in the form of enemy forces marching on the city in time of war. If he saw an approaching threat, he was to raise the alarm immediately. Time was of the essence. The sooner the inhabitants of the city were alerted, the better chances they had of being prepared to meet the danger and respond appropriately. The job was a stewardship of trust on behalf of the people, whose welfare depended on the watchman doing his job properly. Falling asleep while on watch has always been treated as a serious crime, since it could lead to devastating consequences for many others.

You can guess exactly what this has to do with us. We don’t have watchmen any more who patrol the physical walls of the city, but you and I are watchmen with a spiritual job description. Our job is to warn other people—our family, neighbors, co-workers—of coming spiritual danger. And falling asleep while on duty is no less serious for us than it was for watchmen back in the day. God made this point abundantly clear to the prophet Ezekiel. He said, “So you, son of man, I have made a watchman for the house of Israel. Whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you shall give them warning from me. If I say to the wicked, O wicked one, you shall surely die, and you do not speak to them to warn the wicked to turn from his way, that wicked person shall die in his iniquity, but his blood I will require at your hand. But if you warn the wicked to turn from his way, and he does not turn from his way, that person shall die in his iniquity, but you will have delivered your soul” (Ezekiel 33:7-9).

The reality is that if Ezekiel failed to faithfully discharge his duties as a watchman for the house of Israel and people died in their sin, Ezekiel was partially responsible for their demise. Though not guilty for their sins, by failing to warn them he becomes complicit in their condition. On the flip side, Ezekiel was not responsible for their demise if they refused to hear his warning. In that case, they alone would bear the consequences for their actions. As the recipients of God’s greatest and final revelation through Jesus Christ (Heb. 1:1-2), this ought to be a sobering passage. We know the answer to people’s greatest need. We know the standard by which all people will be judged. We know the God who loves all people and longs for them to be in a relationship with him. If we know all this and do nothing to share it with others, then whose is the greater guilt, theirs or ours?