Making Excuses

by Chris Simmons

In Luke chapter 14, beginning in verse 15, we read of Jesus’ parable of a man who invited many to a big dinner. When “everything was ready,” a slave was sent to call those who had been invited. Uniformly “they all alike began to make excuses.” Jesus provided examples of three different excuses of why they could not come. Excuses that proved to be extremely costly. Excuses that were condemned. Excuses that unfortunately plague the lives of far too many. To those who offered them, they probably seemed more like reasons than excuses – valid and legitimate reasons. To God, they are simply excuses.

What is the difference between a reason and an excuse? One explanation is, “A reason explains why the things are as they are, accepting the accountability for the same. An excuse also explains why the things are as they are; but puts blame on someone, or something else, who is not there to explain or defend - be it a person or situational circumstances.” The key is that excuses are used to try and deflect personal responsibility and redirect blame to someone or something else. It all comes down to the matter of accountability.

It’s interesting to note that the three excuses that Jesus discussed in this context are not random or arbitrary but represent the foundation for almost all excuses man has ever known. Behind the deception and dishonesty, most of our efforts to dodge accountability lie in one of these three categories.

Possessions – The first example Jesus cited in verse 18 was, “I have bought a piece of land and I need to go out and look at it.” There was nothing happening on this purchased land; he just wanted to “look at it.” Perhaps land purchased as an investment represents all of the “things” in life that take preeminence over our service to God. The rich man of Luke 14:16 could not use his preoccupation with his “goods” and the barns that held them as an excuse for not being ready when his soul was required of him. Jesus taught in the parable of the sower (Luke 8:14) that the things of this life can act as thorns that choke out our spiritual life and keep us from being productive and bearing fruit. Jesus didn’t teach that parable to provide us with an excuse for failing to accomplish all that we can for the Lord’s sake. He taught it to make us accountable for eliminating the thorns and weeds in our life.

Work – The second example Jesus noted (also in verse 19) was, “I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I’m going to try them out.” Note that this man didn’t buy the oxen as pets nor did he buy them for recreational use. He bought them to use in his work because that’s how he made his living. To him, his work was more important than the invitation he had received and he chose to focus on his livelihood. How often today do we use our work and careers as an excuse for failing to serve God and do what His word directs us to do? Certainly we are commanded to work to provide for the needs (not wants) of our family (II Thessalonians 3:10; I Timothy 5:8). Satan will always challenge us to put work in front of God and he will challenge us early and often. A lack of contentment (Philippians 4:11; I Timothy 6:6-8) and the pride of life (I John 2:16) are often factors that lead to one using work as an excuse for failing to serve God. Let us not be deceived into thinking that such excuses will be accepted by our Heavenly Father.

Relationships – Finally, Jesus speaks (in verse 20) of the man who uses the excuse, “I have married a wife and for that reason I cannot come.” As we have noted, the man called it a reason – Jesus called it an excuse. Man has always been tempted to put his human relationships before his relationship with God. Jesus taught that we can’t use our spouse, parents, siblings, friends or any human relationship as an excuse for not serving God and putting Him first. Luke 14:26, “If anyone comes to Me, and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple.” We certainly have responsibilities in our family relationships that God expects us to meet but none of these override our duty to serve God. We indeed are not worthy of being a disciple of Jesus Christ if we love our family more than Him.

Upon reflection of these types of excuses, it might be noted that there are two common threads running through each of them. That is the matter of time and knowledge. Our possessions, work and human relationships can dominate our time and our lives and keep us from knowing what God expects of us.

One of the most common and prevalent excuses man has ever uttered is, “I just didn’t have the time.” The fact is, those who bear fruit in their lives and those that fail to bear fruit have the same 24 hours in each day of their lives. The spiritually fruitful, productive and successful don’t have an extra day in their week and they don’t have an extra week or two in their year. They simply make decisions in life to make the most of the time that they have been given. Paul wrote in Ephesians 5:15-17, “Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men, but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil.” We are admonished to be both careful and wise in the use of our time. The bottom line is, we do what we want to do and we find time for the things in life that are important to us. If we haven’t found the time to serve God and others, to worship Him, to study His word and to pray, it’s simply because it wasn’t that important to us and we chose to use our God-given time in other selfish ways.

One of the other overwhelmingly popular excuses of all time has been, “I didn’t know.” Ignorance has fueled excuses as long as man has walked the earth and God has said it’s time to give up that excuse. The “times of ignorance” are over and God has declared that it’s our responsibility to seek Him and know His will (Acts 17:27-30). Maintaining a state of ignorance is easy – you don’t have to do anything. Overcoming ignorance requires diligent study (II Timothy 2:15), which takes time. Presently, maybe we don’t know God’s will but as long as we have breath in us, it should be our resolve to overcome our lack of knowledge and no longer use ignorance as an excuse.

A man once said, “Success is a tale of obstacles overcome, and for every obstacle overcome, an excuse not used.” May we ever resolve to no longer make excuses for what God expects and deserves from us.