Oh Apathy

Each of us have things in this world that we really don’t care about or have opinions on.  For instance, while one person may be really upset about the Yankees making it to the world series, another could care less.  However, the person that could care less may start showing some interest when discussing the new indie film coming out next week.  I think it’s safe to say that we all have varying interests and things that we care about.  I love this about people and am blessed to enjoy that diversity each day.  Interests and passions make us very different from one another and it seems to be just more proof of a creative God.

What happens when we stop caring about caring?

I believe this is a little thing called “Apathy.”  Maybe it’s because I’m getting older or my paradigm is shifting, but I believe apathy is on the rise in our youth.  I was sitting down with a friend yesterday and discussing the fact that I just want kids to be passionate about something, really anything!  I know our mission at EGM is “making passionate followers of Jesus,” but I’m starting to see that some people have never been passionate about really anything.  How do we get to the point where nothing seems to matter?

When God created everything, He said that it was good.  God had a plan and a purpose in everything.  Whether that be for His original creation or through the process of reconciliation, God has a purpose.  God seeks us out.  God has saved us from what we deserve.  God rescues us from meaninglessness.  God intentionally pursues us.  God loves us.  This is not a God of apathy.  Our God cares and if we’re open to it, He engages us through His Spirit on a regular basis.  We bear the image of this God.  We are made to desire.  We are made to have purpose.  We are made to care.

It has almost become cool to “not care” about deeper questions on life, death, purpose, God, and so on.  I stated this the other day to a group of high schoolers when we were discussing their generation.  None of them questioned whether that statement was true or not, in fact, I had the strong sense that I hit the nail on the head.  However, as Martin Luther would sum up, “it’s irresponsible to not care.”  My heart hurts for these young adults making their way through this mix-signaled world.  “How soon not now, becomes never,” sticks in my head each time someone I love passes up an opportunity to recognize God’s desire for them.  Notice how I just stated that last sentence.  It is God’s desire for us that we must recognize.  All the people I know who are passionate followers of Jesus can acknowledge the same thing.  It all starts with a God who is passionate for us.  The continued recognition of how passionate He is for me fans the flame of my desire and passion for Him.  God has already told us who we are and has given us a purpose amongst the sometimes seemingly meaningless days.  He is not apathetic.

I propose to you that a Christian can’t be apathetic.  We can be different and disagree, but not apathetic.  A Christian is called to care, because we serve a God who cares.  A Christian must know what they believe and why they believe it, because there is a mission to be a part of.  If we are given the grace to do so, someday each of us will have to give an account for what we believe.  I don’t know about you but I won’t stand before an almighty God someday and say, “Does it really matter?  Can’t we talk about something else?”

God loves you and desires you to recognize what He has made you to be.