So What? Part One

"I used to think that cowardice was the worst

of human vices.

I've changed my mind; it's apathy!"

--Megan Carpenter

I think she's right.

The immediate context of her pronouncement was our conversation about orphans, but we had been wondering out loud together why, in general, so few people will actually do anything about situations that clearly need attention.

I think there is a cycle of reasons.  First, we avoid being confronted with needs.  If we do manage to be confronted with a need, we refuse to look into the faces of the need, so as to not get emotionally attached.  However, if, in spite of our best attempts to remain unentangled, we are stirred to do something, we pacify our urge to get involved by choosing the easiest and generally least costly way, so we can feel we've made a difference with relatively little inconvenience to ourselves.  Once we've convinced ourselves we've done our part, we return to our busy, self centered lives where we leave no room for further intrusion upon our priorities. Unfortunately, the cycle repeats itself again and again, whether the need is an orphan, the unborn, broken lives who don't know Jesus, or the sorry state of affairs in our nation.

Honestly, if we claim to follow Jesus, then this cycle is the greatest tragedy ever played out on the world's stage.  Tragedy:  a play dealing with tragic events and having an unhappy ending, especially one concerning the downfall of the main character (can we see ourselves or the church here?).  In contrast, I find a totally different picture of Jesus in Matthew 9:35, "And Jesus was going about all the cities and the villages, teaching in their synagogues, and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness."  No avoidance of needs here.

Matthew 9:36, "And seeing the multitudes, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and downcast (harassed and helpless, says the NIV) like sheep without a shepherd."  Jesus was willing to look into their faces, and into their hearts, and let himself get emotionally entangled with them.  Compassion:  feeling and understanding someone else's suffering, combined with the desire to do something to alleviate it.

Jesus refused to choose the least costly way.  Philippians 2 says, "...although He [Jesus] existed in the form of God, He did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. . .He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross."  "Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends," He explained in John 15:13.  And, for our souls, He was willing to be spent in the most costly way, "Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Yours be done."  (Luke 22:42)

As His followers, we are called to more--more than contentedly enjoying ourselves while oblivious to needs all around us.  Jesus said the workers are few.  Paul said of Timothy, "I have no one else of kindred spirit who will be genuinely concerned for your welfare.  For they all seek after their own interests, not those of Christ Jesus." (Philippians 2:20-21)  What an indictment!

So what are we going to DO about it?  Breaking the cycle begins with opening our eyes.  It's time to not look the other way; it's time to get on, not off, that newsletter list that places needs before our eyes; it's time to take the time out of our busy schedules to find out what's going on outside the safe walls of our homes.

Will you seek with me to see like Jesus sees?

Please, Lord, direct our eyes to see what You want us to see.