APATHY!

I had such an odd dream the other night:  I was with a group of people and we were supposed to be preparing for war, but everyone just went on doing their own things.  Some bought land, some had parties, and some just went here and there about their business.  The war never came but great natural disasters did.  We heard of them then a great earthquake came where I was standing on land that someone had bought.  The earthquake opened a chasm and some of their property slid into it before it closed up to make their property become a steep hillside almost right up to the store that had previously sat on the middle of the property.  I waited at the store for the public transportation then went into the city and told them what had happened to their property.  They seemed surprised but not all that concerned.  No one seemed to be concerned about anything important.

This dream was not a nightmare; I did not wake up frightened.  It did bother me, though, and I spent a good part of that next morning mulling it over in my mind.  Why would I have such an unusual dream?  Apathy!  The Lord has shown me apathy and before I can point the finger at those who are apathetic around me I must examine myself.  Is there some apathy in my life?

The New Webster’s Dictionary states that apathy is a noun that means “indifference” or “having no concern”.  If Jesus were to walk through our city today what would He feel?  When he sees the beggar sitting on the corner exit from the supermarket with his cardboard sign stating, “Will work for food” or “Unemployed, anything will help” what would He do?  When He passes by the prostitutes offering themselves, down on that boulevard we all know about but try to ignore, what would be His response?  What about other people we “classify” as sinners?  We know His response to all these people because we read about how He responded to the very same type of people in the Bible.  He met their needs.

Now let us be honest with ourselves.  We call ourselves Christians and followers of Christ, yet what do we do when we pass these same people?  We ignore them because they do not concern us.  Apathy!

 General William Booth, the founder of the Salvation Army, wrote of an experience he had when he was traveling on a train.  As he watched out the window of the train he thought about the conditions of the people around him, how they were living carelessly in the most open and shameless rebellion against God, without a thought for their eternal welfare.  While he thought about this God gave him a vision:  he saw a dark and stormy ocean with a sky overhead of black heavy clouds, with occasional shots of lightning.  In the ocean he saw myriads of people plunging, floating, shouting, shrieking, cursing, struggling and drowning.  Some sank to rise no more.  Rising out of this dark angry ocean was a great rock and around the rock was a platform.  A number of those struggling in the ocean were able to pull themselves up onto the platform and a few of those already safe on the platform were helping some of the struggling reach safety; some even jumping back in the water, risking their own lives to rescue others.  There were others on the platform who did not seem to care about those still struggling and drowning, many of whom were their own husbands, wives, brothers, sisters and even their own children.  Apathy!

Booth stated that what amazed him most was that there were many people on the platform to whom Jesus had pulled out and delivered, who confessed to love and worship Him, were so taken up with their trades and professions, their money saving and pleasures, their families and circles, their religions and arguments, and their preparations for going to the mainland, that they did not listen to the cries of those still caught in the tossing waves or attempt to help them.  Apathy!

Then he saw something that was the strangest of all.  There were some on the platform that cried out to Him to come and stay with them and spend His time and strength with them, wanting Him to take away their doubts and misgivings.  Some even climbed as high on the rock as they could (from fear of falling back into the tumultuous waves) and cried out “Come to us!  Come, help us!”  And all the while He was down among the poor struggling, drowning creatures with His arms around them trying to drag them out, and looking up to those on the rock crying out to them, “Come to Me!  Come, and help Me!”

Then God revealed to him the meaning of the vision:  the sea is the ocean of life, actual human existence.  The lightning is the piercing truth coming from God’s throne.  The thunder is the echoing of the wrath of God.  The multitudes of people struggling in the stormy sea are hundreds of thousands of ungodly people from every kindred and nation in the world.  The great rock represents Calvary.  The handful of people who were risking their own lives in saving others are the true soldiers of the cross of Jesus.  The mighty being calling to them while helping others from the sea is Jesus Himself, calling on the rescued to help Him save the world.  The ones taking up in their trades, professions, etc. are those believers who go about doing what they think Christians should do and still doing what pleases themselves.  The ones up on the rock are believers who are calling out to God for an “experience” in knowing Him better.  Apathy!

When I examine myself I find that I do pass up the man on the corner with the cardboard sign, after all – what can I do that will really help him?  I avoid driving down that boulevard so I do not have to see the prostitutes offering themselves.  What is the old saying?  Out of sight, out of mind.  I tend to judge people and classify them in different levels of sin.  Now that I am a Christian am I not supposed to separate myself?  Apathy!

Lord Jesus, will You forgive me for climbing high up on the rock and calling out to You to help me and bless me with Your Presence.  Will You forgive me for separating myself from those You call me to help.  I choose to come to You, where You are in the midst of the raging ocean with waves of sin and help You rescue those who are perishing.  I choose to give you my ALL.  You gave Your ALL for me!

"Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you."

Look carefully then how you walk,

not as unwise but as wise,

making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.”

(Eph. 5:14b-15 ESV)