I’ll admit I’m in a
battle against apathy right now. There are sometimes difficult circumstances at
work that make me want to throw in the towel. (Yes, I’m from the generation
whose mantra is “Whatever!”) When you’re powerless to change what other people
or organizations do, it feels like there are two choices: 1) get frustrated and
angry, or 2) become complacent and determine that it doesn’t really matter. I
spent many years being frustrated, and found that it did nothing but interrupt
my peace and my sleep. So I’ve gone the opposite direction and become
apathetic. That doesn’t always work, but it seems easier anyway. Caring too
much just causes pain.
I suppose a lot of it stems from disillusionment, such as
with politics: “It doesn’t matter who you vote for since they’re all liars, so
why vote?” The same thing happens on a smaller scale with businesses, churches,
and even families. If your opinion doesn’t carry any weight, what’s the point
in trying to create change? At one time I was asked to join a church committee
because my educational background was “needed.” I quickly found out that the
committee had no authority and it didn’t matter what I had to contribute.
Desiring God recently published an interesting post on
apathy, How
God Cares for Those Who Don’t, by Paul Maxwell. Although he comes at it
from a different angle, he brings out some good points. One is that God agrees that some things are trivial and not worth getting worked up about.
Arguing over the color of the carpet in the sanctuary is unnecessary and not
honoring to God. A second point is that when we find our security in God’s love
rather than man’s opinion, we are free to tackle issues that really are
important, and we can “stir up one another to love and good works” (Hebrews
10:24 ESV).
So I’ve been thinking of some questions that might help
clarify how we should respond to some of the circumstances we face from time to
time.
1) Does this issue matter to God?
If it’s a question of salvation, sin, safety, or ministry, you can be sure it
matters. If it is about personal preferences, there’s a good chance it is not
all that important in the grand scheme of things. Most issues probably fall
somewhere in the middle. As Robert Pierce said, “Let my heart be broken with
the things that break the heart of God.”
2) Does it directly affect me or my
loved ones (which could include church family)? This question has to be
considered cautiously. Although a typhoon in Japan may not directly impact me,
it is still important and a response might be required. At the same time, we
all have limited time and resources and we can’t do everything we might like to
do. Joining the PTA at your child’s school may be more effective than
campaigning for national education reform. In some of his correspondence, C.S.
Lewis made the comment that the rapid availability of international news may do
more harm than good as people become more concerned with what’s happening on
the other side of the world than in their own neighborhood (and he wrote that
before the computer age!).
3) How much influence might I have
over the outcome? Not being very “politically minded,” I tend to think that it
doesn’t do much good for John Smith to write to his congressman, unless John
happens to represent a large body of voters or special interest groups. However,
every situation and every person is different, so there could be a myriad of
factors that determine one’s level of influence.
Those are some practical questions, but there are some other
biblical principles that should not be forgotten:
“God chose what is foolish in the
world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the
strong” (1 Corinthians 1:27). Whether it’s stuttering Moses, Gideon’s tiny army,
or Elijah vs. the prophets of Baal, God uses who He wants regardless of their
qualifications. And when He does, He’s the One who gets the glory for the
outcome (1:31).
“Share in suffering as a good
soldier of Christ Jesus. No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since
his aim is to please the one who enlisted him” (2 Timothy 2:3-4). Our aim
should be to please God no matter how long or hard the journey might be. Paul
continued his ministry from prison because the consequences of giving up were
just too great (Philippians 1:21-25).
“Praying at all times in the
Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all
perseverance, making supplication for all the saints” (Ephesians 6:18). Some
battles can only be fought with unceasing prayer. The real battle is not
against flesh and blood (6:12).
I know from my own experience that the things I often obsess
over are trivial matters that should be forgotten. I’m a recovering perfectionist
and I have to remind myself that most people aren’t going to care about some of
the details I see. Along with that, I’m certain that the enemy likes to keep us
distracted with the nonessentials so that the more important things get
neglected. The issues that I most wish to avoid are ones that will require a
lot of work and a long time to resolve, and I’m not eager to invest myself
without the assurance of a positive outcome. I suspect a lot of us fall prey to
the “let it be someone else’s problem” mindset. Even though I won’t be here (on
this earth, in this job, or in this church) forever, I do bear some
responsibility in providing for the future through good stewardship of time,
money, people, property, and the environment.
I’m not sure I’ve resolved any of the issues foremost in my
mind as I write this, but I do know which ones require further thinking.
“Do not be conformed
to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing
you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and
perfect” (Romans 12:2).
