November 1, 2012
Do You Really Care
“Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better.”
- Dr. Suess (from ‘The Lorax’)
Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.
Colossians 3:12-13
How often do we become, frustrated, exasperated and even overwhelmed with the affairs and concerns of our daily lives to the point, that even if we don’t throw up our hands and say it out loud; we still say in our hearts and minds; I just don’t care?
Probably more often than we would like to openly admit. Yet we must remember that even if we don’t speak this attitude out loud; often our actions and reactions to things tell the tale for us.
Often, it seems that many Christians, when faced with the challenges of keeping the faith and fighting the good fight, often give up, get frustrated and adopt an I don’t care frame of mind when it comes to their spiritual lives. This truth is personified by the lack of time they spend in God’s word, praying and also in the way they interact with their brothers and sisters, as well as their support and commitment to the work and ministries of the church.
In the gospels there are multiple accounts of Jesus being moved with compassion and even weeping because of the condition of the situations He observes: are we ever moved with that degree of compassion when it comes to the lost souls and the spiritual condition of our communities and our world at large? Do we care enough to be willing to be an agent of change and to roll up our sleeves, so to speak, get our hands dirty and do what needs to be done to make a positive difference in the hearts and lives of the people around us?
Or do we find it is just easier to pretend like we care, while acting like we don’t care at all?
It is really hard to make a difference in something if you don’t really care: so what do you really care about?
Today’s Prayer
Father, help me to care about those things that you care about and may I be moved to action by those things that move you and may my heart be touched by the very things that touch your heart.
“There is a candle in every soul
Some brightly burning, some dark and cold
There is a Spirit, who brings a fire
Ignites a candle and makes His home.
Frustrated brother see how he’s tired to
light his own candle some other way.
See now your sister she’s been robbed and lied to
Still holds a candle without a flame.
So carry your candle, run to the darkness
Seek out the lonely, the tired and worn.
Hold out your candle for all to see it,
Take your candle, go light your world.“
- Lyrics from ‘Go Light Your World’ by Chris Rice
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