Apathy

Apathy

As an observer of human nature, I am interested in how people, including myself, behave. As a pastor, I am personally involved in people's lives at the junctures of greatest joy and deepest tragedy. Although I do not claim to be an expert on the subject, I have become an astute student. I don't believe there is a more interesting pastime than that of people watching. I am not a voyeur of human behavior but I am interested in how we act in different situations.

Apathy ranks high on my list of human emotions that reveals the worst in us. When I see people not caring about the needs of others simply because it does not directly affect them, I cringe. In a culture where things hold more value than relationships, suffering increases. When the focus becomes solely me and mine without sensitivity to others, we find ourselves falling into a mire of apathy.

The words APATHY is derived from a Greek word which means “without feeling or emotion.” It carries the connotation of passivity, lack of interest, indifference and numbness to life. Apathy is an emotional cancer that left unchecked turns human beings into the walking dead.

I don't believe that God made us that way. He hard wired us to care not only for ourselves but others as well. I see this often among Christians who profess one thing with their lips but when push comes to shove, we are not much different from the rest of the world. Unfortunately, I find this to be true in my own life.

Here are a few words of encouragement from the Bible to help dispel our apathy.

“But what happens when we live God’s way? He brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard; things like affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity. We develop a willingness to stick with a thing, a sense of compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people.” Amen!