Like you were more excited to give it than they were to receive it? Kind of like, guys, how your wife would react to a new toaster for her birthday? You are like, "It’s the baddest, bestest and quickest toaster on the planet, I can’t believe you don’t love it."
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What do you think Jesus feels like when He left heaven and came to earth, sacrificed everything for us: tortured? Shed blood. Died. Rose from the dead. Gave us access to the very throne of God through prayer. Charged us with a spiritual mission. Gave us the same power that raised Christ from the dead, and yet, how often do we go through our day and not even think about Him, or the gift that He gave us?
For a lot of Christians, I believe apathy has taken hold of our lives. We’ve been isolated due to COVID-19 restrictions and there are lingering effects from that. We are afraid to talk to our neighbors or friends and so we distance ourselves from just about everyone in our lives.
Apathy is when you lack motivation to do anything or just don’t care about what’s going on around you.
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Apathy is brought on by our illusion of “self-sufficiency.” We think we can handle life on our own. Yet we really do need each other. We need to be in relationships with others for our own benefit as well as for the opportunity for us to be an encouragement to others.
Most people are feeling alone and just trying to get by in life. Yet we see drug abuse on an upswing and alcohol abuse rising. Depression and despair are among the major issues people are dealing with these days because of isolation.
We take on the attitude, “I’ll do me, and you do you, and we will all be better for it.” Yet when we become so self-focused or self-sufficient, we block others out of our lives, those who we really need the most.
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If apathy is setting in, I would like to encourage you to take some time today and text 10 people in your contact list with an encouraging word. It doesn’t have to be long and wordy, just a short simple, “You are important to me. Thank you for being in my life.” With simple words, you can help share hope with someone else, and it will encourage your own heart at the same time.
Jesus is our hope. Our hope for love, healing, joy and peace that comes through a relationship with Him.
Remember the two greatest commandments? In the simple form, Jesus says it comes down to this — love God and love others. As we live this out, we can break free from the apathy in our lives and help others to do the same.
Dave McGaffey is lead pastor at Community of Hope Church of the Nazarene.
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April 14, 2021 at 10:00PM
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Clergy View: Love God, love others, share in His hope - Brainerd Dispatch
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