Apathy is a disease, a cancer. Its spread its way through the American culture like a wild fire. The “American Dream” took us from purpose driven industrialists to service driven masochists. Depression and obesity are at an all time high. Murder and drug use are constantly rising and all we can think to do is treat the symptoms of our debilitating disease. While those of us who see, wonder “how’d it all go wrong?” How did a nation, centered around God and his church come to this?
All that to say, I’ve lived around and in apathy all my life. So you’d think that I could smell it in a society from a mile away. That however is the greatest weapon in apathy’s arsenal, you’ll likely never notice ( thats the point) and until just the other day I hadn’t noticed it much these past few months. Looking out from the top floor of one of the largest malls in Europe it hit me like a ton of bricks. Apathy hung in the room like a thick demonic presence and I began to understand a little better why its so hard to minister in this country, apathy. It has become as ingrained here as it is in the US. I can honestly say that I have not seen a single person answer the call to prayer in the three weeks I’ve been here. Though I haven’t been outside the city, it seems that they have become the American church, belief without conviction or action. They claim their faith and that is all they do with it.
Realizing this confused me. I mean, why would the enemy mess with a nation that he already had deceived. Why bother making them apathetic when they already serve a false god? I may be wrong on this one but this is what I felt the spirt telling me. If a people are seeking to serve God, even if its not the real one, then they will be more open to hearing the gospel. A people like this, who think that they have it all figured out, won’t listen. Have you ever tried to witness to a CEO, or even a blue collar man in the US? How’d that go? People who have been tricked into thinking that they have it all figured out aren’t going to listen when you tell them that they don’t. They’re inwardly focussed and there is only one cure. A fervent and contagious desire to serve God with ones whole heart, soul, mind and spirit. To live and love as Jesus did, not only for our own benefit, but so others can see and find him. God shake us from this hazy stupor. Wake this world from its self serving slumber. Use me to do it.
Nick
