Heads in the Sand...and Not Caring About It.

There is a disease sweeping our land. It is a disease that is more deadly than AIDS; a disease more crippling than arthritis and more devastating than cancer. It leaves its victims powerless, hopeless and unproductive. The most tragic thing about this disease, that has reached pandemic proportions, is that it is clearly treatable, yet extremely hard to cure. This plaque is called apathy.

As a minister and radio talk show host, I face people everyday that show the symptoms of apathy, and sadly it seems that the condition of many of them is terminal. The outward signs of apathy and indifference can be seen everywhere; lack of interest and participation in the election process, indifference to tragic issues such as gambling, racism and alcohol abuse. But sadder even still, is the fact the infestation of apathy seems to be as great, or greater, among Christians and the Church. God’s people seem satisfied and filled, turning a blind eye while physical hunger, abuse, lies and unrighteousness prevails everywhere.

I constantly hear from so many believers, “Mike, you need to be nicer.” I ask the question, what has happened to being bold and upfront with our witness? When did we determine that being openly committed to standing for truth, righteousness and the cause of the Lord Jesus Christ, and doing it assertively, means that a person is being “ugly”?

Fact is more of us should be assertive in our faith. I cannot read any where in God’s Word where we should be friends with the world and take up with the world’s system and be quiet about it. Just to the contrary, we are told to shun the ways of the world and to come our from among them and be separate. Take that approach today, and many of your brothers and sisters will label you as being intolerant, divisive and unkind.

I am still waiting, sadly waiting for a well-known Christian leader to come out and call sin, sin, and mean it, and not back off when the pressure it turned up. Many leaders will call a spade a spade when they are in the pulpit, but when they are called on by the media, they seem to want to water down their comments, saying they were misquoted. If you mean it say and having done all, stand!

A local case in point; about 10 years ago, gambling came to our area of west central Mississippi. A referendum was placed before the citizens, allowing them to vote whether or not to allow the “boats” to set up shop in our city and county. The first vote failed, the second passed. One person in particular lead the fight against the casinos. They were fealess and vocal in their opposition to the gaming parasites. They lead the charge in public and in the church to prevent gambling from being accepted in the community. Today, that same person freely accepts casino money to fund their charitable projects and is very willing to praise casino executives as pillars of the community. Unbelieveable!

The prevailing presence of the gambling boats and lotteries, the indoctrination our children by the moral relativists and cultural elite the barbarism of abortion and the heresy of the Purpose Driven/Seeker Sensitive church growth movements, are due in large part to the apathy and laziness of Christians, churches and many denominations. A young pastor explained it to me best when he said that the word apathy means “a”, meaning “no”; and “pathy” meaning “no passion”.

What’s it going to take to get make us mad enough to go out as the early Christians did, and "turn the world upside down"? What is it going to take to get our heads out of the sand and take a stand for truth and righteousness? When we become as committed to the cause of Christ, as those who oppose that cause are then maybe the church will become the church.

When we are going to realize that meek does not mean weak? When will we take start being serious about serving our Lord instead just rubbing backs, hugging necks and getting in touch with our feelings? When will we say loudly and boldly 'thus saith the Lord'?

The heathens and compromisers have no problem in being forceful and vocal with what they believe. When will those who claim the name of Christ do the same?