Indifference, the Opposite of Love
Think of a church (or other institution) where everything is going well. No membership problems — they are queuing up to join. No skills shortage — they have specialists to handle every kind of emergency. No financial strains — the pews are full of ‘ oneybags'. No serious problems that can’t be sorted out, either by reference to the right person or by a quick word of prayer. Bible study? Everybody comes. A personal crisis? Everybody rallies round.
Now, side by side with that highly successful community, focus on a situation of tragedy or disaster. Not one of the big ones for the Disasters Emergency Committee but a delicate case of hurt, misfortune, loss or injustice which most people would prefer not to know about. If you were to challenge that first group with that situation, which of the following responses would you expect?
- there will always be people like that.
- sad, but there’s nothing we can do about it.
- not our business. Try the social services, the courts or the politicians.
- great. Get them to come along and we will care for them and pray for them.
Where then do you see the people Amos had in mind when he talked about those who were lying on beds of ivory, lounging on couches, helping themselves to food, enjoying wine and so on, but quite insensitive to the ruins around them?
Telltale signs are a false sense of security, excessive self-indulgence and callous indifference to others, especially among those who might be regarded as leaders or trend setters but who are unlikely to be moved if the world collapsed round their ears. Once identified, concentrate on the sins and try to avoid passing judgement on the offenders. Note the differences in detail from the time of Amos but concentrate on the underlying offence of self-centredness and indifference which is symptomatic of a wider attitude affecting (some would say ‘infecting’) many other walks of life.