First off, I know I haven't been writing on this blog near as much as I should lately and I apologize. I do have a pretty good excuse however which you all will see in probably another month or so (like, you know, maybe a book). ;)
Yet this morning my heart ached to write. So as usual when that happens, I just decided to sit down at my computer and type and see what happens. And I wanted to ask you a question. Are you awake? I'm not talking about literally being awake here. (Sometimes I'm still half asleep in the morning too, it's okay.) What I'm talking about is being spiritually awake. I have noticed an epidemic in Christian circles that is beginning to burn out the fire that once burned brightly in the hearts of those who love Jesus. I call it apathy. The dictionary defines apathy as, “the absence of emotion or enthusiasm; the trait of lacking enthusiasm.” Some synonyms to apathy include: indifference, unconcerned, lethargic. Take a look around you and I’m pretty sure that it won’t take very long before you begin to notice those who are apathetic. Those who are indifferent to what is going on in the world around them and those who stay out of certain issues because, “it’s none of their business.” Many people live apathetically, but of course they wouldn’t call it that. Some people call it tolerance. Don’t speak up when doctors kill unborn babies, because it is the “right” of the mother to let them do it and forget about the child's right to life. Tolerate it when they take any form of Christianity out of the public schools, because there isn’t anything that you could do about it anyway. Do you see what apathy leads to? Sadly, I am seeing more Christians and those who claim to be religious, live apathetically—not non-believers. Many atheists and non-believers are out there defending their rights. After all, that’s how Bibles began to be kept off public school property, babies began to be killed, and people began to destroy the true meaning of marriage. All of these things happen while Christians stand by and tolerate it because they don’t think there is anything they could do to change it. They say they are praying about it and that’s doing all they can. They sink into apathy. Don’t get me wrong. Prayer is the most important thing that you can do to make a difference. Praying to God and seeking Him should always be the first thing that you do. And in certain cases, sometimes, yes, it is all that you can do. But not in most cases. Because God gave you a voice. And He didn't just give it to you to keep silent and watch the world turn its back on Him while doing nothing to help stop them. God does not always want you to just pray about something and then forget about it, leaving someone else to deal with it. God never wanted you to live apathetically. He wanted to use you. That’s why He said… “Open your mouth for the speechless, in the cause of all who are appointed to die. Open your mouth, judge righteously, and plead the cause of the poor and needy.” (Proverbs 31:8-9) “He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?” (Micah 6:8) “Is this not the fast that I have chosen: To loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, to let the oppressed go free, and that you break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out; when you see the naked, that you cover him, and not hide yourself from your own flesh?” (Isaiah 58:6-7) “Therefore He says: Awake, you who sleep, arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light.” (Ephesians 5:14) “Learn to do good, seek justice, rebuke the oppressor, defend the fatherless, plead for the widow.” (Isaiah 1:17) “Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.” (James 1:27) “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.” (Revelation 3:15-16) “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in Heaven.” (Matthew 5:14-16) We are not meant to stand still, half-asleep, with our mouths closed tight. When others threaten our beliefs, our God, we are not meant to tolerate it. And the world will make you think you have to keep quiet. Oh, how they will try to silence you. But we don't have to listen to them. God has chosen to use us in this world. I don’t know about you, but that is a humbling thought. But I also want to make my God proud. I want to do what He asks of me. When babies are killed, I want to speak out and say, “This is wrong.” When the meaning of marriage is twisted I want to say loudly, “Wait a minute, this isn’t how it’s supposed to be.” When Bibles are taken out of school and prayer is prohibited, I want to stand my ground and keep on praying. When children are sold into slavery, I want to be the first to stand up and say, “This is evil.” We are the light of the world and whether we realize it or not, the world is watching. They are watching to see whether or not we stand firm in what we believe. They are watching to see whether or not we give into apathy and let it give us permission to sleep…while our little lights slowly begin to be blown out by them. There is a time to be silent. There is a time to back down. But this is not that time. This is the time to wake up and show the world what we believe.
6 Comments
7/18/2016 10:08:00 am
What a great post Bella! You hit the nail on the head :) .
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Bella Morganthal
7/18/2016 07:32:58 pm
Thanks triplet ;) <3
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7/20/2016 04:54:15 pm
Jesus said it was better to be either all cold or all hot than lukewarm (Revelations 3:16). I think we forget this. We have forgotten that love is not patronizing or silence. Love is rebuke. Love is kind, but love is firm. We are in a rut of going to church and coming home and forgetting during the week that we're on this earth to bring more people into heaven with us. It is truly sad.
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Bella Morganthal
7/21/2016 07:01:50 pm
Thank you Sarah! :)
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Olivia Bell
7/30/2016 04:02:51 pm
What a wonderful article, Bella! This is so true, everything you said was so true... it is a challenge that is hard to live up to, but we need to speak up for what is right in this world, and not let evil overrun the earth!
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Bella Morganthal
7/30/2016 08:26:46 pm
Thanks, Livy! Yes, indeed!!
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