[366 words]
Many years ago, I heard Leroy Brownlow (author of “Why I am a Member of the Church of Christ”) use this illustration. “What are the two main problems in the church?” The question was answered with, “I don’t know and I don’t care.”
He hit the nail on the head. Indifference is a tool of the devil designed to rob Christians of diligence in duty.
From a study of biblical history we learn that after some seventy years of Babylonian captivity, Judah returned in three stages. The first group was led back to Jerusalem by Zerubbabel and Jeshua. They then rebuilt and dedicated the temple. The second group was led by Ezra. It was marked by a great revival among the people—the revival was led by Haggai and Zechariah. The third group was led by Nehemiah. It was under Nehemiah’s leadership that the walls were rebuilt.
As you study the background material to the utter devastation of the city walls, you can’t help but be impressed with the fact that those walls were rebuilt in just fifty-two short days (Neh. 6:15). How did they do it? Nehemiah provides the answer: “So built we the wall; and all the wall was joined together unto the half thereof: for the people had a mind to work” (Neh. 4:6).
Though the people as a whole were characterized by great zeal, there were still others who were indifferent. Some were pictured as lazy, and others were just plain negative (Neh. 4:5,10). They needed a healthy dose of James 1:25: “But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.”
There will always be those, even some Christians, who are indifferent–who don’t care whether they (or you for that matter) succeed or fail. They will stand in the way of individual and congregational progress. But, don’t be duped by this tool of the devil. Like those who returned from Babylonian captivity some 3,000 years ago to rebuild the wall around God’s city in just fifty-two days, we too can do great things in short order if we’ll have a mind to work.
Neil Richey
Piedmont Road church of Christ
Marietta, GA