Why Should We Care?
- Joe Venturo
- 2 hours ago
- 3 min read
Is there really anything to be concerned about beyond our present situation? The girls in the story we published recently didn’t seem to think so. To them, the river looked like an inviting place for a tubing adventure. It didn’t occur to them to plan or consider that the river might hold hidden dangers. But when warned of the upcoming waterfall, inward fear kept them from putting themselves in danger.
A lot of people live their lives here on earth with the same attitude as those girls. I can just focus on living my life today, right now. Focus on having fun. I don’t need to think about any disturbing, philosophical, religious questions. This attitude can seem intimidating to believers who want to share the Good News of Jesus with the world. People seem happy enough with their earthly lives. And when they are warned of sin and coming judgment, they react pridefully and angrily. They don’t want the Gospel, so why bother giving it to them?
Is it possible that people’s negative responses to the Gospel message are simply a cover-up for an inward fear—a fear of the unknown that constantly nags at their minds but which they are too prideful to speak of? The Bible assures us that this is the case. In Hebrews 2:15, we read that Jesus came to “deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.” The fear of death is a cruel master over all who have not found salvation from sin through repentance and faith in Christ.
The fear of the unknown is, in many ways, stronger than the fear of the known. Perhaps people are so afraid of death because they have no answers to the question of what happens after they say goodbye to this earth.
If you are truly “in Christ”—in other words, a true believer—then you will behave as Christ behaved, as if you were carried along inside Him. Specifically, this means displaying Jesus’ love and compassion. Love and compassion are active. They should drive you to share the message that will provide people with answers and free them from the fear of death. And if you’re having trouble feeling loving or compassionate toward people, then view witnessing as a duty. Do your duty, and love and compassion will come naturally.
But don’t stop there. Jesus commands believers to “make disciples,” which means going beyond simply turning people from the way of death. It means turning people into followers of Christ—into people who grow increasingly like Him as they carefully observe His Words and actions. As Paul implies in I Corinthians 3:6, some plant and some water. One person gives a person the Gospel, and another person gives additional biblical instruction and encouragement so that the seed grows and flourishes. As hard as these tasks may be, Paul goes on to say that “God [gives] the growth”—He will cause His church to increase and flourish. In other words, if you obey God’s Word in planting and watering, you are bound to have success because your work is undergirded by the power of God.
Are you both planting and watering today? There is a world beyond this life that we must be concerned about, and in fact, it is the only thing worth living for. What can you do to give someone the Gospel today? What can you do to help someone follow Christ more closely, whether it’s lifting up a discouraged heart through a kind word or deed, admonishing a brother or sister who is going astray, or simply speaking of what God is teaching you in His Word?
Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers, Used by permission. All rights reserved.
