Apathy and Contentment: What's the Difference?

"There are things Christians should hate.

We should be intolerant of some things.

People have this picture of Christianity that is all nice and warm and fuzzy--

but if there are some things God hates, we should hate them, too."

It was not a typical Sunday message (but then again, most things at my church aren't very typical). As our pastor was preaching, I started thinking about some of the things God hates, but that many Christians tolerate--and based on a few conversations I had last week, apathy came to the top of my list. Here's why:


Apathy is deceptively dangerous.


When most of us think of things God hates, we think of the 7 deadly sins or things we're commanded not to do in the 10 Commandments. On the surface, apathy doesn't seem as bad as murder or greed, for example. But sin is sin. And apathy could actually be the chief cause of other sins in our lives. Think about this:

• Apathy robs us from daring to be the people God has called us to be.
  


• Apathy can be a root cause of greed--a kind of greed that says, "I'm okay with what I've got and what I give today." (Notice the emphasis on I versus a giving heart to help others).


• Apathy stops us from standing up to injustice.
  


• Apathy silences us when we should speak up.
  


• Apathy keeps us in our comfort zones.
  


• Apathy hinders us from forming new friendships or relationships.
  


• Apathy is a form of selfishness--it's a focus on what's convenient, safe and easy for me alone.
  


• Apathy stops us from helping others.

"But I'm not apathetic. I'm just content."

Gosh, that sounds spiritual ... but how do you know if it's true?

"Test yourselves to make sure you are solid in the faith.
Don't drift along taking everything for granted."
(2 Corinthians 13:5 - The Message)

Contentment is about gratitude (fitting, since this is the week of Thanksgiving!). It's about recognizing what you have today comes from God. It is impossible to be both apathetic and grateful. Contentment is also about hope--it's about hoping for God's best for your life and for others.

Here's another way to look at the difference between contentment and apathy. Let's imagine that you're married. You would probably be glad if your spouse said that he/she was "content" with your relationship, but continually working to make it stronger. But if your spouse started to become apathetic about your relationship, I don't think either of you would be happy.

Apathy leads to a "drift along" kind of life that may feel empty or meaningless. It's a life void of passion, challenge or a sense of purpose. That's a kind of life I'd hate to live ... and I think God would probably hate for any of us to live that way, too.

Let's be grateful for where we're at, but passionately driven toward purpose. Because that's the only way we can really make a difference.