I Really Don't Care...

I was driving this afternoon to the local Home Depot store and as I waited at a stoplight a block from the shopping centre, a blue car pulled up next to me. Nothing unusual about this car, a late-90's model Honda civic, but what caught my eye and infuriated my spirit was the large piece of garbage that flew out of the window. When I say a large piece of garbage, I mean large! Not a gum wrapper or even a paper coffee cup, but a full-sized, blue paper bag; dropping right into the middle of one of our city streets.

Admittedly, there is garbage all over the streets of our city, and I spend probably about an hour every week cleaning it up out of our church parking lot and street out front, but there is something about actually seeing someone littering "live."

You would have probably been surprised and maybe even slightly embarrassed by what I did next (I know the teen guy from the Youth Group riding with me was :-)

I rolled down the window and said "Hey Buddy, I think you should pick that up." The young man, probably about my age, and of South Asian descent, responded quickly with a surprised "No."

"There is a garbage can right over there in that parking lot," I suggested.

His response was shockingly honest, but likely shared by so many. "I really don't care." he said with a shrug and a chuckle.

Not wanting to leave it at that, and attempting to reveal that I was not just interested in clean streets, I said "God has given us this beautiful world to enjoy, and you are just messing it up..." We both drove off and eventually turned off our separate ways, but I am not quite ready to forget this experience.

For about two weeks now I have been thinking about something from Genesis 6-9, the story of Noah and the flood. How could all of these people, save Noah and his family, be so unaware of their condition and eventually, the coming judgment of God? How could they get to the point where God means nothing to them and they just live their life focused solely on themselves? According to Scripture (Matthew 24 & Luke 17) this is exactly what happened in Noah's day, Sodom & Gomorrah, and will be the in the last days.

If you are reading this post today and are living your life with an "I don't care" attitude, not so much about the environment and civic duties (though these are important too), but about God, your Creator, and Jesus, who desires to be your Saviour, please stop to consider...

This man littering at the stoplight probably complains every time he mows his lawn about the litter that has been dropped there, or about some pet owner who has not cleaned up after themselves, and if he owns or runs a business, he likely pays someone to clean up the parking lot because of people doing exactly what he himself does, but he thinks nothing of throwing his garbage in the middle of the street.

Eventually, someone is going to have to pick up that garbage, and one day, every man will have to pay for their sins. If you have not already done so, consider the fact that Jesus died on the cross to pay for our sins for us, so that we will not have to, and trust in Him for salvation.

For the rest of us, let us not take on an "I don't care" attitude about the world. It is frusterating to see a culture and media full of sin and wickedness, but it is not a reason to give up. We must still stand for right and pray and work to overcome the temptation to sin. Witnessing to the Lost, even by simply giving glory to God for things in our lives, or acknowledging His place in the world (think about what I said to the litterer above), is still a great need.

Sure, many people don't care, but God is still willing to save and has not come back yet, so there are still some waiting to hear the Good News!


**** To hear a full-length message on this topic, preached Sunday July 12th at Grace Baptist Church, visit www.gracebaptistchurch.ca, and click on the "video" Tab.