Learned Apathy
Learned Apathy
Today I found myself in a situation that was scary and frustrating at the same time. Two High School girls from the neighborhood asked for a ride to a store in Greensboro to do some school shopping. It was taking longer than we thought so I informed them that I needed to go home to check on the dog that I was dog sitting and I would be back in 10-15 min. I left and returned 10 minutes later to find that they were no where in the store to be found. While I was looking for them I ran into another member of our church that lives up the street from me in the hood. We began to look for the girls, and I went to area shops around asking if any one had seen them; no one had but was concerned at the time that they had been missing (over and hour at this point.)
We found the girls eventually at a store in another shopping center filling out job applications. They were shocked to say the least that I was worried about them and upset that I had no idea where they were. After I picked them up I brought them back to the store that we were at to begin with and explained to them that the people working there were concerned about them as well, and that they were to go in and apologize for any worry that they had brought to them. The two girls were astonished that I would ask them to do such a thing, yet humbly went in and apologized to the clerks at the store.
On the way home I explained to them that it was not so much that I was upset that they went to another store, but that I couldn’t find them and that I was so concerned and worried and wondering if they were all right. They said they were sorry and tried to let it drop. I could see that they were still confused at the reason for my worry. I explained how I had asked other people if they had see them, and that complete strangers were concerned and wanted to know how to help. One of the girls spoke up at this point and said, “That is not true Suzanne, strangers do not care anything about us.”
This is where the light bulb went off for me. I knew in my heart that they were not being rebellious but at this point it became clear that it was “Learned Apathy”. Their thinking is right in how so many children here in Glenwood have been raised. You are to fend for yourselves no one really cares what you do just don’t interfere with their lives. Many children are taught this from an early age. It breaks my heart when I bring a child to ask his/her parents permission to go somewhere and the parent’s response is I don’t care what you do.
I began to confront the lies through Jesus, that I saw sitting on their tender hearts. “This is not true, you are loved people do care for you, even if they have never met seen you.” I informed my girls. “I understand why you think that it wouldn’t have mattered to anyone where you were or if something had happened to you, but the truth is that there are adults that care.” At this point one of the young ladies smiled and tried to hide it. I was unsure why she smiling and she looked at me and said, “Ms. Suzanne I am not smiling b/c what you said is funny I am smiling b/c I feel special.
We are called as the body of Christ to confront the lies that we and others believe because of this fallen world that we live in. We are called to teach and to embrace those that are broken hearted and some do not even realize that they are. It is not enough to show up at church or to invite a friend to church; while these are things that we are to do we are not called to end there. Jesus was concerned with the poor, with the lost, with those that had nothing and believed that no one cared anything about them. We are called to be a shining light, and to draw others to Jesus.
Jesus told us and showed us by example that: “They will know you’re my disciples by your love for one another!”
Today I found myself in a situation that was scary and frustrating at the same time. Two High School girls from the neighborhood asked for a ride to a store in Greensboro to do some school shopping. It was taking longer than we thought so I informed them that I needed to go home to check on the dog that I was dog sitting and I would be back in 10-15 min. I left and returned 10 minutes later to find that they were no where in the store to be found. While I was looking for them I ran into another member of our church that lives up the street from me in the hood. We began to look for the girls, and I went to area shops around asking if any one had seen them; no one had but was concerned at the time that they had been missing (over and hour at this point.)
We found the girls eventually at a store in another shopping center filling out job applications. They were shocked to say the least that I was worried about them and upset that I had no idea where they were. After I picked them up I brought them back to the store that we were at to begin with and explained to them that the people working there were concerned about them as well, and that they were to go in and apologize for any worry that they had brought to them. The two girls were astonished that I would ask them to do such a thing, yet humbly went in and apologized to the clerks at the store.
On the way home I explained to them that it was not so much that I was upset that they went to another store, but that I couldn’t find them and that I was so concerned and worried and wondering if they were all right. They said they were sorry and tried to let it drop. I could see that they were still confused at the reason for my worry. I explained how I had asked other people if they had see them, and that complete strangers were concerned and wanted to know how to help. One of the girls spoke up at this point and said, “That is not true Suzanne, strangers do not care anything about us.”
This is where the light bulb went off for me. I knew in my heart that they were not being rebellious but at this point it became clear that it was “Learned Apathy”. Their thinking is right in how so many children here in Glenwood have been raised. You are to fend for yourselves no one really cares what you do just don’t interfere with their lives. Many children are taught this from an early age. It breaks my heart when I bring a child to ask his/her parents permission to go somewhere and the parent’s response is I don’t care what you do.
I began to confront the lies through Jesus, that I saw sitting on their tender hearts. “This is not true, you are loved people do care for you, even if they have never met seen you.” I informed my girls. “I understand why you think that it wouldn’t have mattered to anyone where you were or if something had happened to you, but the truth is that there are adults that care.” At this point one of the young ladies smiled and tried to hide it. I was unsure why she smiling and she looked at me and said, “Ms. Suzanne I am not smiling b/c what you said is funny I am smiling b/c I feel special.
We are called as the body of Christ to confront the lies that we and others believe because of this fallen world that we live in. We are called to teach and to embrace those that are broken hearted and some do not even realize that they are. It is not enough to show up at church or to invite a friend to church; while these are things that we are to do we are not called to end there. Jesus was concerned with the poor, with the lost, with those that had nothing and believed that no one cared anything about them. We are called to be a shining light, and to draw others to Jesus.
Jesus told us and showed us by example that: “They will know you’re my disciples by your love for one another!”
posted by Suzanne at 4:55 PM
1 Comments:
Welcome to the Blogosphere, Suzanne! A great first post! I hope that GUPY's read it, too.
Post a Comment
<< Home