Read Ezekiel Chapter 26
I Don’t Care What Happens To You.
The city of Tyre rejoiced over the ruins of Judah and saw it as an opportunity to prosper. They did not care what happened to the people there. They only cared about themselves. God declared his coming Wrath against Tyre for being so selfish and self-focused.
What if someone we knew, and didn’t particularly care for, had something misfortunate happen to them? Would we care? Or would we pretend we feel bad, but we really don’t? If we really did care we would do something about it!
For example, let’s say your “unkind” neighbor has a 20 speed bike that he uses for exercise purposes, and even brags about it. Then one day, it is stolen out of his garage. He has no insurance and the cost of a new one is probably around $500. How do we respond because in reality, here’s an opportunity to show the love of Jesus. What are you going to do?
Here’s an option: you go to the neighborhood and raise money for a new bike for your neighbor and you all go over there to his house and present a gift card for $500 to a nice bike shop / store. You take the opportunity to share how Jesus loves him and you want to share his love with this gift card.
In your mind, you think he “doesn’t deserve it” because he’s rude and egotistical. But you recognize the fact he needs Jesus more than the fact that he’s a “jerk.” Therefore, you’re more concerned on sharing Jesus than you are rejoicing over his loss. Can you see how helping the person in need actually plants a seed for Christ in his heart? To rejoice over someone’s misfortune is dangerous. God rebuked Tyre for rejoicing over Judah’s misfortune and declared his coming wrath against them.
Perhaps we should learn from this.
CHALLENGE: Pray for an opportunity today to help a person in need versus doing nothing. Show them that you do care and that their lives matter for Jesus.
