What Do I Care?

In order for something to have power over us and generate passion within us we have to care about that something.

Growing up I knew a kid whose last name was the same as an infamous mob family. Jimmy's ambition, it seemed to his peers, was being a poor student and quitting school at age 16 to drive a tow truck. He drove the teachers absolutely insane because his response to every warning or threat was simply, "I don't care".

Teacher: "Jimmy, if you don't do your homework you will fail."
Jimmy: "I don't care."
Teacher: "Jimmy, if you fail you will have to repeat 6th grade."
Jimmy: "I don't care."
Teacher: "All your friends will go to Jr. High and you will be left behind."
Jimmy: "I don't care."
Teacher: "I will send you to the principal's office and he will punish you."
Jimmy: "I don't care."
Teacher: "We are going to call your mother."
Jimmy: "I don't care."
Teacher: "If you don't adjust your attitude you will end up in prison."
Jimmy: "I don't care."

There was a certain James Dean kind of intrigue with the situation, and, I must admit, it was entertaining watching the teacher's face progress to brighter shades of red.

When you don't care about something, that something has no power over your life. Yes, I am going to spiritualize now...

Jesus threw the opportunists out of the temple because he cared about his Father's house (John 2). Later(v.23) people were enamored with the miracles he performed, but Jesus "would not entrust himself to them" because he did not need their testimony. He cared about his Father's house, but he really did not care about the approval of people. What he cared about shaped his actions.

Jesus willing laid his life down (I John 3:16). He didn't care about himself, he cared about us. What he cared about shaped his actions.

I don't care about power. If God wants to grant power to me to do something for him that is fine. What I care about is his Presence.

I don't care about position or authority (I used to, though I didn't think I did). If God wants to grant it because he wants me to do something for him that is fine, but I don't care. What I care about is humility so I can get quiet before God so I can hear him speak.

I don't care to have an agenda of my own. I don't want one. What I care about is obedience to God's agenda. May his agenda be my agenda.

I don't care about doing great things (I used to). What I care about is seeing people become great disciples of Jesus.

I still care a little too much about perception of others and reputation, but I am growing to not care. This will take more crucifixion of self than I have currently embraced. What I do care about is the reality of the unseen things (2 Corinthians 4:16-18).

The things we care about have power over us. I will make great sacrifices for the things I care about. The things I don't care about, well, I don't care about them.

I must consider how the things I care about have and are shaping my life. I must consider what I don't care about that I should care about, and I must consider the things that I do care about that I shouldn't. I hope that I can come to care about what God cares about and not care about what he does not.