Play Your Music With Passion
“‘You say I am a king.’”
I often get frustrated when I drive. People do not seem to know how to use their turn signals. I’ve lost count of how many times I am sitting behind someone who doesn’t go when the light turns green, because they are on their phone instead of focusing on the streetlight. My biggest pet peeve is driving on a four-lane road and the right lane closes, and everyone is supposed to move into the left lane. The minute I see the sign, I move to the left lane. Still, there is always some idiot (child of God) who thinks he is more important than everyone else and does all the way down to the end of the right lane and expects to be let in, in front of several cars who were initially ahead of him. I could continue my list, but I do not want you to see any further examples of my obsessive behavior.
When I read an article in The Atlantic entitled “The Power of Not Caring,” I felt convicted and yet freed. Rafaela Jinich’s article challenges the reader by stating, “Indifference can be its own small act of defiance.” Whether you are driving behind an idiot (child of God) or struggling not to throw something at the television when a politician acts in a narcissistic manner, stop and ask if the person in question should have the power to manipulate my emotions.
Indifference is the intentional act of deciding whether I should care enough to respond inwardly. Jinich points out that “In a world crowded with pressures about how to live, look, and love, indifference can be its own quiet act of defiance.” Instead of getting mad as my act of defiance, I will work to respond with indifference. The world is filled with too many examples of unfairness. If we responded to each slight or act of idiocy with righteous anger, it would be the only emotion we’d ever express. Our emotions have power. If anger is all we convey, the rest of our lives are adversely affected.
A Christ-like response is one of indifference to situations that we cannot change or are not worthy of our emotional attention. A powerful example of indifference is Jesus’ response to Pontius Pilate’s attempted manipulation. In John 18:37, “Pilate asks him, ‘So you are a king?’ Jesus answered, ‘You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.” Notice, Jesus remains in control of his emotions, responding to Pilate with intentional indifference. Also, Jesus does not answer Pilate’s manipulative question, but Jesus shares what was vital to his message. Today, pray God’s Spirit to help you remain in control of your feelings and actions. Ask for the wisdom to know what requires our passion and when the best response is indifference.
