We need to care, to even grieve, about our world.

You strum away on your harps like David and improvise on musical instruments. You drink wine by the bowlful and use the finest lotions, but you do not grieve over the ruin of Joseph. (Amos 6:6 NIV)

Israel enjoyed to worship. They were thrilled by artistic excellence. But what they did, did not please God, because they loved to be pleased and to enjoy themselves, and was not making their beautiful music to please and glorify God.  

God charged them with these words: “You do not grieve over the ruin of Joseph." They are charged with apathy. They were indifferent, insensitive, apathetic. They enjoyed great worship, but it was selfish and not God honouring, because it was all about their own gratification.

They were complacent.  Israel was not concerned about the destiny of those who did not share in their prosperity. God was concerned, but their hearts was unmoved.

If we would apply this to ourselves, we must ask a critical question.  Do we feel what God feels about the state of the world? Do we care about the things God cares about? Do we care about the ruin of Joseph?

God cares about people. His passion is people.  If our beautiful worship and praise do not come from compassionate and obedient hearts, God will not notice what we do.  He will only notice our complacency and our indifference.

True fulfilment comes when we serve like Jesus did. Jesus lived for others. Jesus gave his life for people. People were his focus and they should be ours as well.

It is so easy to take things for granted. We need a wake-up call like the one Amos gave to Israel. We seek things that will not satisfy or even thrill us. We will be satisfied when we spend our lives caring about the welfare of others.  Then our worship will also reach the heart of God, because God first of all made us to glorify him by doing his work. And his work is to touch the lives of those who are in ruin.

Mother Teresa was one day followed around Calcutta by a man inspired by her work. At one point he cried out, "Mother Teresa, I wouldn’t do this work for a million dollars!" She replied, "Neither would I!" This is the heart of someone who cares.  Of someone who did "grieve over the ruin of Joseph."

We have to get up from our complacent and indifferent lazy-boy chairs and become people who care enough to do something to touch the lives of those who need to know the Lord.

We need to care about those who need our help.