Did you notice that last week, 8 people were killed in a terror attack in New York? It seems like weeks ago now. How quickly it has left our screens, as the media has moved on to more incidents of shootings, political crises, exposes of corruption, etc. Never mind the natural disasters and impending famines, the incessant attacks on life, the family and freedom of speech. ‘It’s overwhelming’ soon becomes the heart’s cry.
The problem is that this is the ‘new normal’ – and we’re growing used to it. Atrocious attacks don’t stay in the papers for quite as long, because they’re too frequent. As soon as one scandal breaks, another eclipses it. We don’t have time to process the news, let alone react suitably.
In my local news this week, a gay man was sentenced for shaking his adopted daughter to death while his ‘husband’ was out of town. She was 18 months old. I was aghast watching this terrible story. And then I realised that I wanted to grieve and mourn for this poor little girl more than I actually was. I remembered Matthew 24:12: “Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold.” Jesus’ own words warn that the relentless evil of this world will, unless we are careful, exact a heavy toll from our own hearts.
It can happen so subtly, so easily. We can grow cold out of self-defence – being so overwhelmed by what we see that we put up guards around our hearts, even sub-consciously. It can be out of fatigue – the bombardment simply numbs us. It can be out of escapism; deliberately hiding our heads in the sand for a moment’s respite.
However it happens, the outcome is still the same: next time such a story hits the news, we pray but don’t weep. The next time, we don’t even pray, but simply roll our eyes. Bit by bit, hearts can grow weary.
Chilled by a Cold Wind
Let’s take a closer look at Jesus’ words. “Because of the increase [pléthunó, meaning multiplication, filling to maximum capacity] in wickedness [anomia, meaning lawlessness, the total disregard for God’s word and the impact of this on the soul], the love [agapé, God-given moral love, first for Him and then for each other, manifested in obedience and sacrifice] of most will grow cold [psuchó, chilled, as if by a cold wind]”.
What a stark warning – but it is not inevitable. Contrast Matthew 24:12 with Ephesians 3:17-19, which shows our true calling: to be “rooted and established in love”, and to grow such that we might grasp the wonderful riches of the love of Christ, and “know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.”
I believe that it is possible for believers to be chilled in their love for God and others (especially in these days), and to be tempted to turn inwards to self-centred love, or to other worldly loves, instead. Indeed, by the time the Apostle John received Revelation, the church at Ephesus which had received those wonderful words above on love from Paul had ‘forsaken their first love’ (see Rev 2:1-7).
However, I also believe that it is possible for us – albeit against the odds – to grow in love, that we might truly ‘shine like stars’ (Phil 2:15).
Knowing Christ and Christ Crucified
There are many ways that this might be achieved - let me select two here. One is that recommended by Jesus in Matthew 24:13: “the one who stands firm [hupomenó, to bear up under the load, to stand one’s ground] to the end will be saved”. This perseverance requires diligence, courage and an intentional, ongoing decision to keep going, holding fast to the true faith.
The second is this: we fan the flames of God’s agapé love in our hearts by making sure we don’t forget the sinful state of our hearts and the price that the Lord Jesus paid to cleanse us. It was the Lord Himself who said that those who understand just how much they have been forgiven will love much (Luke 7:47, also 2 Pet 1:9).
Let us, then, keep our eyes fixed on the cross, while watching carefully and prayerfully how much we are being directed by the world's agenda rather than the Lord's agenda. Only then will we discover His focus and His heart for this changing and challenging world.
Author: Frances Rabbitts. With grateful thanks to David C Grabbe and Pastor Colin Smith.