It Really Doesn't Matter
Zephaniah 1:12
"And it shall come to pass at that time, that I will search Jerusalem with candles, and punish the men that are settled on their lees: that say in their heart, The LORD will not do good, neither will he do evil."
One of the statements that really gets under my skin is when a person says, "I don't care."That seemed to be the attitude of the Jews. The verse above says that they were "settled on their lees." "Lees" is the sediment of the wine in the barrel. It was the refuse of the juice. If you have ever drank something and got to the bottom of the cup and saw some granules that settled at the bottom, that is the lees of that drink. These people we happy with the refuse of life. It really didn't matter that they could have it better in life, for they were settled on having what they had.
Even worse, the Scriptures tell us that in their heart they said, "The LORD will not do good, neither will he do evil." In other words, they had the mentality that God didn't care that they lived this way. They had a mentality that God was far off and uninterested in their life. What a sad mentality! The attitude of settling for the "lees" of life caused them to have the mentality that God doesn't care. That mentality led to their destruction. Thinking that it really doesn't matter led them to the judgment of God.
I would like to remind the Jews that it really did matter. It mattered because there was another generation who watched their careless attitude. It mattered because lives were destroyed by sin. It mattered because the best in people was not being realized. It mattered because God is a God Who expects excellence. It really did matter because their attitude led to destruction. The Jews were better than having a careless attitude. It really did matter to God, and it should have mattered to them.
Sadly, I find many Christians who seem to have the same attitude, that attitude that it really doesn't matter. This is one of the most selfish attitudes a person can have. The reason is doesn't matter to many is because it doesn't personally affect them. As long as what goes on doesn't touch them, then they really don't care. Churches are filled with Christians who have a careless attitude about what happens in their church and society. Our nation is filled with people who really don't care about wicked policies that are destroying their nation. As long as they are happy and they can live and die without those policies affecting them, then they settle on their lees.
Let me remind you that we should never accept the lifestyle that lives at the bottom of the barrel. Whatever happened to the drive inside of people to better themselves and their surroundings? Where are those who take upon themselves the attitude that they will leave every place a better place?
Let me challenge you to become a person who doesn't accept the careless mentality that says, "It really doesn't matter." Let me challenge you to make everything matter in your life. Every action that you perform should matter. Every thing that God allows your hand to do should matter. Every project that you start should matter. Every person who is hurting should matter to you. Every soul that has an eternity should matter. Simply put, become a person who truly cares about everything you do. If you will make your life one that strives for excellence, then your life will be one in which everything truly matters.