scripture reading: I Corinthians 9:19–22

Who Cares?

Don’t you care if we drown? (Mark 4:38)

Salvation Army founder William Booth (1829–1912) had a burning passion for lost souls. One of his most famous sermons, entitled “Who Cares?”, told of a vision he once had. I’ve taken the liberty of editing and condensing the sermon so that I could share it with you.

In my vision I saw a dark and stormy ocean. In that ocean I saw myriads of poor human beings thrashing and floating, shouting and shrieking, cursing and struggling. Some sank to rise no more. And I saw out of this dark angry ocean, a mighty rock that rose up with its summit towering high above the black clouds that hung over the stormy sea. And all around the base of this rock I saw a vast platform, and on this platform were numbers of those who had been saved from the tempestuous ocean.

On looking more closely, I saw that a few of those who had been rescued were working with ladders, ropes and boats to rescue some of those strug- gling in the waters, to help them reach a place of safety. Some actually risked their own lives by jumping into the water to rescue the perishing.

But what puzzled me most was the fact that though all of those on the plat- form had been rescued at one time or another from the ocean, nearly every- one seemed to have forgotten all about it. And what seemed equally strange was that these people did not even seem to care about the poor perishing ones who were struggling and drowning right before their very eyes, many of whom were their own husbands and wives, brothers and sisters, and even their own children. This astonishing unconcern could not have been the result of ignorance because they lived right there in full sight of it all. Many even went regularly to hear sermons in which the awful state of these poor drowning creatures was described. But in spite of all this, most on the plat- form continued to live as if those drowning around them did not even exist.

My friends in Christ, you are rescued from the waters, you are on the rock. Christ himself has already jumped into the dark sea and is calling for you to come help him rescue those who are drowning. Will you go? He is calling you to jump into the sea. Will you jump?

Does the surging sea look dark and dangerous? It is. There is no doubt that the leap for you will mean difficulty, scorn and suffering. It may even mean death. But he still bids you to come. You have enjoyed yourself in Christi- anity long enough. You have had pleasant feelings, pleasant songs, pleasant meetings, pleasant prospects. Now then, go to God and tell him you are willing to spend the rest of your days struggling in the midst of these per- ishing multitudes, whatever it may cost you. You must do it! With the light of the truth now filling your mind, his calling sounding in your ears, and the outstretched arms of those struggling in the sea lifted to you for help, you have no alternative. Your happiness from now on will consist in sharing their misery, your ease in sharing their pain, your crown in helping them to bear their cross, and your heaven in going into the very jaws of hell to rescue them. Now, what will you do?

 

The warning bell of judgment tolls, above us looms the cross; around are ever-dying souls—how great, how great the loss! O Lord, constrain and move thy church the glad news to impart! And Lord, as thou dost stir thy church, begin within my heart.”   —Anne Ortlund

 

point to ponder • What is your attitude toward those around you who are spiritually lost? Do you care?

prayer focus • “Lord, wake me up to the reality of millions of souls all around me, dying!”