It’s Funny Because It’s Not Me

Then Hezekiah said to Isaiah, “The word of the LORD that you have spoken is good.” For he thought, “Why not, if there will be peace and security in my days?” 2 Kings 20:19

When my kids were young, we used to watch that TV show where they play home videos which people have sent in, hoping to win funniest video. In every episode, there was a segment of the show where they played a montage of dads being struck (accidentally) in the face or groin by their kids. I found it terribly amusing. Not so with my daughter, who always objected – That looks like it really hurt. That’s not funny. She didn’t enjoy watching other’s pain. I, on the other hand, found it hilarious – It’s funny because it’s not me. As long as I wasn’t the one suffering, I was able to enjoy it. My daughter however, found that other’s pain caused her pain and so, she was repelled by it.

Unfortunately, many of us possess this ability to dismiss suffering if it doesn’t directly affect us, which is illustrated in today’s passage. In the story, King Hezekiah showed off his wealth to a visiting Babylonian envoy. For his pride, the prophet Isaiah predicted that the Babylonians would one day carry off all that wealth, but not in Hezekiah’s lifetime. Hezekiah shrugged, not lamenting the misery because it wouldn’t affect him. That’s too bad I, but I won’t be around to see it (my paraphrase). Though this pain would touch his people, it wouldn’t touch Hezekiah, so, he refused to be affected by it.

The passage doesn’t chastise Hezekiah’s apathy, but I think it’s obvious from the teachings of Jesus that indifference is not a Christian ideal. When asked about the greatest commandments, Jesus said that as his followers, we must love our neighbors as ourselves (Matthew 22:39). As Christians, we are to put ourselves in the shoes of others, choosing sympathy. How would I feel if that were me?

I’m not saying that I can’t laugh at those funny home videos. I am saying that when I see on the daily news that men, women, and children suffering around me, I should try to understand what it would be like to be in their shoes. How would I feel? What would Jesus do? Apathy may be the easiest option – It doesn’t affect me – but it’s not how Christ asks us to respond.