We live in a culture that treats “I don’t care what people think” as a badge of honor. We are told that true authenticity is found by looking inward, silencing the crowd, and pursuing our own desires above all else. But as I’ve looked back on my life—from my days as a school principal to navigating current family struggles—I’ve come to realize that “not caring” is a dangerous path.
In fact, the moment we stop caring about the standards of our community and the heart of our Creator, we risk falling into a world defined by the self.
Lessons from the Past
Years ago, when I was a principal, I worked with a young man who shared openly that he was attracted to other boys. Eventually, he chose to walk away from his faith and embrace a homosexual lifestyle. He spent a decade in that community.
When he finally left that life behind, his reasoning wasn’t based on abstract theory, but on the reality of the fruit it produced. He described a culture that had become obsessive and abusive, where the focus had shifted entirely to self-gratification. In the pursuit of “living one’s truth,” the essential elements of true community—sacrifice, care, and selflessness—had been pushed aside.
Re-examining the Ruin of Sodom
When we discuss these topics, we often point to Sodom and Gomorrah. While many associate that city solely with the account of attempted violence against visitors, Scripture gives us a deeper diagnostic of their downfall.
Ezekiel 16:49-50 provides a chillingly modern description:
“Sodom’s sins were pride, gluttony, and laziness, while the poor and needy suffered outside her door. She was proud and committed detestable sins, so I wiped her out, as you have seen.”
The “detestable sins” didn’t happen in a vacuum. They were the result of a heart-climate of pride and indifference. When a society or an individual stops caring about the “needy outside the door” because they are too focused on their own comforts and appetites, they are on the brink of ruin.
The Necessity of “Caring”
The “Who cares?” attitude is often marketed as liberation, but it is actually a form of exile. To care what God thinks, and to care how our lives affect our families and our spiritual communities, is what keeps us grounded.
When we stop caring, we open ourselves up to a self-absorbed world. We become the center of our own universe, and that is a very small, lonely place to live. Especially for the young people in our lives who are struggling to find their way, we must model a different path: one where we care deeply, hold fast to our faith, and recognize that true fulfillment is found in service and holiness, not self-indulgence.
We need to care. In fact, we need to care a lot.