Related commentaries – Responsibility

Speaking to People Who Would Not Hear – Jeremiah 6:1 – 6:15

Not Willing to Assume Responsibility

In the early years of our ministry of training laymen in local churches to work with their youth I came across a front page newspaper article that grabbed my attention. In detail it told how on a New York street Kitty Genovese was slowly and brutally stabbed to death. At least thirty-eight of her neighbors witnessed the attack and heard her screams. In the course of the 90-minute episode, her attacker was actually frightened away, then he returned to finish her off. Yet not once during that period did any neighbor assist her, or even telephone the police. All of these witnesses simply did not want to get involved and felt no responsibility to call the police. (Lou Nicholes - Missionary/Author).