The Brains God Gave You

“My oldest son recently became a teenager and I attended a meeting for youth group parents at my church. The leaders said they’d be tackling a myriad of topics this year, ranging from respecting one’s parents to unpacking the transgender phenomenon permeating our local high schools. A parent asked, “What curriculum are you using?” The leader responded, “The Bible.” We need more of this, please and thank you.”

A really insightful article today at Uncomfortable Grace discussing our need to use the brains God have us when discerning who and what we pledge our allegiance to. In this age of opinions and outrage, we must be careful to not set our minds to autopilot when it comes to deciding where we plant our own flag.

The author cites the fact that people she once trusted have of late, veered from the path of Biblical truth. She humorously admits, “the dissonance did not cause me to have a stroke.” Yes, Beth Moore really went off the proverbial deep end recently when she pretended to personally stand in the gap and absorb all historical guilt and shame for sins committed by others. Supporters of hers may have a hard time with the realization that she too is a flawed human just like the rest of us.

People alter and change and disappoint. It’s a fact of life. Someone I listened to five years ago may be off the bookshelf now, and that’s just fine.

If you haven’t noticed, mob mentality is the rule of the day. Groupthink has never been more oppressive or pervasive. The masses declare what is right and wrong and that settles it. This is what happens when we blindly follow human wisdom before going to Gods Word. Truth is simply what the majority is choosing to believe at the moment. The news said the other night, in no uncertain terms, that it’s cruel and abusive to believe there are only two genders. The anchor managed to also slip in how equally hateful it is to question the validity of the massive mob of humanity whose stated goal it is to breech our country’s border. Groupthink.

Is it disappointing to see our media and even church leaders speaking nonsense? Of course. Never have I lost respect so quickly for someone as when they choose the approval of the masses over what they know to be right. Should we all set our hair on fire and run around like crazy people because they have abandoned us? No.

Remember when Jen Hatmaker came out in support of gay marriage? Her followers went nuclear. Part of this is a justified anger, but the rest was because they felt betrayed from someone they have so much in common with. How can we reconcile that? By realizing the opinion and ways of man must always submit to Gods absolute truths.

When we put Gods opinion over that of others… the fact that people disagree with us doesn’t ruin us. The reason these teachers are under the microscope (and rightly so) is that they have forgotten God’s way is our true north. In trying to make people feel better, they’ve put themselves up on a pedestal in which there is nowhere to go but down.

Gods Word doesn’t come with those risks. Point people to Jesus and you don’t have to worry about taking a tumble. When people clamor for a certain book or study and shy away from the actual Bible, it’s always a warning sign. I’ve told the story before of the time my husband and I wanted to lead a couples Bible study just using the Bible and not one couple signed up. People actually expressed to us that the it felt bare, boring or just strange not having some kind of “chapter book”. It confused me, but it didn’t do me in. It wasn’t a personal attack on me as much as it was a resistance to Gods Word and what might come from it.

We need to be able to think critically and thoughtfully on why we believe the things we do. The world is no friend to Biblical living, and even the church itself is wrapped up in some harmful beliefs. We are all just human. The answer to all that is God’s Word. Simple, but very profound once you dig deep into it. It keeps us on track, free from opinions not based in truth, and able to think critically about the myriad of situations that constantly beg for our approval.

“See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ.” Colossians 2:8