We must no longer be children, tossed to and fro and blown about by every wind of doctrine, by people’s trickery, by their craftiness in deceitful scheming.” vs. 14
Ephesians 4:11-16
Paul didn’t know a thing about social media or political campaigns, but he was very aware of the ways people could be manipulated by crafty and deceitful arguments. The little congregations that he had started were rife with rumors and doctrinal disagreements, and always there were those who took delight in stirring things up. His advice was to stop acting like children and grow up, always taking care to speak the truth in love. His words are exactly what we need to combat the lies, half-truths, and distortions that have become commonplace in these last months. The problem is that the deceptions are so sophisticated and well-disguised that ordinary folks have a hard time differentiating between truth and falsehoods. The sad thing is that Christianity itself has been corrupted by cultural and political misinformation. Because of such influences it’s imperative for believers to take Paul’s words to heart. Any news feed or media source claim that comes with a spirit of condemnation, ridicule, or insult has to be suspect. The truth is out there for us, but it will always be cloaked in love, gentleness, and humility. May the Holy Spirit grant us the gift of discernment as we seek the truth in this age of lies!
Thought for the Day: How do I discern truth from falsehood?
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