A fool has no delight in understanding, but in expressing his own opinions.

  Guilty! The court of public opinion has spoken.  Whether it is President Trump, Alabama for passing a law to end abortion of babies, or New York for allowing babies to die on the birth table, multitudes of vociferous tweets and chats fill the Internet.  We clearly are in a day where people delight in expressing their own opinions (Proverbs 18:2).  It seems impossible to not be affected by this tsunami of public comment.

What can a person who wants to be informed and yet not negatively influenced do?  Some people have chosen to avoid social media altogether to prevent the complaining and criticizing from poluting their minds.  Others try to either ignore those sites which with they disagree and only subscribe to like-minded people.  Even more difficult to handle, Proverbs 26:4-5 states that if you answer a fool you become like him, and if you don't answer he thinks he is wise in his own eyes (he thinks he won!).  There is seemingly no way out unless you live in a world where you are able to avoid fools!

There is a famous saying in Jeremiah 12:5 that declares if you get weary with the footmen what are you going to do with those on horses?  Consider standing in the ocean, you can walk easily in the shallow water on a calm day, but you really have to brace yourself to not fall in the waves of a hurricane.  The Word suggests the hurricane of thoughts and opinions is coming.

Get ready.  Since clearly the battleground is in the mind, and the way to win the spiritual battle is to take every thought captive, there is only one solution,  Know the truth.  Jesus declared the Word of God is truth.  The more the world pounds on us with their foolish opinions, the greater the need to be able to evaluate every thought with God's truth.  What you sow is what you reap.  Take as much time and enjoyment in understanding the Word as you do what others say in social media.  Delight in understanding by asking the Holy Spirit to open up the truth of the Word so you see clearly.  God is up for the fight, the only question is will you let Him renew your thinking?   As a man thinks, so is he.

 

Got Truth?

"What do you know for sure?" is a favorite greeting of a friend of mine.  It always causes me to stop and think.  The problem is that so much of what we "know" is from the media, a second-hand report, or someone else's opinion given with authority.  Many of us are just "sheep" following the latest news that someone has tweeted or shared on Facebook.  How much is fact and how much is just subjective perception?
    Every time we hear of a famous celebrity or person with academic credentials pontificating some philosophy, and then later the information fails the test of time or the person's life falls apart at the seams, we realize again how foolish it is to assume popularity means it must be correct.  Things are not always the way they seem.  We certainly want our lives to be built upon a rock of truth rather than the sinking sand of man's opinion.   
   The world is changing so fast, things that were considered immoral are being proclaimed openly as acceptable, standards of life, marriage, sex, drugs, etc. have all undergone huge shifts and transformations.  How far will it go and when will it end?
   However, one truth will never change.  When this life is over and this present age comes to an end, only what can last for eternity will matter.  God will only validate what is really true and right and good.  However, because of what Jesus has done to pay the price for sin, judgment should be a time of great reward as Jesus declares, "Well done, good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of My Father."  Obviously all things will be tested by fire, maybe the fire of God's all-knowing eyes, and regardless of politically correct opinion and society's approval, only truth will stand.  Everything else will burn up.
   Proverbs 23:23 advises man to buy the truth, and not to give it up at any cost.  Surely Solomon understands the value of truth and the attitude of treasuring it above all things.  Jesus said He is the Truth.  He further stated "if you continue in My Word you shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free." (John 8:31-32)  Consider the foolproof promise of God: Anyone who seeks truth will find it.  God alone knows whether one is content to follow the "sheep" doing what he pleases and holding on to whatever "truth" is popular; or on the other hand, whether the person is honestly seeking truth and ready to follow it at any cost.      
   The purpose of this article is to invite you to be wise, get truth, and never let go of it.  Truth has eternal fruit and rewards.