Most of us have been misled at one time or another, told something that was not true as though it were fact. When such falsehoods begin to cascade from person to person they can become difficult to stop. The development of the internet has only made this phenomenon more potent, but rumors have long been a part of our culture. (For an example of how one sort of rumor—celebrity deaths–has played out in the past you can visit this site:
http://theweek.com/article/slide/217373/10-celebrity-death-rumors-a-visual-history#)
The writer of Ephesians was aware of the problem, too, and warned his readers not to be affected by everything they heard. “We must no longer be children,” he wrote, “tossed to and fro and blown about by every wind of doctrine, by people's trickery, by their craftiness in deceitful scheming” (Ephesians 4:9). It is the phrase “every wind of doctrine” that offers the most powerful image for me. It refers to fads or crazes, any pseudo-religion that gets passed from person to person. The swell of such falsehood can take the shape of a raging storm blowing in all directions and dislodging even the most deeply held convictions. The immature in faith are the most susceptible to such storms and indeed can be “tossed to and fro and blown about.”
To withstand the gale we must become mature in faith by turning our attention to Jesus Christ. In him we find the strength, the courage, and the resolve to remain steadfast. In him we find the community that is his body and the love that binds believers together. The storms will continue to rage around us and untruths will swirl on all sides, but if we cling to Jesus Christ and the power of the gospel we will find the shelter we need.
Prayer: Lord, deliver us from the deceit that lies so close at hand and help us to live with maturity and courage, focused solely on Jesus Christ in whose name we pray. Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment