ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
November 2, 2022
The translation of Proverbs 24:10 that is found in what is called the Message is really quite intriguing. It reads:
“If you fall to pieces in a crisis, there wasn’t much to you in the first place.”
Those words seem to play well with the words of Abraham Lincoln, who said, “I am a firm believer in the people. If given the truth, they can be depended upon to meet any national crisis. The great point is to bring them the real facts.” It is amazing to watch people rise to the occasion in a time of crisis, demonstrating faith, conviction and strength. And Lincoln made the connection between standing firm during a crisis and having all the facts. Too often, people fall apart because what they are standing on is flimsy at best. People watch “news programs” (and I use that phrase very loosely) and confuse commentary with verifiable facts. They go to the office and spout off opinions with such certitude that others begin to pass on what was said as fact. In most cases, I do not believe the fabrication is an intentional deception, but when the crisis arrives, it leaves people without good footing. As followers of Jesus, let us speak the truth when we know it is true, and the other 95% of the time, we should use good ‘I‘ statements that clearly indicate it is an opinion or personal belief. Faithfulness assumes integrity, yet in today’s current environment, more and more people are uninterested in the Jesus movement because they see no integrity, and thus no lasting foundational stability.
Holy God, provide us the wisdom to determine what is fact, what is opinion, and what is nonsense. When we better understand the landscape, we will better navigate the terrain of daily life and better present Jesus to others. Amen.
