Tuesday, September 9, 2008

"The World's Effecting Us"

It concerns me how the world is effecting so much of our thinking, especially the religious world. We pick up on the little sayings and quotes, not even aware that some of the things that are said may not be of God. I hear sayings like, "God isn't finished with me yet!" or "God doesn't make junk!" and the list goes on to many more. I saw a young person in Christ recently wearing a tee shirt that said, "Godwieser...when you say God, you've said it all!" The catchy little quips from advertisers that are taken to our Lord using His name in their place must be so disappointing to Him. Why do we pick up on all this so easily? John taught us this, "They are from the world; therefore they speak as from the world, and the world listens to them." (I John 4:5) The world is full of catch phrases and little sayings and we bring them right into our thinking and lives, not even aware it might not be true. It seems the sayings of the world have more impact than the sayings of God.
The other day while out with my granddaughter, there was a little lake with some ducks on it. She pointed them out and said, "Grandpa, look! There's some pretty ducks over there." I looked over and said, "No, I think those are rabbits!" She had a funny look on her face and said, "Grandpa...they are ducks! They quack and swim in the water! Rabbits don't do that!" She was right! They looked like ducks, quacked like ducks and swam like ducks because they were ducks. When people look like the world, speak like the world and act like the world, where are they from?
We need to be careful how we allow things of the world effect our thinking and talk. Maybe we need to heed more carefully: "Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things." (Phil. 4:8) I believe that is some of the most sound wisdom and insight to God we could be given!

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

This posting ties in well with the previous one, "Decisions, Decisions" (which time has not allowed me to respond to...yet) in that it shows that we make decisions often based on the world and not on God.

The world wants to appear to be religious much the same way the Pharisees attempted to do before and during Jesus' time. It's not about the phrases we use when we speak, the slogans we put on our clothes or cars, or what we want to proclaim to others. Where is our motivation for wanting to do these things? Are we wanting to fit in with the world? Personally I don't.

The Bible says everything just as it needs to be said. It's as relevant today as it was at the time it was writen. The world, on the other hand, believes it must improve on what the Bible says and how it is said. How foolish! God does not need us to help.

The point about wisdom is so very important. Where should one seek wisdom, in the world or in God? Go read the last paragraph of the posting again if you have any doubts. 1 Cornithians 3:19 even tells us "For the wisdom of this world is foolishness before God...."