By David ReayFriday 15 Apr 2016LifeWords DevotionalsFaithReading Time: 2 minutes
Read Matthew 10:16
16 “Here I am sending you out like sheep with wolves all round you; so be as wise as serpents and yet as harmless as doves. (JBP)
It is so very true that the evil one prowls around seeking to deceive believers. We are told he can masquerade as an angel of light. So we need to be discerning about what we hear. Our text warns us against naivety. Bombarded as we are by lies under the guise of truth, it is right to question what we hear.
But this principle also applies to information that comes to us from supposedly Christian sources. There are those in the faith community who spread rumours as fact, who engage themselves in endless speculation about overarching conspiracies. They spread alarm and even fear by warning us of plots hatched by the evil one. And only they, those with inside knowledge, have discovered the plot.
Beware of those who are constantly whispering in your ear about some complex conspiracy. Quite often, on investigation, they are indulging in tiresome urban myths, stirring up the people of God in an unhelpful way. Chasing down rumours and conspiracies causes us to lose sight of the far clearer path of discipleship: to seek justice and mercy, to live graciously, to point people to Jesus.
There are those who would darkly whisper to us about plans and plots to bring us down and mislead us. Best to listen very carefully and discerningly. Those very whispers can be distractions from the main game. Jesus calls us to be discerning and wise, not naïve and gullible.
Blessings
David Reay