What Looks One Way May Not Be (#OneMinuteMondays)

Possibly like me you have been mesmerized before by an optical illusion. When I am at the church office, with the way the road passes by the front of the church, it produces an optical illusion sometimes. I know that, but I still get caught by it occasionally. In other words, what looks one way may not actually be that way. As we get our day and week started, let me suggest one other time where what looks one way may not be what it looks like.

An Illusion of Religious and Wise

This week while reading Luke 20:20-40 I happened upon this observation. The Pharisees sent men in pretending to be righteous to ask questions of Jesus and trick him. Then immediately following, the Sadducee asked a very detailed question from Old Testament law, seeking to sound profound, but still not truly a follower of Jesus. Here are my observations:

• In this instance, both the Pharisees and the Sadducees were deeply religious.
• Yet, while sounding like they were deep spiritually, neither were even followers of Jesus Christ.
• If you were watching and listening that day, you would be impressed with their look. You would assume they were deep and wise. “Why, just listen to those questions!”
• Yet, the motivation and faux wisdom behind both are shocking. Neither quest for truth was even honest.
• If you were to have followed either religious person, you would end up not following Jesus Christ.

What Looks One Way May Not Be

As you know, many today go online and teach, write, or even demonstrate how to deconstruct your faith. However — please do not miss this — Don’t assume every person who challenges the Bible or discusses it or teaches it online, even if they state their effort is an honest probe, is actually honest. Two things: 1) you do not know their hearts nor their motivation for sharing truth with you and 2) what looks one way may not be.

Friends, it just takes money and a little know-how to make a podcast, write a blog, or upload a video. Just because someone does and sounds deeply spiritual does not make that person wise, honest, or someone you need to follow. If their conclusions sound different than your past conclusions, then proceed carefully with extreme caution. Open your Bible and test what you are hearing with the Bible. Ask other Bible teachers you trust around you as well.

For your sake, as you go through this week, be a discerning person of what you hear. Get in the Word of God yourself to help you grow.