Informed Belief
“What people believe prevails over the truth.” ~ Sophocles
I will try my best not to turn this into a political rant — boy, that’s really hard to do around this time of year every four years! — and just ask the question: Did you ever notice how people from both political sides spout out “truths” even though the truth might be far from what they are speaking? That has always been the most frustrating part of politics for me. People make up “facts” all over the place and the problem about it is that they believe that their “facts” are, indeed, true. Why? Because “what people believe prevails over the truth.”
I have read about people who have gone on journeys and perished. They believed that they would be able to do what no one else had ever been able to accomplish. Their belief took them to an early grave. They could not see the truth in front of them. Instead, they marched on in their belief and did not have the capability to survive.
Why is this so important? As Christians, we are told that we need to practice and live what we believe. However, our belief must be an informed belief. Too many times, people who espouse to be Christian do not live exemplary Christian lives. Their beliefs might wander more to the side of superstition and superstitious practices. If you would ask them, they would say that they are 100% believers. If their error were pointed out to them, they would reject what is being said claiming that they know the truth and are living the truth.
The fact of the matter is simple. Jesus wants us to be His witnesses in this world. In order to be His witnesses, we must know Jesus intimately lest we adopt our own sense of false beliefs and begin to expound “facts”. There are many who would say, “Jesus would say this…..” when Jesus, most likely, would never say such a thing. Yet, in their own belief system, they think that they are absolutely correct. In the process, they can lead others astray even as they veer further from the path that leads to the Kingdom.
Live your faith today. Live it to the fullest. However, make sure that you know your faith as well. Be open to the possibility that you might have accepted some things in error and need to change your way of thinking or way of living. Search, study, and be willing to admit fault. That way, Jesus can help you set course corrections as He leads and guides you.
FAITH ACTION: Don’t ever think that you have no need to continue learning the faith. That is the first indication that your belief might not be grounded on the truth.