Time for Discernment
The one who is from the earth … speaks as one from the earth. The one whom God has sent speaks the words of God. – John 3:31, 34 (NIV)
The bombardment of contrasting news reports and conflicting political punditry in mass media has got me quite leery. I’m constantly flipping from one news outlet to another, and I’m reading as many pertinent and informed articles as I can stand in any given day. And, like so many others, I’m paying a lot more attention to the precautions and prescriptions of health care professionals and social scientists.
But in general, neither news reporters and pundits nor medical professionals and social scientists have the authority to determine public policy. So we look to our elected officials, those we have selected and empowered to serve the common good. We look to our elected officials for truth, compassion and leadership.
But with so many competing claims, it’s often hard to tell who’s fake and who’s factual.
I wish I could tell you that I found the definitive answer to our questions of skepticism in the above Bible passage, but I can’t.
What the passage does offer us is the wisdom to understand that every public official is not committed to serving the interests of all the people in the public. Every day the needs of the poor and the disenfranchised are sacrificed for the greed of the wealthy and the powerful. Covid-19 has turned the spotlight again on the drastic disparities in health and health care based on race in America.
To arrive at truth, we must be prepared to question and investigate what our leaders tell us. Real truth never needs protection from critical evaluation.
Prayer
Lord, may the truth set us free from ignorance and phobia. Amen.
About the AuthorKenneth L. Samuel is Pastor of Victory for the World Church, Stone Mountain, Georgia.