Challenging An Untruth

          

         There was an article some years ago about mirrors and women.  I don’t remember all of it, but the concept was, as Caucasian women, we tend to avoid mirrors when we can.  We do our “primping” in the morning, but as the day passes, looking in a mirror is usually reserved for the ladies room, where we can “fix” whatever is not sitting just right. 

Yet, we cringe when we see our reflection in a store window.  We tend to look away, and seem embarrassed that we even thought about checking out our image. We want to slink away, exuding a lack of confidence.  However, according to the article, African American women, are quite different in this regard and when they see their reflection, with confidence will say, “Oh yeah!  I’ve got it Baby!” They look, and like, what they see!

            The Bible has scripture that talks about looking into a mirror, and forgetting what we see when we hear or read it, because we don’t act upon the directives given there.  It’s knowing what is right, but not having the confidence to follow through.  We slink away without self-assurance.  

          We read God's Word, often without understanding because we choose to be done quickly due to other things pressing on us to be done.  We also, read without stopping long enough to ask God to open our minds to understanding and we might even be afraid to “see” ourselves if it’s going to paint us in a bad light, or take us to a place we absolutely don’t want to go!

            So, what happens when we find ourselves in the middle of a circumstance in which we completely disagree with someone we expect knows the scriptures, but something sounds “not quite right?”  I suspect we’ve all been there, but often adopt the attitude, “well, he/she should certainly know what they are talking about, so I’m not going to search the scriptures to see if what is said is Biblically accurate.”  

Many, like myself are untrained in Biblical matters in the sense of never having attended a Bible College.   It’s hard as an “un-educated” person to address our own perceptions, because we feel inadequate compared to the commentator.  But, this lack of confidence often comes from not knowing the scriptures!  

            I heard in a sermon once that we are responsible for the information we do NOT know within the covers of the Bible!  What a responsibility!  Knowing the Words of Christ, aids us in discerning truth, and enables us to listen with our hearts God’s wisdom to recognize an untruth, even if it isn’t a deliberate act of deception. 

            Satan has the ability to use our inaction to feed the seed of discord within our ranks!  The Bible clearly tells us we will see wolves in sheep’s clothing.  When we just throw up our hands and say, “Well, he is ‘supposed’ to know,” we are setting ourselves up for misinformation or a distortion of truth.

            Going to a Bible College is not necessarily a prerequisite of “knowing” the scriptures.  But knowing the scriptures does require time spent reading, studying, praying and exploring the Words from the Greatest Author that has ever existed!  That said, I challenge you know the scriptures.  Do you have questions?  ASK!  Research, and ask those you trust to know the answers.  Turn to the greatest resource of all:  God!  You can and will find answers, if you do.