“The simple believe anything, but the prudent give thought to their steps. (Proverbs 14:16 NIV)
When you stop and think, you won’t fall for fake news. Fake news is intentional misinformation that is spread across news outlets, especially social media. People fall for it all of the time. I fall for it. A few months ago, there was a fake news article about a leading pastor in the country. The article said he had signed a contract worth millions with another prominent pastor. I believed it, hook, line and sinker. I wasn’t a fan of this pastor, so it didn’t take much for me to think he would do something like this. I didn’t stop and think, I just believed. As a result, I fell for the story. My husband did not, he spotted the fake news immediately and corrected me. My husband stopped and thought. When you stop and think, you won’t fall for fake news.
When you stop and think, you won’t fall for fake news.
Fake news existed in Jesus time as well:
“Then Jesus was approached by some Sadducees — religious leaders who say there is not resurrection from the dead.” (Luke 20:27 NIV)\
The Sadducees were like me, they had a preconceived notion about death and resurrection. I had a preconceived notion about the pastor. Because we had preconceived notions, we both missed the truth. Jesus was not fake news. Jesus overcame death and was resurrected, but since the Sadduccees didn’t believe in that, they didn’t believe in Jesus.
Fake news tells you Jesus doesn’t exist, real news tells you He does:
“Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6 NIV)
The Sadducees questioned Jesus about death and resurrection when they went to talk to Him, Jesus told them the truth (Luke 20:27-38 NIV). The problem was, they didn’t want to hear it. Jesus is trying to tell us the truth, but like the Sadducees, we don’t want to hear it.
We don’t want to put God first in all things, we don’t want to love others as we love ourselves (Mark 12:30-31 NIV). We want God to be available when we want Him to be. We want to love the people we want to love, not the ones we don’t. But when we do believe the truth, our lives will be filled with His peace that surpasses all understanding. (Phil. 4:6-7 NIV).
When we put God first in all things, He gives us what we need to love everyone. When we ask Him to let us see people as He sees them, He does. He shows us their heart, their hurts, their brokenness. And then He shows us how to love them.
Question of the Day:
Which do you believe, fake news or truth?
Further Reading: Judges 13:1-14:20 NIV, John 1:29-51NIV, Psalm 102:1-28 NIV, Proverbs 14:15-16 NIV
