You Are Not Sherlock Holmes

Proverbs 25:8-10

    ⁸do not bring hastily to court,
for what will you do in the end
    if your neighbor puts you to shame?

⁹ If you take your neighbor to court,
    do not betray another’s confidence,
¹⁰ or the one who hears it may shame you
    and the charge against you will stand

 

Have you ever heard of the internet?  Perhaps you have if you are reading this.  Have you ever followed politics?  If you answered yes to the first question, you are probably answering yes to the second.

 

The internet is great.  We have access to so much information and media that even 20 years ago we wouldn't have imagined it would be this pervasive. 

 

The internet is also terrible.  Everyone who can hit copy/paste can now put together their "researched" 10 point blog/status update proving how some politician(or celebrity, or church leader) is a 2 bit hack(or Communist/Nazi).

 

99% of the time(generous estimate) you are wrong.  And for those rare 1% of times you most likely look foolish because you don't actually make the point as air tight as you thought when you were reading that one website from Peru at 3 in the morning......

 

I am totally guilty of this many times over.  What does God say about this attitude of barely being able to contain yourself from the having the "Big Reveal" and the "Gotcha" moment?  Don't be an idiot(my paraphrase).

 

Here is a key thought though.  It doesn't say you were wrong in your assumption.  It just says, don't go showing you cards and publicizing what you think you know hastily.  You very may well be spot on, but being unable to actually prove it is as damaging as bringing false accusations.  And practically speaking, you just created "Double Jeopardy".  The ability to deal with the issue just got blown up even if later you can prove it.

As you read this you are probably saying, "Well, I don't really ever say anything about Politics, so I'm good, no assumptions and jumping to conclusions here".  Guess what.  You ARE guilty of this.  Unless you are a perfect person.  Bet you're not though.

 

How many conclusions have you had about people in your life?  How many times were you just convinced that someone did, "this" or said, "that", or you are sure their motivation for whatever it is you think they did was "this"?  Have you ever confronted someone with something you are mad about, to then feel really foolish about what actually was going on?  Bet you did some real damage to the relationship that was difficult to deal with because of it.

 

1 Corinthians 4:5 says, "Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of the heart. At that time each will receive their praise from God."

 

When we get ahead of ourselves and try to solve all our problems with incomplete answers, whether political OR personal, we are acting out of a profound mistrust in God.  Sure, God is in charge, but I am pretty sure He is running late, so let me take care of this....in my way....on my time schedule.....

 

Maybe everything you think is right.  But are you trusting God?  Do you believe that God is indeed Sovereign and working all things to the good of those who love Him?  Or are you going to exhaust yourself trying to fix all the worlds problems with a google search and/or incomplete accusations? 

 

This week, let go of being right, and hold on to the Righteous Judge who WILL  reveal what needs to be revealed WHEN it needs to be revealed.  Stop looking foolish......Adam....

 

 

Tony Smykowski--Jumping to Conclusions since 1999