WEDNESDAY'S WORD
SPECULATIONS
1/20/2021
"The
media tends to report rumors, speculations, and projections as
facts...How does the media do this? By quoting some 'expert'...you can
always find some expert who will say something hopelessly hopeless about
anything. " - Peter McWilliams - American Writer
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As the U.S. Presidency
transitions, it is sure that we have learned as much about ourselves as
we have about any candidate or politician. One thing we've discovered is how easily we are prone to follow SPECULATIONS - the forming of theories or conjecture without firm evidence. Theories are ideas we propose to explain things. A conjecture is an opinion formed on the basis of incomplete information.
No matter your political leanings, many of us know that major media
outlets, politicians, pundits (employed experts), even friends and
family on social media...ALL have the ability and even the propensity to spin words and ideas toward or against particular positions.
The diagram to the left aptly describes some of the options of belief
across a spectrum, and the levels of uncertainty we have on various
proposed points of view. We, humans, tend to oversimplify the complex and over-complicate the simple. There is more to most things and people than meets the eye. The Apostle Paul explained to the Church at Corinth, "Now our knowledge is partial and incomplete, and even the gift of prophecy reveals only part of the whole picture!' (1 Cor. 13:9, NLT) If we only gain a partial understanding from Divine revelation, how much more hesitant should we be about taking what we hear from anyone in the world system as entirely true? I hope we will be more discerning in 2021.
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If we desire to recover any sense of
unity within the Body of Christ, we could start by following the advice
Paul gave to Timothy, ".,.Have nothing to do with foolish and ignorant speculations [useless disputes over unedifying, stupid controversies], since you know that they produce strife and give birth to quarrels. The servant of the Lord must not participate in quarrels but must be kind to everyone [even-tempered, preserving peace, and they must be], skilled in teaching, patient, and tolerant when wronged. They must correct those who are in opposition with courtesy and gentleness
in the hope that God may grant that they will repent and be led to the
knowledge of the truth [accurately understanding and welcoming it] and
that they may come to their senses and escape from the trap of the
devil, having been held captive by him to do his will." (2 Tim. 2:23-26, AMP) One would think this was not even in the Bible. We are addicted to what God calls us to avoid: CONTROVERSIES - disagreements that are prolonged, public, and heated. If we want to move forward positively, we will have to cease striving and love.
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One of the things Paul instructed Timothy to do was to refute those teaching false doctrine. He sent him to Ephesus, a world-center, and said, "Don’t let them waste their time in endless discussion of myths and spiritual pedigrees. These things only lead to meaningless speculations, which don’t help people live a life of faith in God." (1 Timothy 1:3-4) Did you know POLITICS is defined not only as of the governance of a country but as the debate or conflict among individuals or parties having or hoping to achieve power? This wrestling of people even in Christendom with opposing ideologies attempting to maintain or achieve power can be a never-ending, carnal endeavor contrary to the teachings of Christ. Your arguments will not be enough. It will take the Holy Spirit's conviction to move those wholly invested in any 'side' that does not hold a Kingdom perspective into repentance. This begs a personal question, "Has what you've been speaking, posting, or fighting over been in part speculation? Have the things you've been doing or saying helped anyone live a life of faith in God?" New mercies are available. Let's lay down all our speculations and controversies and take mercy into 2021 and beyond.
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