May 2, 2012
Fools have no interest in understanding; they only want to air their own opinions. -- Proverbs 18: 2 (NLT)
English author and cartoonist, Ashleigh Brilliant, once said: "My opinions may have changed, but not the fact that I am right." A truer sentiment may never have been expressed regarding the human tendency to opinionate. In our flesh we love to add our two cents in on any subject of the day. From politics to education. From sports to basket-weaving. It just doesn't matter. As with any subject we can encounter in this life, God has weighed in for us and provided clear guidance. Unfortunately when it comes to opinions, we fail to listen more often than not!
We have a responsibility as Christians that goes beyond our petty opinions and we need to remember that daily. There is a world out there that is currently on the outside looking in. While we enjoy eternal life and are assured of our salvation when our time on earth has passed, they have an entirely different destination in store. This includes our unsaved family members and friends. Co-workers and even people we may not know. The people in this world are looking for one of two things. They are either desperately searching for a reason to believe or they are looking for a reason to not believe. In which direction do our opinions push them? Are our opinions rooted in the love of Christ? Are they seasoned with the living truth of the Word of God? Or are they fleshly reactions filled with the same hatred and bigotry they can see from anyone in the world? I know we tend to overlook this portion of doctrine but we no longer live for ourselves beloved:
My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. -- Galatians 2: 20 (NLT)
Christ now lives in you! That is what the world needs to see in EVERYTHING we do and say. I am not suggesting that everything become "Christianese" and Scripture. Remember that the things of God are foolishness to the world because they do not have the Holy Spirit yet. The trick is in behaving in the world, like Christ. When Jesus confronted the woman caught in adultery He did not give her His personal opinion. He told her that He would not condemn her and to go and sin no more. Now wait a minute preacher -- what about His opinions for the Pharisees? Yes, Jesus did share some very stern statements for the Pharisees but they were all related specifically to God and Scripture and the Pharisees fancied themselves on the inside looking out. His critique was for their religiosity not their personality.
The key verse today highlights that God considers the over-opinionated to be fools. He gives two reasons for this. First is that they do not care to understand. If you peel back the layers of most people's opinions you will discover they are weighing in on things that they do not truly understand. We can see something we do not like personally and offer our opinion, ignorant of the specifics behind the issue and the very people we are being critical of. That person we judge we do not know. The person we think is lazy may be suffering from some great form of oppression and bondage like we once did before Christ. That person we think is unmotivated may be one step from suicide. That person we may think is guilty may in fact be innocent. The Bible is explicit when it comes to judging the people in this world -- we are not to do it.
Secondly, the fool expresses opinions simply for the sake of expressing them. They want to hear themselves. Or maybe they just like the controversy. Everyone has opinions but that does not mean that they have to be expressed. The Bible teaches us that we must make every thought captive until it is obedient to Christ. Opinions too often are runaway thoughts that we never made obedient. We have all heard the expression that our mouth gets ahead of our brain but that just misses the mark. For a Christian what is really happening is our flesh gets ahead of our Spirit. Wait a minute preacher -- are you saying I am no longer entitled to my opinions? Yes -- that is exactly what I am saying. You are entitled to line your opinions up with the Word of God. You are entitled to show the same grace and mercy you received from God towards a lost and dying world. You are entitled to be light and salt to them. You may be the only representation of Jesus they will ever see!
Those who know me know I have never
been light on my opinion. God is ministering as always to me first. It has
taken many years and a concerted effort to make sure that when I say something
or post something on Facebook, or tweet something on twitter -- that it is
pleasing to God and not to my flesh. I fail sometimes as we all do. It saddens
me to hear in the church and see on Facebook the ranting of hate and judgment
from people who express themselves to Christian. The mocking of people; even
people in leadership in this country. The disdainful disgust at people they do
not even know. Then the next post is "praise Jesus and hallelujah!" This dichotomy
and hypocrisy is not lost on the world who is just begging for a reason to
believe or to not believe. Let us all be mindful of which direction our
opinions will push people.
Rev. Anthony
