Clock Hands

Looking at the human race, we sure can pick some funny places to go for useful guidance. When selecting their advisors, the wise man/wise woman is finicky.

When the same corporation owns the news network and the movie company and the feature news story ‘covers’ the movie, are they reporting news or am I getting advertising? If the details are revealed in a tabloid which routinely sensationalizes all its content, should I consider believable the substance in any one single story they publish? If my friend has a stock tip and can’t explain what “dividends” and “margins” are, do I rush out and invest in his latest recommendation? None of these qualifies as reliable sources; they lack objectivity.

Not only do we choose odd sources, we also presume information from someone whose knowledge is valuable in one area to apply as equally valid in another. As if we could look at the needle on a bathroom scale and expect it to supply the time of day. Or we observe the hands on a wall clock and from that source insist we can know how much we weigh.

For what we gain to be useful, reliable input, we will have to turn to the proper source for the proper data. Hollywood actors are not qualified to speak on religion because they have had success in acting. I will listen to them about acting based on their successful careers. I am not nearly so ready to let them tell me how important or unimportant the words of Jesus are. Politicians may know what it takes to get elected and a lot about the effects of legal decisions or public policy implementation, but that does not mean they know, as an example, what God’s standards are for my personal behavior or what His design for the healthy home is. Once they have sat at the Master’s feet and learned from Him, then I can value their insights in to matters of faith and morality.

There are way too many self proclaimed experts in the field of religion and way too few humble individuals who have walked a life-time seeking God. When I need meaningful, accurate information to guide me in life, I will turn to God’s Word and godly people. I am confident my finicky selection process will yield useful advisors.

Tim Gramly
Education Pastor
SHBC
July 1, 2009