Psalm 86:11-13

“Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart to revere your name.” vs. 11

There are some who would say that the truth is relative, and that it really doesn’t make any difference what we believe, that one person’s truth is as good as any other’s. The psalmist would be appalled! In his estimation the truth was a part of the Lord’s essence, and if we really wanted to walk in the way of righteousness, it would be essential to be focused on the Lord’s truth. Now, sometimes in the interest of being nice, we will listen to all sorts of garbage from others, nod our heads, and say that we honor their opinions. But God’s truth is not garbage, it’s rooted in unconditional love and mercy, and it’s a remarkable guide to joyful and fruitful living. And it’s something that doesn’t come to us naturally. Rather, it comes through careful listening to the Holy Spirit, and learning to discern which ideas don’t align with God’s concern for justice and forgiveness. We know full well that there are a multitude of dangerous and hateful voices on our social media that promote every kind of nonsense in hopes of leading us astray. Our prayer should be that of the psalmist, “Lord, give me an undivided heart, that I might discern your truth, walk in your ways and give glory to your name.”

Thought for the Day: What’s my rule of thumb for discerning garbage?