It can take me what seems like forever to make a decision, and when those decisions are of a political nature, I tend to question myself incessantly. I know what I believe about a lot of things, even when those things have a political side to them, but matching my beliefs to a candidate never seems to create a "fit." I was browsing online and I happened across a test of sorts that allowed you to answer a series of questions about relevant issues, and voila! – the candidate who matched your political stance, even though you were unsure of what it was, would suddenly appear! The questions were not nearly as intimidating as I thought they would be, and I completed the multiple choice selections in a timely manner. However, when I clicked for results, what I got instead was a barrage of freebies that were available if I just said "yes!" I have done that before and the effect on my email inbox was overwhelming! So I attempted to decline, which didn’t work. I had to select at least one. I chose the least threatening and proceeded to answer more questions about things that had nothing to do with politics, and every time I thought I was done, there was something else to be asked. I’m not sure how long I tolerated the situation, but I finally gave up, and decided they probably were finding it impossible to match me with a candidate because I never did get an answer to what I started with.

 

My frustration reminded me that so often things, and sometimes even people, just are not what they appear to be initially. We often find that the candidate who does take office falls far short of the promises that were made while campaigning. Sadly, in the religious realm, appearances and phraseology can also give us a false impression. Just as the words in a book are not always true just because they were published and sold to thousands or even millions of people, so too those who appear to represent Christianity may only be espousing what represents their own agenda, rather than God’s. I have always appreciated that my husband never takes a stance that says (with or without words), "I’m right. I know it, and I’m saying it, therefore you ought to believe it and follow it." Instead, he constantly challenges our congregation to open up God’s Word, study it, and be able to own truth for themselves, because they know they have drawn it from the right source.

 

In John’s gospel, the account is given of Jesus enumerating some of the testimony surrounding His ministry that affirmed its truth. He recounted the testimony of John the Baptist, the testimony of His own miracles and teachings, His Father’s testimony, and the testimony of the Old Testament scriptures. God wants us to maintain a keen discernment of what is truth and what is error. Sometimes we leave that discernment to our male counterparts, but it is as vital to our spiritual growth and influence as it is to theirs.