Who Do You Listen To?

As this pandemic takes over the globe, there are many different ideas and theories about what is happening.  We all have our own speculations, scenarios from it being the wrath of God, one world order, government control, economic war, germ warfare, retaliation from another country....only imagination limits the list.

I don''t have regular television programming.  For several years I have gotten my news from a few minutes of Facebook news pages.  I can know in fifteen minutes all I care to know.  They just repeat it over and over, everyone having their own commentary on the facts.


When I watch the various reports and videos now, the confusion gets even more intense.  Who do you listen to?  Is what I am seeing truth?  Is the doctor on that video really a doctor?  I mean, let's face it...we all have our own broadcasting station these days, and you can be anybody you want to be on Facebook!

I have acquaintances on every polar extreme of thought.  I have acquaintances who think life should just go on, that this is all nonsense.  I have an acquaintance who thinks there are rich people behind it trying to take over the world.

Ugh.

I continue to try to be wise.  Scripture tells us to cooperate with our leaders and those in authority. Peter was speaking of the tyrant Nero when he said to "be good citizens. Respect the authorities, whatever their level; they are God's emissaries for keeping order. ( Peter 2:13-14 The Message)


Shutting down my business has hurt my pocketbook, not as much as some, but the income has all but stopped.  At the same time, I have seen such blessing, so many evidences of God's Holy Spirit stirring and moving.

THAT is Who we need to listen to.

The Wisdom Writer said, "Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better. Crying is better than laughing. It blotches the face but it scours the heart. Sages invest themselves in hurt and grieving....Fools waste their lives in fun and games.  You'll get more from the rebuke of a sage than from the song and dance of fools."
 (Ecclesiastes 7:3-5 from The Message)


All this difficulty reminds us that life is short, it should be teaching us to live wisely, and our character should be in a process of refinement.

I purpose for this time to be an opportunity to learn, an opportunity for God to correct.  At the very core of following Christ is suffering.

God will not waste our pain.  He will bring something beautiful from the ashes.

Surely we can bear this small cross....