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When I read through the Bible I realize that some things were definitely different way back then.  There were no cell phones, internet, cars, television, etc.  But I also sense that many things have not changed.  When it comes to human behavior, or the issues that people debate over, I am reminded that people are basically the same.  And I also see that too many Christians do not view the world from a biblical perspective.  Whether it be unhealthy reactions to current events and circumstances or harsh posts on social media, we see division, anger, overreaction and mindless arguing.  Instead of being peacemakers,  too many saints want to argue their personal preference, prove a political perspective or publicly present issues that won’t matter much in eternity.

Let’s look at how similar Bible times were to circumstances that we deal with in today’s society.  You may remember, the Pharisees loved to debate about issues of hand washing, touching unclean things, and having a feeling of being superior to others.  If we consider the way people respond to our Social Distancing practices, we probably can see a connection.  (By the way, my point is not to get you to change your view on Social Distancing, whether you are for it or against it, I would just like to remind us that we need to focus on being uniters!)  In today’s polarized society it is easy to look down on people that have come to different conclusions than us.  For example, if you view someone that is wearing a mask for people’s protection as a sign of weakness, we probably should remember that the lepers in Bible times wore masks and cried out “unclean”.  Before we condemn masks too strongly, don’t forget that the Bible expected certain people to wear them.  And on the other side, some in our community would look down on those who choose to NOT wear a mask and see it as an unloving action.  It would be wise of this group to remember that everyone will not come to the same conclusion as them, and that God calls us to love others and not be condemning of those who choose a different response.  (Read Romans 14)  You can look around and find many other examples of how the Bible is reflected in modern society and see how relevant God’s Word really is.  I hope you will!

Here is my challenge to our Choice Family.  Let’s be discerning AND loving.  Let’s be MORE biblical and LESS political.  Let’s be compassionate AND biblical.  Let’s be less abrasive AND more unifying.  And let’s be busy IMPACTING LIVES FOR GOD’S GLORY!  As you read your Bible this week remember, there is nothing new under the sun.