Who do you trust?
by Pastor Mark Gierus
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Stop trusting in mere humans, who have but a breath in their nostrils. Why hold them in esteem? (Isaiah 2:22).
Have you ever really taken some time to think about who influences you? We have influencers in society, and their job is to influence others. This language we hear describing people and what they do wasn’t used until recently. Yes, people have always influenced others in society, even in biblical times, but what does it mean when we have people in our world who are influencers?
Do you take the time to wonder how many decisions you make each day simply because others have influenced you to think a certain way? Do you find yourself trusting some of those influencers more and more?
The most dangerous thing about listening to an influencer is that they hope to influence others to like something or spend money on something that might be a little bit more expensive. They even influence others to act or speak a certain way. But life is surely more than being influenced by other humans who can make us believe a lie as the truth.
God does not lie nor try to influence our decisions. He doesn’t say, ‘Stop swearing, or I will destroy you’. Instead, God gently, through his Spirit, calls to you through his word. He speaks the truth, for his word is truth. Jesus Christ is the way, the truth and the life – the Word of God incarnate.
As we head toward the season of Christmas, whose voice is the loudest in your life? What are the influencers saying about Christmas?
Will they say it is all commercial or all about feel-good things? Maybe they might say the same as the angels to the shepherds. ‘Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord.’
Let us never forget the reason for Christmas or Easter. Let us remember that God kept his promise and sent a Messiah, the Saviour of the world, so that no matter what people say, the truth remains that God loves so much that he gave himself up for us all.
Dear Jesus, you are the truth. Help us hear your voice among the many voices of our time. Thank you for dying for me so that I might have life and that I might have it to the full. Let me never be ashamed of the truth that you set me free from sin and that you have called me to follow you where you lead me. In your name, I pray. Amen.
Pastor Mark Gierus is currently serving in Brisbane, Queensland, as a Lutheran college pastor. He has two beautiful girls aged six and nine and enjoys hiking with them, looking after their pets as a family and going on road trips. Mark prays that God will continue to bless you as you grow in him and come to know him more and more through his life-giving eternal word.
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