Just as we go to farmer’s market to buy choice produce, so we must also choose wisely when it comes to our reading, our friends, and where we worship on the Lord’s Day, the market day of the soul.
First of all, IT MATTERS WHAT WE READ. It goes without saying that Christians ought to read God’s Word. As we begin to add selections to our reading diet, wisdom is needed. At the far end of the spectrum are choices that most believers would shun as ungodly – pornography, romance novels, and books that depict violence or foul language. But what do we have between the Bible and the base? The possibilities are endless, since “of making many books there is no end” (Eccles. 12:12). Add to the menu the vast amount of media available in the twenty-first century. With our phone in hand, we have access to the words of the world. These words will do one of two things – they will either point us to the truth of God’s Word, the only source of truth and the only safe place to stand, or they will draw us away from that truth.
The most dangerous words are those which have the appearance of truth. We must discern if the words we read are aligned with truth, whether they are in a book or on Facebook. They are not true because they are written by an expert; they are not true because they are written by a friend; they are not true even because they are written by a Christian. They are only true if they are aligned with the Word.
Yes, IT MATTERS WHAT WE READ. Because we are influenced by what we read, and we must be on our guard against opinions that set themselves up against God (2 Cor. 10:5).
Secondly, IT MATTERS WHO OUR FRIENDS ARE. Friends impact our lives. There is nothing generic about our relationships. As we spend time interacting with others, we learn what they think and what they value. We ask their opinions. We listen to them. And in today’s world, we can have hundreds of friends with a few simple clicks.
