Who do you trust?
Imagine yourself waking up in the middle of the Amazon jungle, backpack at your side, one bottle of water and thick bush all around. You wipe your eyes, wondering if this is really happening and, after a moment or two, you realise that this is real and you are going to have to survive somehow. You stand up, turn around and notice two people standing in front of you . . .
One being former SAS member Bear Grylls, the other being Russell from the movie “Up”.
Your look of absolute confusion is slowly removed as you read a large sign next to them:
THIS IS REAL. YOU ARE IN THE AMAZON. CHOOSE 1 OF THESE PEOPLE TO BE YOUR GUIDE.
Who would you choose?
Most sensible, wise people would choose Bear. After all, Russell is not even real (sorry, spoiler alert!). Yes, Russell is a cartoon figure who has a heap of badges that represent fabricated situations and even if he were real, he’s all of 10 years of age.
Bear on the other hand, has real life experience in the wild and combat situations, has decades of experience and has actually been in the Amazon before. He has seen it all and he will get you home.
Hold this thought . . .
Changing tact here, have you ever read Animal Farm? I had to read it in 6th form. Interesting read once you got past the farm animals and started comparing them to real life situations. Animal Farm was written by English author George Orwell. Interestingly enough, Orwell also wrote another novel called 1984 - a fictional novel published in the 1940s about a possible future in 1984 and what it could look like. Interestingly enough, much of what he wrote in there has actually materialised. Crazy! Some people read through his books like they are some precursor to what will happen in the coming days . . . crazy!
Hold this thought . . .
The two above situations relate to life. Hear me out on this.
There is much uncertainty in the world today. Wars, rumours of wars, inflation, disease, propaganda, censorship, and the list goes on. Sad to say, none of this is new. As the book of Ecclesiastes says, “There is nothing new under the sun . . . What has been, will be again . . . there is nothing new under the sun.”
So who will you trust to get you through?
Will you turn to commentators and analysists who have been on this planet for all of 60 years or will you turn to the One who has seen it all . . . knows all . . .
Will you read manuals and watch documentaries that are perhaps hundreds of years old or will you go through and search the original book that has, and continues to be, relevant, real and solution-focused, for over 3000 years?
Go the ORIGINAL and get REAL WISDOM and INSIGHT
On Sunday we spoke about how the book of Proverbs is as relevant today as it was 3000 years ago. That’s because Godly wisdom is from God Himself. He has seen it all, He knows what has been and He knows what is to come.
Why would anyone rely on Russell or George Orwell or even Bear Grylls when you have the Ancient of Days available at hand?!
Jesus said, “I have come that you may have life and life abundantly . . . all who seek Me, find Me . . . I am the Beginning and the End . . . “
James continues by saying that, “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.”
Whanau, trust me - good times will come and difficult times will come; there is nothing new under the sun. Place your trust in the Lord, the One who has seen it all a million times over. Ask Him for wisdom, be obedient to His Words and He will see you through.
Looking forward to church next Sunday @ 9.30am where we will be diving in to a series on Joshua 14 . . . read over that chapter, ask the Holy Spirit for insight, meditate on it and don’t forget our key question from last Sunday - What are the key characteristics of a dog? All will be revealed on Sunday!