People like to hear simple solutions. In fact, many people think they can run the country better than those in charge, diagnose their health problems better than their doctors, fix the economy better than the economists and solve unemployment without the aid of others wisdom. People see their own "simple" solutions as "the" solution. They choose not to know the problem in depth because that complicates the solution. Therefore, it is better to be ignorant of the true issues and look for simple solutions.
People like to hear simple solutions. They know the tax code is complicated so anyone who presents a very simple means of computing taxes is going to be heard. The internet has capitalized on people diagnosing their own health problems, car break downs, plumbing issues and everything which needs a solution by allowing the users to address their symptoms and giving them simple solutions. (Of course, there are more in-depth places to explore on the internet but those with the simple solutions get more traffic because they are simple.)
People believe that those who reject their solutions must have another agenda. They often say, "It just isn't that complicated!" when it is really very complicated. This is why politicians often support simple solutions by dividing the classes. Their solutions sound like, "We can pay for all your needs by taxing those who make more than 99% of the rest of us," and, "The real problem is that 47% of the country pays no taxes at all." You can see how simple the solution is for both sides. Each one says that the other should pay more. The other side has a selfish agenda. The polarization of our society is assuring that there are no solutions to our problems.
People adopt their simple solutions so fervently that they fail to see the other side. They will deny that their solution has flaws while refusing that another solution has merit. Therefore, the one who wants a higher minimum wage can't see what that will do to the small business owner. The one who is making millions only sees those who are down and out when a photo op is needed.
It is foolish to believe that many of the concerns facing our world have simple solutions. It took a long time to get into the mess that we are in and backing out of them is not going to be simple. It is foolish to believe that the problems are all because of another group. We are really all connected in this world. The solutions are for us to work out together. Trying to do so apart will fragment us farther and never provide solutions.
It is important for us to become intensely informed from both sides of the debates which present the solutions to our problems. Sticking our heads in the sand and hoping that there are others who will provide perfect solutions is foolish. Thus, we need to explore the other side of every solution so that we can see both points of view.
The real solutions to our problems are often a marriage of other simple solutions. This is not compromise. It is taking both sides to create a better solution than either side could alone.
There is one thing we should use for the basis of our understanding: There is One who will give us guidance in our solutions. Denying Him is saying that you have explored the whole universe and know there is no god. But, of course, that can't be true. Denying Him is saying that you have accepted a simple solution which says their is no god because you have truly failed to look. This is no different from those who are accepting the simple solutions for the economy, political leadership or unemployment. They chose the simple solution because they got to the real solution.
Real solutions take wisdom and instruction. Without these we will continue to languish in our problems as we point to others as the culprits of all our woes. This is no solution at all. It is foolish!
Proverbs 1:5-7 (ESV)
5 Let the wise hear and increase in learning,
and the one who understands obtain guidance,
6 to understand a proverb and a saying,
the words of the wise and their riddles.
7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge;
fools despise wisdom and instruction.
2 comments:
hi just registered ,, tina
Last weekend, my long-time Senior Pastor, Derek Hong, gave his last sermon in church, as the head of the church before he formally retires (from the church, but NOT from serving the Lord) at the end of the year (he, of course, can still come back to preach, but that would be on an invited basis).
It is befitting I mention a word of tribute to this faithful servant of God. He is most worthy of respect and honor, and it has been my privilege to have sat under such a faithful and God-fearing person who cared for the sheep, and would NOT hesitate to stand on the Word of God against all odds. I have sensed the Lord’s preparation for him for next leg of ministry, and I believe God will be using him mightily in the international platform, preaching His truths, with signs and wonders, following.
As his parting shot, he chose to preach on Hosea 4:6 - "my people are destroyed from lack of knowledge. “Because you have rejected knowledge, I also reject you as my priests; because you have ignored the law of your God, I also will ignore your children."
God indeed did NOT say that the people were destroyed for lack of food (although one can certainly die of hunger) or money or in poverty (although money can meet certain of our needs), but God chose to say that the people were destroyed for lack of knowledge. It is NOT any knowledge. In fact, it has been quite some time now, we have experienced information explosion, and indigestion, with the advent of the internet. God was addressing His people ("my people"), and the later part of the verse, reveals that God was referring to his laws.
The overly grace preachers, certainly, would skip exposition of this verse, for to them, "laws, they should skip"; but NOT a seasoned pastor who have worked for the King of Kings for more than 3 decades, and would proudly say the Word of God is his laws; and that is wisdom.
Unless we embrace it, what the King says is law, and we have to obey and take heed, we will NOT begin to learn godly wisdom. Why is the fear of the Lord, the beginning of wisdom (Ps 110:10, Prov 9:10)? Because God is God, in more humanly understandable term, He is King. We have to fear God for who is, first of all. If we have appreciation of what is connoted in the word, “God’” or “King”, the Lord is to be feared, and what is from His mouth, is law (and food – Matt 4:4); one (a person) lives or dies by His (God’s) word.
We all need to have godly wisdom first, before we can be truly wise; and that godly wisdom is in God’s law, and the knowledge of those laws we must pursue, and if we choose to ignore, we will lack it, and when we lack it, God said we would be destroyed; not only that, there is repercussion for our children – they may likewise go into destruction (Is it NOT true, if we ignore the knowledge of God, our children may end up, likewise, and would suffer the same consequence?). Don’t be a fool, wise up, embrace the whole counsel of Word of God, wholeheartedly.
Post a Comment