There’s an
icebreaker game that I’ve played at different business meetings or training
classes. Maybe you’ve played it before
as well. Here’s how it works: Each person takes their turn sharing three
things about themselves. One of the
three things shared is NOT true. The
rest of the group has to determine which one of the “factoids” is untrue. It’s harmless enough and the icebreaker
serves its purpose, usually, of getting people to open up and talk to each
other. This simple game reminded me of
the dangers we face in the world that we live in today.
You and I
live in a day of unprecedented information.
Everywhere we turn there is information bombardment. At our fingertips, through smartphones,
tablets and computers, we have a plethora of knowledge. In less than 100 years we’ve gone from
newspaper and radios to a world of data download and push notifications. Events that would take at least 1-2 days to
reach our eyes or ears in the past are now at our disposal in minutes, even
when they happen on the other side of the world. One recent ad even mocks delayed information
with lines such as “that was so 11 seconds ago.”
This
constant availability of knowledge hasn’t curbed our desire for more
information. In many cases, it has
whetted our appetite to know, hear or see some new thing. Even though separated by centuries, this
pursuit of knowledge sounds eerily similar to what is described in Acts 17.
18 And some also
of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers encountered him and began to engage in discussion. And some said, What is this
babbler with his scrap-heap learning trying to say? Others said, He seems to be
an announcer of foreign deities—because he preached Jesus and the resurrection.
19 And they took
hold of him and brought him to the Areopagus [Mars Hill meeting place], saying,
May we know what this novel (unheard of and unprecedented) teaching is which
you are openly declaring?
20 For
you set forth some startling things, foreign and strange to our ears; we wish to know therefore just what
these things mean.
21 (For
the Athenians, all of them, and the foreign residents and visitors among them spent all their leisure time in nothing
except telling or hearing something newer than the last.)(AMP version)
This
scripture setting speaks of the danger I was reminded of in the simple
icebreaker game that was played. When
provided with multiple pieces of information that all seem credible, or that
all seem far-fetched, it is extremely difficult to discern the truth. In some cases, it causes one to question
whether any truth exists at all. It is a
subtle, drawn-out ploy of the enemy of our soul. Overwhelm with information, give an
insatiable desire for more “knowledge” and in so doing, dilute the ability to
discern truth.
We readily
grab snippets of information from Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, CNN, Fox,
USAToday, Huffington, Google, Wikipedia, money blogs, car blogs, health blogs,
food blogs…and the list goes on and on.
So easily, and with limited filters or thought, we allow our minds to be
filled with this world’s knowledge. On
the surface it seems so harmless. It is easily justified as “a means of staying
connected” or “finding inexpensive ways to decorate” or “keeping up with the
news” or ______________. (You fill in the blank) Somehow there is a transition
from finding information to information overload. Rather than shutting it off we become numb
and gluttonous all at the same time. It’s
the trap of “telling or hearing something newer than the last.”
Please look
at those three verses again, especially verse 18. Do you see why some said he was a “babbler”
and a “setter forth of strange deities?”
IT WAS
BECAUSE HE PREACHED JESUS AND THE RESURRECTION!
The
Epicureans and Stoicks, philosophers, men filled with worldly knowledge of the
day, viewed the preaching of Jesus and His resurrection as babble, scrap-heap
learning and the setting forth of strange gods.
There excessive in-gathering of information had diluted their ability to
recognize truth! In their pursuit of this
world’s knowledge they lost sight of the value of truth.
Consider
this: With the lightning speed that “news” is now communicated via the multiple
means already mentioned, how do we know if it’s true or not. By the time something is realized to be
untrue it is “so last week’s news” therefore no one pays attention to the
retraction or correction. As a result,
the misinformation (aka lie) is perpetrated and truth is of little value
because it isn’t current once discovered.
THE RESULT: THE LOVE OF TRUTH IS LOST
AND REPLACED BY A PURSUIT OF KNOWLEDGE
There are
warnings throughout scripture.
See II
Timothy 3:12-15, Matthew 24:3-5, 10-14, 23-24 and II Thessalonians 2.
Each one is letting us know the dangers of deception
and the dangers of losing a love for truth.
There is no
doubt that I use and am thankful for the ready access to information provided
in today’s world. It’s important that I
temper my pursuit with hard, honest questions.
Some of which can only be answered through spending time in prayer and
the Word.
Here are a
few questions I like to ask myself:
o Is my time
best spent pursuing this information?
o How well do I
know the source of this blog, article or reference?
o Am I giving
more time to knowledge pursuit than I am giving to biblical pursuit?
o Am I pursuing
worldly knowledge or God’s Kingdom knowledge?
Why is all
of this so important you might still ask? Let’s
look at the very next verse in Acts 17. I
believe it will help answer that question.
22 So Paul,
standing in the center of the Areopagus [Mars Hill meeting place], said: Men of
Athens, I perceive in every way [on every hand and with every turn I make] that
you are most religious or very
reverent to demons.(AMP version)
In the Athenians pursuit of knowledge
they failed to realize what they were entertaining.
I’m thankful that we live in an age of
increased knowledge. It has opened doors
to spread the Gospel like never before.
Let us not allow the gift of knowledge to become the detriment to life
as Adam and Eve did. Let us pursue
knowledge as the Holy Spirit leads.
Above all, let us learn well from Peter & John in Acts 4:13. They were “ignorant and unlearned” but people
took knowledge of them that THEY HAD BEEN WITH JESUS. He is the way, the TRUTH, and the life!
