2 Pieces of Biblical Wisdom for Our Current Religious & Political Climate

Every day it feels like the divisions in the Christian and the political spheres stretch wider. I wonder how current church leadership and politics will affect the world my children are left with after me. But instead of shrinking with fear or entertaining ideas of doom, I am heeding two pieces of wisdom from Jesus’ life that we find in the Book of John.

1. Do not entrust yourself to fallen human beings.

Christians are not always godly. Even though we have the gift of the Holy Spirit once we believe in the gospel, we still have our sinful nature that we constantly contend with. No matter how “Christian” a leader appears to be, they are not perfect.

When Jesus started his public ministry, many people believed in him because of the signs he performed. He became the hottest ticket to hit Jerusalem. One would think he might start entrusting himself to those who celebrated him. “But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people. He did not need anyone to testify about man, for he knew what was in man” John 2:24-25, emphasis mine.

Humans are fickle and not capable of the responsibility of us entrusting ourselves to them.

Of course, people need to trust one another and our leaders to some extent. But trust is believing in someone’s reliability. Entrusting ourselves is putting our complete selves into the hands of someone else’s care.

The only person we should entrust our complete selves to, is God.

No matter what happens (we will have trouble in this world), God is the one who never leaves us, will see us through, and who is perfect in all his ways. Everything good comes from him.

2. Follow Jesus’ voice.

The voices we follow, lead us. Whether we listen to sermon podcasts, news outlets, or our favorite social media influencers—who we listen to determines what we think.

Jesus shared with the disciples a parable (an extended word picture that explains spiritual truth) about the Good Shepherd. And in this parable, he said, “…and the sheep follow him (the shepherd) because they recognize his voice. They will never follow a stranger, but will run away from him, because they do not recognize the stranger’s voice…my sheep listen to my voice, and I know them, and they follow me” John 10:4-5, 27.

The foundation of all our thinking and listening, should be Jesus’ voice—which is the Word of God. It is vital—not just vital but extremely crucial that we use biblical wisdom in what we listen to.

But the only way we can have biblical discernment, is if we are reading the Bible. Be the gatekeeper of your heart in these diverse and heated times—read God’s Word—listen to His voice. And then filter all other voices through the Voice of Truth.

Truths for Our Children

As we parent the next generation in this complicated spiritual and political scene—let’s also teach them to know God’s Word and then filter all other “wisdom” or affections through its truths.