Discernment

Spiritual discernment is a big topic. I’m currently reading Megan Basham’s book, Shepherds for Sale. The main indictment of the book is that bad actors who desire to influence the electorate target well-meaning Christian leaders to influence them and those under their spiritual leadership. Megan is from the same denomination as myself and she speaks boldly out against this influence on our own leaders as well as other prominent evangelicals.

I’m through most of the book, and I don’t read it as an indictment of the faith of the men and women mentioned, but of their discernment. As Christians, we want to believe people who present themselves as wanting to help. We want to trust those identifying themselves as fellow Christians. This is normal, and it is usually a good thing. But if you’ve ever worked in benevolence or refugee ministry, you also know that people will say almost anything to get what they want. We learn that over time. I had to learn it, and sometimes it was through foolish choices I made along the way.

In chapter 5 of Megan’s book, she deals with the Covid Pandemic. This chapter is a follow up on some reporting she did the last few years, including this article. In this reporting, Megan documents how a supposed Christian, Francis Collins, worked with Anthony Fauci to push or even guilt churches into following pandemic restrictions on church closures, masks and the vaccines. Mr. Collins met with prominent pastors and Christian thought leaders to push the idea that loving our neighbor meant we had to do what the government said. Those who ignored these restrictions were painted in a poor light as uncaring and, in some cases, Un-Christian.

Like many believers, I had questions about these policies. In another article, Megan documents how Fauci and Collins used the same strategy to encourage church leaders to discredit medical professionals and scientists who didn’t go along with their script. If I’d been more vocal and had a larger platform, I could have been targeted. I agreed with men like Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, professor of medicine at Stanford and others who signed the Great Barrington Declaration, opposing further lockdowns. Most of what we were being told didn’t seem to make sense, whether according to logic, reason or scientific inquiry.

As Christians, we should be discerning. We should strive to have integrity in our interactions. Outside of God’s Word, we shouldn’t just accept what we’ve been told. The truth isn’t relative. We should test things against the truth, especially God’s Word. We should be compassionate, but we shouldn’t be foolish. As Charles Spurgeon once wrote, “Discernment is not knowing the difference between right and wrong. It is knowing the difference between right and almost right.”

As I write this, it is another election year. I despise election year politics, and really, all politics. Politicians always lie, but the lies flying around in a presidential election year reach extreme levels. It is a challenge for a Christian to exercise our responsibility as members of the community to vote with discernment. Some of the choices are clear, according to the Word of God, but others are more difficult.

To add to the challenge, we don’t just have the words of the candidates, but we have the words about the candidates. We’re told in millions of dollars of campaign ads, who the candidates are and what they said. Often, what is presented isn’t reality, but a parody of reality. In earlier days, these parodies existed mostly in campaign ads and in political satire like SNL, Bloom County or Doonesbury. Today, with the majority of the media being controlled by billionaires and corporations, such things are pushed at us in the headlines.

In the classic film, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, the majority of Washington DC is filled with those who appear respectable, but who are actually controlled by organized crime and business. Our hero, played by Jimmy Stewart, has the curtain pulled back by a variety of people and slowly comes to understand what he’s up against. I sometimes feel like “Mr. Smith” when I pay attention to politics.

Today, most politicians are more like serfs doing the will of the rich and the powerful. Lobbying groups that live 24/7 in Washington DC are ready to push their policies even as the people in Congress come and go. We should be able to vote on the policies of the candidates, but too frequently, the candidates run on talking points that they never intend to implement.

With friends all along the political spectrum, I’m fortunate not to live in the echo chamber of one side. When you work with social media in a campaign year, you see every kind of political post. These go far beyond the campaign ads. Memes, videos, soundbites and links to articles that prove the point of the poster flood every feed. Again, most of these are a caricature of their opponent and their policies. Very rarely do you see an honest debate about policy issues. Instead, they’re trying to create a monstrous or comedic version of the opponent that they will convince you to vote against.

Each side wants you to feel it is impossible to vote for the opposing candidate. They want you to feel bad just thinking about voting for them. They don’t want you thoughtfully considering the issues. Our elections grow more like a high school popularity contest each day. They don’t want you to have discernment.

In the face of such a whirlwind of propaganda and mis-information, what is a Christian to do as they seek to be discerning?

• Don’t Panic! – You need to know yourself. Politics is not essential for life. If your peace of heart and mind are being threatened by the political tidal wave, step out of its way and take a time out. It’s not worth it.
• Where possible, listen to what the candidates actually say, not what is said about them. The media and social media are powerful tools, but most of what we see on them these days is misrepresented. I’ve had more luck with small, independent journalists than the traditional outlets.
• “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5-6 – Discernment is not based on our own understanding, but on our connection to the truth. God is true. His Word is true. Our thoughts may be, but they may also be deceived.
• “And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ,” Phil. 1:9-10 – Pray for one another to have discernment and for yourself.
• “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” Romans 12:2 – Don’t get your discernment from the world. Don’t look for hope in political parties, who do not have your best interests in mind. Instead, renew your mind daily, in Him.

The world will try to program you for their outcome. We saw that in 2020 and we see it today. Don’t fall into their trap. Megan’s book is proof that even of the wisest may be influenced from time to time in the wrong direction, if they’re not careful. Be very careful and remember, real life is lived in your community, with your church, family and friends. That is what we’re put here to do. It is important how we vote, but far more important is how we love, serve and share the truth of the Gospel with those we interact with on a daily basis.