Have you ever noticed the differences in nativity scenes there are? Wooden stable, stone stable; older Mary, younger Mary; donkey, no donkey there are many variations.
Admittedly, some versions are probably more accurate to the real nativity than others, but none of us can know exactly what that first Christmas looked like. This is an example of how limited our human knowledge can be. Worthless compared to the infinite wisdom of God, we can't rely on our own understanding. We need to look to the words of God the Bible!
It's obvious why the Proverbs say to "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding." Tragically and in too many cases, though, we Christians can base our discernment of right and wrong on what 'seems right' to us. Even the question "What would Jesus do?" can be misleading if we don't ground our answer to that question in the Word of God.
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Caleb Hoverson
Too easily, we can create our own image of Jesus and assume He would do this or wouldn't do that. The Bible needs to be to be our photograph that shows us what Christ is like and what He would do.
One example of such a mistake could be in the area of warfare. Some people think that because Christ is the Prince of Peace, that means he is a pacifist. However, a look at the Scriptures reveals that God himself commanded the Israelites to fight and that Jesus once told His disciples to buy a sword if they didn't have one. Having the whole council of God is important for knowing the truth of who Jesus really is.
You see, on our own we could never find truth. In 2 Timothy, Paul talked about people who are "always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth." Jesus said, [John 8:31-32], "if you abide in my word, then you shall know the truth."
Everyone reading this probably agrees that our country, communities and families need to follow God's truth. How though, can we know his truth if we don't read his Word, His letter to us? You'd simply be amazed at how many answers the Bible provides to not only spiritual questions but family, scientific, historical,political and financial as well!
Let's read the Scriptures honestly and allow them to shape our values and opinions in every area it touches.
Caleb Hoverson, a ninth-grader, is homeschooled by his parents near Burlington.