I wonder sometimes if we realize how relative truth has become in our nation. In many ways, we have come to the point of “if I believe it, it must be true.” Sadly, we’ve also come to the point of, “if the TV says it, it must be true.” I have been appalled by about five different items/comments I’ve heard on the news just in the past two days. Items meant to discourage or inflame. It seems that we are spiraling faster toward an unwillingness to accept real truth, especially when it is “inconvenient.” I told my husband at breakfast this morning, “Maybe I’m just feeling cynical today.” Honestly? It’s hard not to. But when I read Genesis 11, one verse jumped out at me in light of all of the above.
Genesis 11:6 (GWT)–The Lord said, “They are one people with one language. This is only the beginning of what they will do! Now nothing they plan to do will be too difficult for them.”
Voices in unison can be loud, can’t they? What exactly happens when a mob mentality takes control? Look at the near-rioting that happens on Franklin Street in Chapel Hill after a serious ACC win… or loss. People do things in a group that they would never do as individuals. That group vibe sweeps over and WHAM! Mayhem ensues.
And now, thanks to social media and 24/7 television coverage, we are beginning to believe that anyone who speaks en mass is speaking the truth. “If enough people say it…” Oh, my heart hurts for us.
Why do we do that? In a way, it is a little bit comforting to know that God witnessed it thousands of years before I came along. And do you know what? He did something about it. He sees how humans can be. And here’s the crazy thing… He loves us anyway. Notice the people in Genesis 11 tried to reach heaven, essentially started trying to be their own gods. But God didn’t destroy them. He’d done that in the flood and promised not to do it again, so He scattered them.
Makes you wonder why He puts up with us, doesn’t it? It’s all because He loves us. That’s incredible. And it takes that cynicism that’s been shoving in and squashes it. No matter what the crowd may say or do, my God is alive and well and on His throne. Amen!
-JB
Jessica R. Patch says
So much great truth here! I think that’s why the enemy works overtime to divide the church, imagine what we could do for the kingdom with one mind! One grain of sand is insignificant, but a beachful sets boundaries for a raging sea.
Great, friend!
Dawn Lucowitz says
I totally agree with and love what you wrote here. It seems like the only people taking advantage of really speaking with one voice trying to make change are the ones wanting changes that we don’t want!
What I love about this chapter is that for me, the bible really does cover everything! If a kid asks why there are different languages spoken throughout the world and how they came about, God gave us the answer! I think it’s awesome that he let us know what he did and why so that we understand and then can answer tough questions later He’s pretty darn cool!
Jodie says
Isn’t that the truth? Oh, how I wish we’d speak louder and with more unity!