To my kids:
On the very first day of one of my preaching classes, the teacher told us, “Don’t ever line up with other preachers.”
I believe his point was not to go along with a certain viewpoint simply because a preacher or group of preachers believed it. While his advice was directed to preachers, I think the lesson is an important one you can use in your life.
Do your own thinking.
Don’t be lazy - either in your work ethic or in using your mind.
God blessed each of you with a wonderful mind. Use it. Be willing to ask questions and consider the evidence with an open mind.
My hope and prayer for each of you is that one day you will obey the gospel of Christ and live a life of faithfulness to God. But I don’t want you to do that just because that’s the life your Momma and Daddy lived. I want you to live that life because it’s what you chose to do.
As you grow older and you mature, think carefully about the things God tells us in His Word. Reason about those things (Isaiah 1:18) and do your best to understand what you read (Ephesians 3:4).
Do your own thinking - but make sure your thinking is firmly grounded in the truth and not just in what someone thinks is the truth.
You don’t always have to pick a side.
If you’ve done your own thinking like I’ve encouraged you to do, you’ll realize that you don’t always have to pick a side.
Now - there is a time to stand for what’s right and to do what’s right, no matter what it costs. But there are some things that are matters of judgment or matters of opinion. Not every difference is a matter worth going to war over.
One reason it’s important for you to do your own thinking is so that you can discern whether or not a matter is worth “going to war” over or not.
People are always going to want you to “pick a side.” In my experience, a lot of those people don’t do their own thinking. If you’ve done your own thinking, and your thinking is firmly founded upon the truth - it’s alright to be different and not pick a side.
Make sure “your side” is the truth and keep on standing there.
Until next time,
Love Dad.
Thank you for this post.