I hope you never let anyone take away your freedom to think.
So much of what we are hearing and seeing is either manipulative in an effort to part us from our money or manipulative in an effort to make you think the way someone wants you to think.
You are given a brain. You are given intelligence. You are given the ability to reason and solve puzzles and match patterns.
So when they come and tell you what you're supposed to think and how you're supposed to speak in all of that understand that you have to exist within the system but you do not always have to adhere to the system. If it gives you what you want and you're not having to give up everything in order to get that then by all means proceed but. But.
Be careful! It's so easy to fall into the trap of another's way of thinking. It's so seductive to not have to expend the effort or resources and just take it easy and relax and let someone else provide you safety and provide you subjects that are safe to think about and then provide you subjects to accuse others of when you see it.
The Bible teaches that we are as believers to be in the world but not of the world. Jesus told a story about a manager that was corrupt. And when he discovered that he was about to be fired he went and talked to all the people that owed his boss or in the words of the Bible master money and goods to sit down and not in his hand but in their own hand change the records and cut their debt. He did this as an evil manager in an effort to set up his life after being fired. So that they would take care of him when he no longer works for his master.
The shocking part of that whole story in the Bible is that Jesus, the son of God, said not only did the master praise his servant that he was firing for being shrewd and showing initiative but then Jesus said "I want you to be like that also". And he explained that streetwise people are always looking out for the opportunity. And that he wanted us as believers to always be looking out for those opportunities. Churches and denominations have twisted that into always be looking for a chance to share the gospel or convince somebody to accept Jesus as their Savior or whatever, but as I listen and as I meditate on that story I'm starting to think that he wasn't just talking about sharing him. He was talking about living life. Living life as a Christian. Not lying, not doing wrong although the manager was doing wrong. But he said be true!
This whole thing is hard for me because I don't think that way. I think in absolutes and have to force myself not to. I think right is right and wrong is wrong. There are so many things that I see that are wrong in my view right now that it's hard to conduct myself day-to-day sometimes. But I am trying to be shrewd and trying to persevere.
