Reliable Sources

My dad once told me, "What's really important is sincerity. Once you can fake that, you've got it made." Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the 21st century.

We've arrived at a place in our world where we trust certain sources, so we believe them without reason, question, or examination. Maybe it's you're favorite news source. Maybe it's the Internet. Maybe it's another source or a conglomerate of sources.

What has happened over the years is that the media -- news or television or Internet -- has acted pretty sincere. They want you to trust them. They have earned your trust. Right? So when they say that a child was kidnapped from the park by your house, you believe them. And you make sure your kid never goes to that park. Or any park. Even if it wasn't a park near you. The news carries a story of an airplane crash and air travel drops. Why? Because it's unsafe? No. Because we heard it from a reliable source. And it must be a problem. We hear a truly horrifying story of some kids getting shot at school and we're tempted to keep our kids home. Why? Schools are unsafe! Really? Did you know that, statistically, a child at a public school has a 0.0017% of being shot in school? But we heard it on the news and it is bad and we will trust them without question or examination.

It has become an Internet joke now. "I know it's true; I heard it on the Internet." One commercial played that whole game of a girl who met a guy online who was a wonderful French guy ... except he was neither French nor wonderful, but because it was in the Internet, it had to be true. It's there; we trust it. Whatever it says must be true. So we buy this whole "gender is a social construct" thing because "I heard it on the Internet" or "9/11 was a government conspiracy" because "I heard it on the Internet." Don't ask. Don't examine. Don't question. Just believe. Question authority, sure. But not our favorite media or Internet sources.

Then we have, in our hot little hands, the God-breathed Word. Now that is an unimpeachable source. No faking of sincerity there. No blind trust. It's God's Word. God's Word invites scrutiny, expects examination, and holds out the promise of truth from God Himself. A reliable source. Would that we were as diligent in our study, use, and embracing of His Word as we are at the news media and Internet.