How loud are the voices of scoffers in your life? The mockers, the angry, the rude, the crass. How much ear do you give to those who tear you down rather than gently exhort or build you up?
Ours is the age of the scoffer. Hop on YouTube and type in anything remotely political and you’ll get a stream of scornful headlines:
Shapiro destroys feminist
Ocasio-Cortez slaps down Fox News
Jordan Peterson obliterates woke liberals
Whoopi Goldberg demands Meghan McCain stop talking
It’s not just YouTube. Briefly perusing popular shows over the past decade demonstrates just how harsh, dark, and biting our world is.
The longest book of the Bible, the song book of the people of God, begins with a warning to those who surround themselves with mocking voices rather the instruction of godly advice.
Blessed is the man
who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,
nor stands in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the seat of scoffers. (Psalm 1:1)
Any parent knows that children learn to destroy before they learn to build. Toddlers tear apart puzzles before they learn how to put them together, they demolish building blocks before they construct them. It’s hard to build but easy to destroy.
A lightbulb went off sometime during my second year of studying philosophy in college. The history of philosophy is the history of each subsequent generation poking holes in the former generation’s theories. Inevitably, their critiques last longer than their own philosophical edifices. Are those deconstructing their faith doing as much constructing as they are destructing? Probably not. It’s easier to topple the structure than it is to build it. Rome wasn’t built in a day, but with the right explosives, it could be destroyed in one.
There is a time for disagreement. The Christian life doesn’t ignore hardships nor turn a blind eye to darkness. We look square in the face of suffering (consider the book of Job), meaninglessness (consider the book of Ecclesiastes), and death (consider the cross). Living the authentic Christian life is not living the life of a Pollyanna. But because we believe that God is sovereignly in control, we are confident that our resurrected Savior is “making all things new” (Rev 21:5).
Scorn is cheap. Disdain and contempt are sold in bulk at the dollar store. Ah, but Soloman reminds us “Wisdom is better than jewels” (Prov 8:11).
The author of Psalm 1 doesn’t suggest the remedy for scorn is burying our head in the sand like the ostrich. Instead we follow God’s Word planting our roots by “streams of water” so as to prosper by bearing fruit for the benefit others. He says,
but his delight is in the law of the Lord,
and on his law he meditates day and night.
He is like a tree
planted by streams of water
that yields its fruit in its season,
and its leaf does not wither.
In all that he does, he prospers. (Psalm 1:2-3)
Step back and evaluate what you are absorbing in your life. What is the ratio of wisdom and encouragement, to scoffing? How loud is God’s truth in your life? How do you start your day? End your day? What voices echo in your head?
This year I took two separate two-month breaks from social media: first, over Lent, and second, during my sabbatical. Even though I normally spent a moderate amount of time on social media, I was surprised by how refreshing each break was. As a pastor who wants to remain connected with the lives of those I shepherd, I don’t feel it’s time for me to pull the plug on social media right now. However, I understand those (like my wife) who have decided to do so. And the time might come when I think it’s the wisest decision for me as well. One book you might want to use to consider your own intake is Brent McCracken’s very helpful The Wisdom Pyramid. McCracken uses the analogy of the old food pyramid to help us ask the question: is my “wisdom diet” a healthy one?
Scoffers abound. Sources of wisdom are rare. Let us seek out God’s voice through his word, through prayer, and through godly people around us so that our roots might go deep in his streams of wisdom.
You may also appreciate:
Of Mice and Men’s 3.8 Rating and How to Handle Criticism
LeBron James Messed Up Your Christianity
As an Amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Photo by Patrick Hendry on Unsplash