Before you start reading this, I want to challenge you to think of the dumbest idea you possibly can. Maybe it’s something you witnessed in real life, more likely though it’s something you consider too dumb for anyone to ever attempt. Maybe it’s skateboarding down a ladder or peanut butter and baloney sandwiches (If you think this sounds good, stop reading now, you probably won’t enjoy the rest of the article).
If you’re still reading, then I want to dissuade you of your previously held notion that some ideas are obviously dumb to everyone. As a sometimes ski patroller and firefighter I can tell you that I have witnessed the aftermath of so many bad ideas that my faith in humanity has been eroded down to the size of a grain of sand. Sometimes human foolishness is tragic sometimes sad and sometimes funny. What I can no longer say is that it’s unbelievable.
We all know and can give examples of exceptionally foolish ideas that have led people into all kinds of problems. I know it’s often a cartoon joke, but I have seen someone cut the wall stud off that was holding their ladder. I have responded to car accidents where someone was eating while driving on ice in a blizzard and talking on the phone. These terrible ideas serve as an important reminder.
Biblical truths like honesty, forgiveness, compassion, or sobriety seem painfully obvious yet often we struggle with these things. Further, despite ample evidence and demonstrable pain and damage people continue to defend sexual promiscuity and legalize drug use. Along with many other worldly practices.
We have yet to consider those who claim to believe in scripture. I have heard those claiming to be Christians claim that Jesus was gay or trans. I have heard people defend the idea that the Bible teaches communism. On many, many, occasions I have had someone read the Bible for themselves only to say “well that’s just your opinion.” Unbiblical ideas proliferate in Biblical studies and theology. I would go so far as to say if you can identify any clear teaching of scripture, you can just as easily identify someone who claims to be a Christian opposing that idea.
Why do I say all this, it’s not to get you down but rather to prepare you. People are sinful and flawed and so will believe ideas that are sinful and flawed. We need to show these people compassion and do our best to help them discover the truth and how God’s love grace and truth offer a far better solution to the human condition than anything in the world. So, the next time you hear someone on the news or on social media say something dumb just remember that it’s par for the course and all we can do is share good ideas (God’s truth) to help a few not fall for whatever the current horrible trend happens to be.
~ Kevin Cleary