Mockery is not a virtue

Last time, I mentioned the subject of mockery. With it being such a widespread problem that most are not even trying to correct, I thought I should say more about it. It is most prominent on social media these days, so much so that I think  Elon Musk should have renamed Twitter, Mockery, instead of X. That Facebook should be called throw it their face book. Name any issue and there are probably thousands of social media accounts dedicated to it. I dare say a majority of the posts we actually see revolve around mocking the opposition, rather than educating about the issue. The worst part is, that social media algorithms encourage this. Mockery drives more log-in time and clicks than just about anything else. Which means more ad revenue for big tech. They are literally getting rich off of creating resentment and making you fret. (Psalm 37:1-2 & 8-9) We as the church should not be encouraging this for the sake of clicks. Yes, we need to stand up for the truth, but the moment we resort to mockery that truth gets blurred behind a toxic wall of negativity. Plus we violate the very truth we profess in doing so.

Those who guard their mouths and their tongues keep themselves from calamity.

The proud and arrogant person—“Mocker” is his name— behaves with insolent fury. -Proverbs 23:23-24 

But let me put this into perspective for you. So you will realize just how unrighteous it really is.  The average person is very much motivated by acceptance, approval, validation, and inclusion. A licensed counselor told me a majority of his patients are looking for just that. Manipulative people are well aware of this, so they know they can get you to do just about anything if they dangle acceptance for it before your nose like a dog treat. If somebody finds the resulting behavior ridiculous, the knee-jerk reaction of our sinful nature responds with mockery. In turn, this only pushes the manipulated back to the manipulator in search of another dose of validation. All because we chose to, and possibly enjoy being hurtful, rather than helpful. That’s not how you save souls, it’s how you lead people astray. (Matthew 18:6-7) This is exactly what we see playing out on social media. 

I said it before, but I can’t say it enough. Psychology confirms just how ineffective mockery is. They call it The Framing Effect. The idea is that information is often gauged more by how it is presented, instead of the actual validity of the facts. Just ask yourself, when someone treats you with contempt and disrespect, do you go out of the way to listen to their point of view? Or do you merely get all defensive? Yet the Bible told us all along, that truth is not a free pass to be a mocker. That mockery is not a virtue. A fact we often ignore or are just plain ignorant of. Ultimately every dimension of truth must be upheld, or it’s only a half-truth, and a half-truth can be just as destructive as a lie.

So again I ask you, to take a long hard look at yourself and your motivations. Ask yourself, do you mock to do what’s right, or just be right? Are you mocking to help, or just stick it to them? Who are we to correct the world, if our motivations are just as ugly as theirs?

The Visual PARABLEist

“How long will you who are simple love your simple ways?
How long will mockers delight in mockery and fools hate knowledge?
Repent at my rebuke! Then I will pour out my thoughts to you, I will make known to you my teachings. -Proverbs 1:22-23

If you are wise, your wisdom will reward you; if you are a mocker, you alone will suffer -Proverbs 9:12

Opposite Extremism

Many people have a fear of becoming like one of their parents if they possess toxic traits. Some may even make a deliberate effort to do the exact opposite of their parent's patterns. However, I have learned that the greatest wrongs are seldom a perfect 180 degrees from the truth. That is how they disguise themselves as seeming true after all. So if said behavior is only 90 degrees off the mark, we will be just as far from the right path as we were before doing a 180, just an opposite extreme form of it. Sometimes the church falls into these patterns as well, so any extreme is often just as much of an incomplete truth as the opposite extreme. Overcompensating one detail will never replace the absence of another. No matter how much more important we may think it is. That is sort of like saying the back wheel of a motorcycle is more important than the front one. Without both, you’re going nowhere.

““Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former.” -Matthew 23:23

A good example is the environmental issue. With so many taking the issue to neo-pagan extremes by treating the earth like a goddess. It has led many in the church to go to the opposite extreme and treat the earth with utter contempt. Instead of the more balanced idea of being good stewards of all that God had given us. (Deuteronomy 26:1-15, 1st Corinthians 10:24-26)

An example that hits closer to home is the obedience vs love debate. Many insist that the ultimate goal in Christianity is righteousness and discipline. Yet when you emphasize it to the point of neglecting love, all you can really do is define it, and then criticize people when they fail. This discourages more people than it saves for the simple fact that any submission to bullying ultimately lacks sincerity. (Matthew 15:7-9) A broken person naturally struggles with discipline, but it's love not definitions, that repairs the foundation that enables obedience. 

This extremism has only inspired some to overemphasize love in response. It also has led people to redefine love as acceptance, approval, and validation. On the surface, it may seem like a good thing, but on closer examination, it falls apart. If a child tries to stick a paper clip in an outlet. Is it the parent who accepts this, or the one who doesn’t that’s the more loving one? If someone wants to try cocaine for the first time. Is it the one who approves or disapproves that is the more loving? If someone wants to make a hasty life-altering decision. Is it the one who validates without question that’s the more loving one? Or is the one who says let’s talk about and examine this more closely first? In the end, love without any discipline only becomes permissive of self-destructive behavior.

Self-indulgence tends to set off the legalists who often just resort to mockery of the lost. Leading the other side to fight mockery with their own mockery of their systematic ways. Yet both sides seem blissfully unaware of what the Bible says about this practice. Psychology even confirms just how ineffective this tactic is. They call it The Framing Effect. The idea is that information is often gauged more by how it is presented, instead of the validity of facts. Yet the Bible has told us all along, that truth is not a free pass to be impatient, unkind, and rude. (Galatians 6:1) Ultimately every dimension of truth must be upheld, or it’s only a half-truth, and a half-truth can be just as destructive as an outright lie.

I dare say much of this extremism comes back to comfort. We emphasize the parts we are comfortable with and feel confident in. Yet neglect the parts we dislike or struggle to understand. This is not how you grow, or engage discipleship. So I urge you to stop and take a long hard look at yourself and your actions. Then ask the LORD where you may be neglecting his complete truth.

The Visual PARABLEist

Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, -Psalm 1:1

The Lord’s curse is on the house of the wicked, but he blesses the home of the righteous.
He mocks proud mockers but shows favor to the humble and oppressed.
The wise inherit honor, but fools get only shame. -Proverbs 3:33-35

Whoever corrects a mocker invites insults; whoever rebukes the wicked incurs abuse.
Do not rebuke mockers or they will hate you; rebuke the wise and they will love you. -Proverbs 9:7-8

Religion VS Relationship

You have probably heard this counterpoint before. Instagram in particular is full of posts touting that it’s about relationship, not religion. These posts inevitably get bombarded with negative comments from legalists as well. Yet if we go back to the origins of the word, religion literally meant reconnect or to bind. So the concepts are not nearly as mutually exclusive as we are assuming. So it’s kind of a pointless argument that the uninformed engage in. One thing I think the legalists fail to understand is that holiness is not simply a do as God says or be destroyed standard. Rather a follow to better understand God standard. Holiness is the personification of his very character and nature after all. A relationship starts there. When we don't acknowledge this detail, the gospel often becomes devoid of good news.

The real question is, why are so many trying to redefine religion into a cold systemic checklist that doesn’t value sincerity in practice? More importantly, why can’t they see that they are repeating the same mistakes as the Pharisees did as a result? (Matthew 23)

Human Nature likes things cut and dry
This mortal tendency to systemize may seem innocuous enough, but did not God say in Isaiah 55:8 “Your ways are not my ways.” So isn’t this ritualization of religion just humanity trying to interject his lower ways into it? This formulation of religion has had many negative trickle-down effects. Since sin is merely a definition now, and not a symptom of our own brokenness. We merely judge by mere appearances. (John 7:24) Since we are judging by mere appearances we have turned repentance into a surface whitewash. Since we think repentance is but an external manifestation, we never examine our own hearts and motives, let alone others. (Matthew 7:1-6) Since we are leaving our hearts untransformed, we have nothing to offer the lost and brokenhearted, other than how to fake it for the sake of human approval and acceptance. But if we understood any of that we may actually feel compelled to get involved with and care for the lost, not just correct them. Of course, Biblical love like this is challenging and messy, who wants that? This is what people think of when we say religion anymore, but it’s not true religion, but a mere platitude. It’s a counterfeit that serves man’s comfort and convenience rather than honoring God’s will of do unto the least of these. (Matthew 25:31-46)

Keeping God at a distance
There are a few instances in scripture when a mere mortal finds himself in the literal pressure of God. Only to be overwhelmed by awe, fear, and utter humility. Isaiah 6 is but one example. Let’s face it, all our pretenses of religion and surface righteousness would just crumble to dust in the presence of the living God. Yet if we keep God at a distance, and don’t actually reconnect or bind ourselves to him in a relational way. Or allow him to burn us clean as God did for Isaiah. All our illusions, hollow traditions, and humanized religion remain unchallenged. Just the way the prideful who only wash the outside of the cup like to keep it.

The Bible is a very poetic love letter to his children. Yet in our lowly structured ways we have cut the very heart out of it to better suit what we think religion should be. Yet we kid ourselves into thinking this disrespect actually pleases God.

“Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless. Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” -James 1:26-27
The average legalist typically only values one of these three points ironically enough.

The Visual PARABLEist

2 Corinthians 3:13-18, Luke 6:39

Validation?

It seems that the word “validation” has become all the rage these days. Social media is full of relationship and mental health gurus preaching the virtues of it. Yet with so many thinking we need to validate absolutely everything, except those who refuse to validate everything ironically enough, many argue we are just kidding ourselves. Not to mention the manipulative people exploiting said needs. Yet how should the Christian view this concept? It’s really not as cut and dry as you may think. In a way, grace and salvation are such validations that everyone who shows up gets the proverbial blue ribbon, regardless of merit. But, also just like in real life, some are content with that initial glory and call it good enough. Where others continue to increase their knowledge, understanding, and skills to obtain more and better glories. Just as many in the church do not understand this concept of ever-increasing glory, many in the secular don’t get how patronizing validation can become when they are based purely on shallow and superficial attributes instead of character.

As I think back to all the people who have tried to invalidate me or seek validation from me I notice a tragic irony. We often invalidate others in service of our own validation. Validating oneself at someone else’s expense is a very ugly thing to do indeed, no disciple should ever do that with it being so un-Christ-like in so many ways. For example, I was once in a relationship with a woman who interpreted so many of my actions as a breakup. From my point of view, I had to acknowledge a falsehood in order to validate her fears. In hindsight, she just couldn’t see past her own feelings. If I had thought, felt, and valued things exactly as she did; her assumptions would have been spot on. However, with my personality being so very different it wasn’t even close to accurate. So I found myself constantly defending and explaining myself, only to never be believed. Leaving me completely invalidated by her, and even less willing to consider the wounds beyond her fears that lead to those disrespectful accusations. Yet, I’m sure she was just as unwilling to see things from my point of view since I just insisted her fears were unfounded, instead of addressing her deeply rooted insecurities. Our whole relationship turned into a battle of who was right, rather than doing what was right for each other. Yet, neither of us was doing the right thing at the time, because we were making judgments on mere appearances instead of correct ones. (John 7:24) While I certainly wished I would have handled things differently, there was still no guarantee that she would have reciprocated if I had. As Matthew 7:1-5 says, we need to turn that discerning eye on self first, to equip ourselves to judge others correctly. So when validation becomes a one-way street, the lone receiver can’t necessarily see how scripture applies to them, or their own actions objectively. So one person ends up doing all the work and sacrifice to maintain the peace, making the relationship very parasitic. I wouldn’t wish such a relationship on anyone.

Ultimately, the only validation that really matters is God’s. However, it takes a very strong and mature Christian to be that impervious to the world's judgments. So we shouldn’t use that as an excuse to not lift up others along their journey. Paul definitely validated his disciples when they deserved it. Keep also in mind, that if we don’t validate the good, the world will be all too eager to validate the bad. Paul also corrected his disciples with gentleness and humility when they needed it too. (Galatians 6:1-2) A good disciple is correctable, not beyond reproach after all. Nor did Paul patronize people by rationalizing misguided actions, as we are prone to do these days in the name of validation. That only enables and magnifies self-destructive behavior. So even unconditional love must leave room for correction, even if the fragile see it as invalidating. So this all-or-nothing approach to validation and similar concepts just doesn’t work, we really need to be more discerning than that. So we can offer both grace and discipline in a Christ-like way, instead of an emotionally charged one.

So let me leave you with this. Someone who seeks validation specifically from you must respect you, or have a vested interest in you somehow. Even if their rejection sensitivity often leads to counterproductive behavior. How you treat that relationship will have an impact on all their future relationships. Don’t be the person that breaks them, and makes them think they have a right to treat others terribly because of it. Of which there are many who have just that attitude, and creating more broken people all the time. At the same time, we need to make sure we are not putting our relationships on too high of a pedestal. Where we exalt the idol of human approval more than God himself. If we keep all these points in mind we will have a healthy attitude towards validation that encourages people to embrace Christ’s healing that leads to complete holiness, instead of the world's easy path of embracing your brokenness as your true self. That they will validate for their own sake, not yours.

The Visual PARABLEist

Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross! -Philippians 2:1-8

Immature Heirs

If I had to summarize the state of the current church universal, I would say it consists of too many adult heirs living as spiritual children. Meaning, that most oversimplify the gospel to simply being a good boy. Despite the fact that the Hebrews spent thousands of years doing basically that, only to fail time and time again. So they had to continuously atone through the sacrificial system. Jesus satisfied that requirement once and for all through his sacrifice. Not just to give us an easy out, but because we should be mature enough to understand the why, and not just the what and accept the responsibility of self-correction.

I have said it before, and will probably say it again. We didn’t need a Messiah to just reiterate the law, and correct our misapplication of it. Any garden variety prophet could have done that. We needed a messiah to bind up our broken hearts because that is the biggest obstacle to actual holiness. By skipping over that, we are missing so much of the good news within the gospel, and rob it of its potential glory.

Which begs the question, why? I think a lot of it is that most people just can’t or won’t look past the surface of anything. Much of what we think we know about Scripture has been explained to us by others. If that preacher can’t see past their own nose either, their understanding of the gospel will be shallow as well. All the more reason for taking responsibility for our own soul. I have only gotten to where I am by not relying on the pulpit for everything. As a new Christian, my spiritual wounds ran deep, I needed answers that went far deeper than common knowledge Christianity offered. If I didn’t seek real scriptural answers for myself. I would have likely fallen away by now, or just been another whitewashed tomb. I wish I could say I had great mentors to get me through my personal exodus, but I didn’t. For me, my books were my teachers.

Let me offer a few examples of what I am saying. The story of Lazarus, is an issue I have discussed numerous times. (John 11:1-44) Even ordained ministers get this one all wrong. Jesus did not weep because he was mourning the death of Lazarus. He wept because they did not understand that there was no reason to mourn him at all. Despite all they had seen, they still saw him as just another garden variety prophet. They didn’t understand that his divinity made his power unlimited. If he was mourning over anything, it was all of his chosen people’s ignorance. I’m sure he still weeps over us today for the same reason. Just as he wept over all of Jerusalem in Luke 19:41-42. I am right there with Him on that one, as hard as I try, people still view scripture from a very mortal and worldly perspective.

There are a few obscure cults out there that insist that Mosaic law still applies in the New Covenant. They take the fully adult heirs living as un-Bah-Mitzvah’d children to the extreme. To use their terminology. Once while debating this issue with one of them I used Romans 7:1-6 as an example. But he insisted that passage was about marriage. Although he was an ordained minister, he could not see that Paul was using marriage as a comparison, not actually talking about marriage itself. It was about that time I realized it was pointless to reason with him. He was too spiritually discerned to see that a good Father wants to instill true understanding about righteousness so that a child can grow to become an heir in the kingdom. Not just knowledge about what is wrong, so they live in fear of punishment until the day they die.

In the same way, you who are younger, submit yourselves to your elders. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.” Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. -1st Peter 5:5-7

People like to quote 1st Peter 5:7 by itself. That way we think we can cast off our anxiety and negative emotions, but never have to face the cause. Yet if we start with verse 5, and include the parts that reveal this act must be done in humility, and this childish notion falls apart. As a teenager, I had a real hard time verbalizing the storm going on inside. So I humbled myself before God via my art instead. I disturbed a lot of people this way, they just could not get past the surface and assumed the worst. Then encouraged me to essentially whitewash myself. I have heard similar stories from others where their conservative whitewashed parents went as far as to destroy their children’s creations which were their means of dealing with and releasing the pain inside. So they were essentially saying to their kids to shove those splinters lodged in your heart even deeper where nobody can see, and be a fake like us. While we can’t hide anything from God, we can keep things from him. So by denying our brokenness, we our only slowing down our path to healing. Not realizing that only by allowing God to remove those splinters from our hearts, will we see clearly enough to deal with the splinters of others empathetically, instead of with critical judgment and forced whitewash. (Matthew 7) Maybe that is why we get so upset with those who reject the church only to adopt a different color wash. Their lie of identity being less than skin deep reflects our immature lies.

As much as we try to turn Christianity into a systematic checklist. It is really far more poetic than that. The Bible itself is full of literal poetry after all, and it’s not all nice warm and fuzzy poetry about puppies and fluffy bunnies either. It acknowledges all the dark realities we must face every day, perhaps if you read and studied it for yourself, you might realize that and stop living like a child avoiding punishment, and live like an adult who is responsible to his Fathers kingdom.

What I am saying is that as long as an heir is underage, he is no different from a slave, although he owns the whole estate. The heir is subject to guardians and trustees until the time set by his father. So also, when we were underage, we were in slavery under the elemental spiritual forces of the world. But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship. Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.” So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir. -Galatians 4:1-7

The Visual PARABLEist

There was a time I walked away from art thinking it separated me from my church peers. Then this image appeared in my head and it wouldn’t go away until I released it onto canvas. Only then did I understand what God was telling me. I was treating his gifts and talents with contempt, and damaging my spiritual “vision” in the process. It was about that time I started to incorporate my art into my teaching.

Are we all pastors?

You have probably heard your minister say that “we are all pastors” at some point, or at least some variation of it. Which can be a very scary and intimidating idea for the average churchgoer. Is this really true from a theological standpoint though? Does it violate the body of Christ? Or is this what Peter meant by the Royal Priesthood? This begs the question, are the many troubles that the church faces partially due to mankind trying to sidestep our responsibilities, or impose our own will into God’s model? All the more reason to take a long hard look at it.

Terminology
The question itself gets complicated by semantics. Common usage is often a bit different than a true technical definition. Yet even proper definitions get a little more complicated than we may realize, which I will go over. Also, there are other non-Biblical terms like reverend, which is more of a title of educational level like doctor. As well as clergy, which seems to be a broad generic term for all faiths, not just Christianity. so I don’t think I need to say any more about them.

Priest
Used heavily in the Old Testament, yet mostly only used by the Roman Catholic Church today. Keep in mind that the entire tribe of Levi was once designated as part of the priesthood, yet there was also a high priest. The New Testament seems to flip the script though by indicating we are all part of the priesthood. (1st Peter 2:4-10, Revelation 5:10) Giving the idea credence. Even if only the Protestant church acknowledges it.

Pastor (shepherd)
Did not start being used as it is today until the Protestant Reformation. Which may simply reflect what Martin Luther thought the priests of the New Covenant should be like. Keep in mind, that Peter was seen as the first Pope of the Catholic Church. Consider also the exchange between Jesus and Peter in John 21:15-19; then one can see how he may have believed St. Peter was called to be a shepherd. With that being said, Biblically speaking the term is really more about caring for the people than leadership. Yet shouldn’t we all be caring for one another, not just the senior minister. Even if some are more gifted at it than others, and specifically set apart for it. So in that sense, this gives the idea credence as well.

Minister
While we may use this term the same way we used high priest in the past. Technically it means “servant” and refers to all people in ministry at every level. Not just leaders. So in this sense, the key idea is proper as well.

Application of the Body of Christ
When Paul talks about the different spiritual gifts in 1st Corinthians 12, he uses very different terminology than he does when talking about different positions of service in Ephesians 4. Even though he uses the Body of Christ comparison in both. Which may be part of the confusion about this idea. They are definitely not apples-to-apples comparisons as we may have assumed. Meaning, that while every minister has gifts, not every senior minister is going to have the exact same gifts. Yet I think we often expect them to. That expectation is often based on past experience and familiarity, or what we want and need. Which can be a bit self-centered and unrealistic. I personally appreciate churches with extended ministry teams, the individual members bring their own flavor to the common cause of the gospel. Allowing them to reach more types of people. Is this not what we need right now?

With this in mind, we may all technically be priests, pastors, or ministers after all. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean you are expected to do what the leaders do as you may have assumed though. Hence the fear of the idea. So it’s no wonder that 10% of the people do 90% of the work in church. An obvious shortfall in the church that's weakened us, and inspired overworked leaders to remind us of this truth hastily.

Yet, maybe this is a sign that our leaders need to define church, the logistics of it all, and equipping the people better than they do. Then maybe we wouldn’t have so many fearing the responsibilities of being part of the Royal Priesthood. Yet in these desperate times of a shrinking church, we are trying to skip over all that. This is obviously producing the exact opposite result we are seeking. So I think it’s past time we as the church take a step back, consider where the people are actually at, and strategize how to guide them forward. Instead of only pushing where we want them to be. Clearly, that's not the same thing.

The Visual PARABLEist

This post began with an image in my head, which is the drawing seen above. This got me thinking about the idea. After much research and meditation, this blog ended up going in a different direction than I thought it would. My point is, the drawing illustrates the fear, more than the reality. 

The Virtue of Doubt?

This last Sunday the minister at my church preached on doubt. The following Monday we had a rather interesting discussion about it. The conclusion I came to was, that doubt is something to overcome not avoid. Hence the peculiar title. Why do I say that though?

Spiritual growth happens during difficult times, not in times of ease. How are we supposed to learn to rely on God’s strength if we never do anything that requires his strength after all? I dare say spiritual maturity is at a real low right now. Perhaps one of the reasons that is, is because we are avoiding doubt instead of facing it. Our fears have led to a very basic and rather shallow faith that couldn’t move a pebble.

The world around us has many questions, yet only those who have overcome their doubts can answer them. So naturally the world around us doubts we have real answers when we only offer the blanket answer of Jesus to everything, instead of practical application.

We also will be slow to discover our own failings if we never challenge our faith. Jesus spoke a lot about our false assumptions and our misapplication of scripture. Just read the sermon on the mount. (Matthew 5-7) I’m sure if he came back today, he would have many things to say to the church about how we apply his words. My point is, by challenging our faith we inevitably find ourselves facing our potential presuppositions. Leading us to what we need to work on, and where we need to study. Until we have reason to question our false beliefs, we will continue to hold on to them. So in this sense, it's good to doubt, since it can weed out the heresies. Unless you arrogantly think you have it absolutely all figured out, with no errors in your doctrine at all. (1st Corinthians 8:1-3)

For example, I know a couple that planted a church, and just before leaving one said “I know God is going to put all those ducks in a row for us.” Miracles wouldn’t seem like a miracle if they unfolded under ideal circumstances. It’s only when everything seems hopeless, and it works out anyway, is a miracle evident. The church in question did not take root, so they came face to face with their assumptions on how God really works. They are far more mature for it I’m sure. Even if it was learned the hard way.

That brings up another issue that all those who go into ministry must face. The possibility of confusing our will for God’s. Or confusing pride for faith. Believe me when I say it often takes more faith to swallow our pride and admit our error. Then just keep going out of pure ego. Faith and doubt are not nearly as cut and dry as we try to paint it. That is why we need to pray for wisdom throughout. 

It’s been said, that bravery is not the absence of fear, but rather the strength to face fear. Perhaps in a similar way, faith is not the absence of doubt, but the courage to face them. It’s also been said temptation is not sin in itself, it’s giving into that temptation is when it becomes sin. In the same way, it’s not the doubt that is the problem, it’s giving into it.

Do you honestly think Abraham had no doubts when asked to sacrifice Isaac? Do you believe Noah had no doubts while building the ark with so many critics mocking him the whole time? Do you think David had no doubts when face to face with Goliath? Do you think Paul had no doubts after being stoned by naysayers? We don’t think so because they did not give in to the temptation of said doubts. I dare say the only one who never doubted was Jesus himself because he didn't have to believe anything, he knew. As much as we aspire to be like him, we are definitely not Jesus. Yet we have faith that we will be blessed for our continued attempts at Christ-likeness, despite our many doubts along the way.

The Visual PARABLEist  

Jesus had to correct his disciples many times, but the only time he showed any anger was when they didn’t even try, not for their many failures. So don't be afraid to fail in your doubt, be afraid of never trying. 

“Peter said, “Explain the parable to us.” “Are you still so dull?” Jesus asked them.” -Matthew 15:15-16