When we read the Bible, we often are not reading it to learn what Christianity says about the world, but are reading it to find support for what we already believe. I have not only seen this in others I have caught myself doing it as well.

Recently I shared several Bible verses with someone, who was taking Matthew 7:1 out of context. Those verses should have been more than enough to prove what he was doing, but instead of looking for answers he looked for confirmation. His preexisting ideas and need to vindicate the person in question led him to read

John 7:24 King James Version (KJV)
Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.

as if it backed up the Judge not verse.

Everyone is guilty of confirmation bias at some point in their lives, but we need to be careful. Trying to confirm our own beliefs, instead of search for God’s intent it the beginning of a very bad road.

I had a friend whose left leg was an inch shorter than his right. For years he tried to hide his limp and, as a result, developed chronic tendonitis and stalactic bone spurs. He finally had “weird shoes” made (his term) to correct the problem.I had another friend, an alcoholic, who became so disgusted with life inside the bottle that she finally broke down and reached out for help. She was no less in need of rescue than a prospector in a collapsed mine. In both cases, the effects were outwardly visible. But the real battle, the invisible war, was going on inside of them. Neither should be blamed for their congenital conditions. A short leg is real. So is nature/nurture-rooted predisposition of an addict. But the responsibility to face the enemy? That’s theirs.

Source: The Invisible War | Mitch Teemley

[This post discusses topics such as suicide and sexual assault. We can all help prevent suicide. If you are having suicidal thoughts, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-8255. You are not alone.]

Read more at: 13 Reasons Why: Watch Your Thoughts – BeautyBeyondBones

I can’t tell you how many posts I see regularly from Christians that expect politicians and the legal system to change the world. It seems we’ve forgotten the lessons history can teach us, like recognizing that positive change typically comes from the passions of the heart of humanity, not from its political systems.*

Read more at: Think Divinely – The Heart of What’s the Matter