Daily Devotion: Complete in Christ Week Seven, Day Four

Read: Acts 17:10–12

Devotion

The Bereans give us one of the best examples in Scripture of how to respond when we hear someone teach. Paul and Silas came to Berea and began teaching the Scriptures. The Bereans listened carefully, but they didn't simply accept everything Paul said because Paul was an apostle or because he was a gifted teacher. Instead, they examined the Scriptures “to see if these things were so.” That's an important lesson for us.

God doesn't call us to blindly believe everything we hear—even when the person saying it sounds intelligent, sincere, or authoritative. Every teaching should ultimately be measured against God's Word. A person can have impressive credentials and still be wrong. A person can be sincere and still be sincerely wrong. A person can be persuasive without being truthful. That's why we need Scripture. Open the Word. Examine the teaching. Test it against the truth.

Reflection

• Do I test what I hear against Scripture?

• Am I more influenced by the person speaking or by the truth being taught?

• Is there something I have accepted without actually examining it in God's Word?

• Am I willing to change my thinking when Scripture proves me wrong?

Prayer

Father, give me wisdom and discernment. Help me listen carefully but test everything according to Your Word. Keep me from being deceived by persuasive personalities or convincing arguments. Help me love the truth more than I love being comfortable. Amen.