When I was in high school, one of my favorite pastimes was arguing about all things sports related with my friends. Before classes began for the day, there was a bench in a particular hallway where we would sit or stand around discussing the professional sports that we watched on tv the previous night.
The talk typically wasn’t very insightful or intelligent, but there was one guy who did sound insightful and intelligent. The problem was, he didn’t sound insightful or intelligent when he talked about anything else, so our suspicions were aroused as to where his newfound aptitude came from.
I didn’t have to look far to discover his fount of knowledge. He simply got up thirty minutes earlier than the rest of us and watched SportsCenter on ESPN before coming to school. He didn’t just watch for the highlights, as most people do, he watched for the commentary.
You may be thinking, “What’s the big deal?” The big deal is that he didn’t come to school and say, “Rich Eisen said this,” or “Stuart Scott said that…” He presented what they said as if it was his original thoughts.
Aside from lying, there is another issue here that I think is even more dangerous. That issue is not thinking for yourself.
We live in an information age, to be sure, and I love taking full advantage of all of the information and resources that are at my disposal. But even if I’m not guilty of passing off someone else’s thoughts, opinions, research or ideas as my own, I still run the risk of not actually thinking myself, but simply allowing the thoughts of others to be what I claim to believe.
I would respectfully say that, that person doesn’t know what they truly believe because they haven’t done the research themselves and took time to think.
Someone might wonder if thinking for yourself is really that important. It’s important because I can’t go to Heaven based upon what you believe. It’s important because Peter tells us in 1 Peter 3:15,
15 but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence;
To make a defense, you must know what you believe. To give an account for the hope that is in you, you must actually have a hope that is in you.
Why do you believe what you believe? Is what you believe truly what you believe or are you simply repeating what someone else believes?
Always be ready with your answer!
Much love,
Wes LeFlore (918) 607-8489 or huskerwes1@gmail.com
