Sometimes a Christian, being well meaning and wanting to explain what they know and believe about God and the Bible, does more harm than good by trying to explain things which they have no real complete understanding. While Christians should live to the level of their beliefs, there are some things that we need to make sure we don’t try to explain.

The story is told of a young Christian mother, a new convert, who was trying to live the life as God wanted her. Her children all got sick, and in the midst of taking care of them physically, being emotionally exhausted because of concern for her children, a well intentioned Christian came over to her house, Bible under arm, and explained that the reason the children were sick was because of some sin in her life or the life of her husband. She was trying to explain suffering, but did not know all the facts. This young Christian mother was devastated, and about quit God and the church because some Christian was misinformed.

Sometimes Christians try to explain suffering – yet I know that we cannot explain suffering adequately or thoroughly. We do know that some suffering is due to sin (in fact, when we look at the origin of suffering in the human race, it started because of the sin of Adam; see also John 5), but the Bible also teaches that some suffering is not due to sin in the individual or his parents (John 9). Job struggled with suffering, and his three friends, to a man, accused him of all kinds of sin in an effort to get him to repent of his sins. Yet Job, throughout the book, maintained his innocence. At the end of the book, God does not explain to Job why He allowed him to suffer (we know the reason in chapters 1-2); God simply emphasizes to Job that God is in control, and faith demands that man believe that! God gave Paul a thorn in the flesh (2 Corinthians 12), yet was there any Christian that did more to spread the gospel than Paul? To look at any situation and accuse of sin, without knowing the person or the life they are trying to live, is judgmental and wrong.

Sometimes Christians succumb to the temptation to analyze people, when we never really know what people are thinking. We make judgments based on what we think they are thinking, and that colors our judgment and affects the way we treat them. This is being judgmental, and speaking about things of which we are not aware. We can only judge a person by their actions – never by their thinking (unless, of course, they share that thinking with us and we see the errors of their ways). Let us not make the mistake of thinking we are God and knowing what a person thinks.

In that same vein, Christians need to be aware of the fact that sometimes we spread rumors, and Satan loves that! Again, it is speaking about something of which we know so little. A couple of examples suffice. Many years ago a letter was sent to churches all across this country talking about House bill 2498, a bill proposed by Madelyn Murray O’Hare, to take the gospel off of all television stations and radio stations throughout the country. Petitions were signed, letters were sent to the Federal Communications Commission, and a big stink was raised about it. Now, in the age of internet and e mails, this email has surfaced time and again, asking Christians to get involved and write their congressman or the FCC. The problem with all of it is that it is all a lie. There never was a Bill 2498, Madelyn Murray O'Hare (though an atheist) never petitioned the FCC to ban all gospel shows anywhere. Yet Christians bought into it, hook, line and sinker. When we do this, we look foolish, and make Satan roar in laughter, because we are guilty of spreading lies and half truths. Now, it happens so much quicker with the advent of email.

Brethren, let us not be pawns in Satan’s hands, but do what would bring honor to God!