Ridgell's Originals

 I think I am right about everything.  Especially spiritual things.

And I am not.  Obviously, I think I am right in what I believe and I am pretty sure I have the core convictions nailed.  But so many other things I believe may not be right.  I just don't know it.  And people that I respect and love see some things differently than I do.

So I read and listen to a lot of people about spiritual things.  People from the liberal wing of my church of Christ heritage.  People from the conservative wing of my heritage.  People from other religious backgrounds.  Sometimes people with no religious background or belief.

And here are a few observations.

Someone can be entirely wrong on almost everything but have an incredible insight into one thing that I never realized before.  And someone can be right about almost everything and still miss on one thing.

Spiritual people are not always right.  People who act in unChristlike ways can be right about some things.

People I like are not always right.  People I don't like are not always wrong.

The Bible is still the best commentary on the Bible.

Great love does not make you right.  Or wrong.

The best communicator is not always right.  Nor is the most persuasive.

If we only listen to people who think like us, we will not learn much.  But people who do not think like us are not always right.

I don't think I have changed my thinking on what really matters in ... well, ever.

But I have changed my mind on lots of other things.  I imagine it will change again.

I don't think all beliefs have equal weight.

What you believe does matter.

Read the Bible more than you read things about the Bible.  

That is the best advice in deciding what you believe.

# posted by Steve @ 5:00 AM