Inspiration
People today are addicted to reading on social media all kinds of things that are half-truths or downright untrue. Even when we are contacted specifically about sharing information, it may often be fabricated or even completely false. I almost never share anything anywhere until I check it out myself. I have a format for doing that--checking multiple legitimate resources. I have taken training from people who are qualified through a variety of ways to help me learn how to make sure sources are legitimate. And the old adage of "If it sounds too good to be true, it probably isn't." So, in other words, "buyer beware."
Why do we swallow fabrications so quickly and easily? Why do we think we have to share, share, share, when we aren't even certain of facts? Why do people have a hunger to believe the false? Jeremiah is one of my favorite books of the Bible. It has this for us in Jeremiah 7:8: "Behold, you trust in deceptive words to no avail."
I remember when I was much younger seeing the "National Enquirer" displayed for sale in grocery stores and gas stations. The headlines, which were pretty innocuous then shouted such things as, "The Aliens you don't see," and "Bigfoot kept lumberjack as love slave." I would always shake my head and wonder why someone would pay good money to read about lies. But the father of LIES tempts us to believe all kinds of things.
Just yesterday I got a call from a friend who asked me to check out something she received in the mail. A check for $100 to "buy" something the friend didn't even realize she had for sale. She ended up talking to a person from this "company" a couple of times. The sales person encouraged my friend to cash the check and sell the item. Who can't use an extra $100. It's easy to be pulled by temptation--especially when that temptation is to "make an easy buck." But she wondered and she called me and I'm currently checking it out.
The first big, red flag was when going to the website listed for the "company" there was no documented information on the website to lead me to believe it was legitimate. There are many things/ways you can verify resources. And in this day and age of unscrupulous people stealing identities and information for personal gain, it's a pretty good idea to check things out before "jumping in."
Again in Jeremiah 9:4-6 we read: And put no trust in any brother, for every brother is a deceiver, and every neighbor goes about as a slanderer. Everyone deceives his neighbor, and no one speaks the truth; they have taught their tongue to speak lies; they weary themselves committing iniquity. Heaping oppression upon oppression, and deceit upon deceit, they refuse to know me (GOD), declares the Lord.
This doesn't mean our next-door neighbor is a liar. It means that we need to be cautious of those we are around and not swallow everything that is spouted from every direction as truth. Check the resources and if there's no way to verify and legitimize, beware!
When our "news" feed or social media accounts are filled with often fictitious information, SCROLL ON BY. Do not share and for sure do not believe everything you read/see.
Why do we swallow fabrications so quickly and easily? Why do we think we have to share, share, share, when we aren't even certain of facts? Why do people have a hunger to believe the false? Jeremiah is one of my favorite books of the Bible. It has this for us in Jeremiah 7:8: "Behold, you trust in deceptive words to no avail."
I remember when I was much younger seeing the "National Enquirer" displayed for sale in grocery stores and gas stations. The headlines, which were pretty innocuous then shouted such things as, "The Aliens you don't see," and "Bigfoot kept lumberjack as love slave." I would always shake my head and wonder why someone would pay good money to read about lies. But the father of LIES tempts us to believe all kinds of things.
Just yesterday I got a call from a friend who asked me to check out something she received in the mail. A check for $100 to "buy" something the friend didn't even realize she had for sale. She ended up talking to a person from this "company" a couple of times. The sales person encouraged my friend to cash the check and sell the item. Who can't use an extra $100. It's easy to be pulled by temptation--especially when that temptation is to "make an easy buck." But she wondered and she called me and I'm currently checking it out.
The first big, red flag was when going to the website listed for the "company" there was no documented information on the website to lead me to believe it was legitimate. There are many things/ways you can verify resources. And in this day and age of unscrupulous people stealing identities and information for personal gain, it's a pretty good idea to check things out before "jumping in."Again in Jeremiah 9:4-6 we read: And put no trust in any brother, for every brother is a deceiver, and every neighbor goes about as a slanderer. Everyone deceives his neighbor, and no one speaks the truth; they have taught their tongue to speak lies; they weary themselves committing iniquity. Heaping oppression upon oppression, and deceit upon deceit, they refuse to know me (GOD), declares the Lord.
This doesn't mean our next-door neighbor is a liar. It means that we need to be cautious of those we are around and not swallow everything that is spouted from every direction as truth. Check the resources and if there's no way to verify and legitimize, beware!
When our "news" feed or social media accounts are filled with often fictitious information, SCROLL ON BY. Do not share and for sure do not believe everything you read/see.
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