Think for Yourself

January 27, 2009

I received a disturbing phone call last week. It was not the timing or even the content of the call that caused me concern. Rather, it was the thought that such a call needed to be placed.

The call was a recorded message from the county school board telling parents to dress their children in warm clothes because it was going to be chilly the following day. Granted I live in South Florida where it rarely dips into the 50’s but are we that ignorant? Do we really need the government to tell us to put jackets on our children when it is cold? However, it is how we condition people.  We do not teach people to think for themselves anymore.  Instead we flood them with information on everything they should do.  You can find articles, lists, and specific instructions on everything.  However, there is little to teach people how to be independent thinkers.

We do this in Christianity also.  We spend countless hours giving people answers instead of teaching people how to find answers for themselves.  In Matthew it says we are to teach people to obey Jesus’ teachings not just reteach them.  It is the old saying “give me a fish and feed me for a day, teach me how to fish and feed me for a lifetime.”

Posted in Disciple Making, Life, government