"The Rooster and the Fox"

 We read this fable at school today. As the story goes, Rooster is perched in the tree and Fox tries to get him to come down, saying that all the animals have agreed to be friends. He wants to give Rooster a hug to "celebrate" this new agreement. Rooster is not too sure, and climbs higher, then tells Fox he sees the dogs coming. Fox then gets out of there, either afraid of the dogs or afraid they will tell Rooster the truth, that no such pact has been made. 

Lesson learned: Don't believe everything you hear.

I read and even shared the link about the Sandy Hook conspiracy this weekend. As I read, I sat in disbelief that this was a possibility. I shared this "news" in Bible Study last night. I mentioned it to several teachers today. Even as I did so, I felt as though I was gossiping. Maybe. 

Tonight, when the evening news came on, it was showing some of the families and how they are making awareness of the gun control situation along with the mental help problems that we seem to see in cases like this.  As I watched, I put myself in these parents shoes. (Of course, as the conspiracy theory goes, it even leads you to question the whole thing and whether any of it even happened or not. Assuming it did, I tried to feel what those parents would feel who lost their child in this way. Having lost a child myself, I tried to imagine what it would feel like to know that someone out "there" would try to say that Pruitt had never been born or that he really never died- that it never really happened- knowing the pain of what we went through. 

What a tragedy if the media and government actually took these measures for an "agenda." Yet, at the same time, to disregard the loss of many in order to try to make a statement against government and media is just as awful. 

I'm still not sure what to think. I don't believe the whole thing could be a facade. However, I do believe the media and government could lead us to believe things are not always as they make them appear to be, if they so choose. The same could be said of whoever put the video out. With today's technology, anything is possible. Regardless of whether some or none of the video holds truth, it's not for me to judge.

I searched "false" on BibleGateway and these were some of the verses that came up:

Proverbs 19:5

A false witness will not go unpunished, and whoever pours out lies will not go free.

Acts 6:12-13

¹² So they stirred up the people and the elders and the teachers of the law. They seized Stephen and brought him before the Sanhedrin. ¹³ They produced false witnesses, who testified, “This fellow never stops speaking against this holy place and against the law. 

1 John 4:1 Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.

Philippians 1:17-19

 

¹⁷ The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains.¹⁸ But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice.

Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, ¹⁹ for I know that through your prayers and God’s provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance.

Some things we may never know. I am sure there is much that we do not know about much that takes place in our country and world.

As I mentioned it Sunday night, someone said the prayer should be that we would be able to have the discernment of the Spirit in all situations. Instead of believing everything we hear, we need to put things against Word of God, pray as the Spirit leads and leave the judging and rest to God. While I tried to explain the moral of the fable to my kids today, I really felt the Lord convicting me on this whole matter. Not just in this situation, but in the day-to-day things- like when we hear what "so and so" said and then go tell another "so and so" about it!  

I've learned the hard way that it's best to stay out of the drama, yet maybe I was caught up in it today.

I pray I would not be like Fox, stirring up trouble. Instead I hope I am more like wise Rooster. I pray I seek wisdom from the Lord in situations like these and that Christ is preached within them.