Recently, I listened to a talk given by a man I believe to be solid in his faith, rational in his beliefs, well-educated, and a speaker of truth. He has authored several Christian books and is a respected teacher and preacher. He embodies the qualities I seek when trying to understand difficult topics. So, when his discussion on the state of our world today appeared on my social media feed, I clicked to hear what he had to say.

I have to admit, lately, the world has caused me a lot of anxiety and confusion. I love understanding the reasoning behind decisions and following that reasoning to its logical conclusion. But recently, I haven’t been able to follow the logic, and the outcomes have led to even more confusion. Please know, I believe God is in control of current events, but my tender heart still searches for the “why”.

So, armed with my need to know and the confidence that this truth-teller can help me find my way, I listened.

As I considered his perspective, his words touched a raw spot in my heart, quickly stirring my emotions. He encouraged listeners to rise above the chaos and hold tightly to their beliefs. However, there was a subtle anger in his voice, perhaps a touch of righteous indignation, that made me hesitate. His message started sounding more like a call to action than simple encouragement. By the end of his talk, I was torn between whether I should take some radical step or just keep praying. This intelligent, rational, well-educated teacher had validated my anxieties, but he also added confusion and frustration. His words seemed at odds with what I thought were his God-focused beliefs.

After finishing the talk, I scrolled to the bottom of the page to read the fine print. And there, in italics, was a disclaimer. The podcast wasn’t created by the faith-filled truth-teller but was instead generated by AI. The notice went on to say the content might not be “perfect, accurate, or free from bias.” And suddenly, everything made sense.

With this disclosure, all my plans for a holy revolution disappeared, and I felt a little silly and very convicted. I had mistakenly trusted the often imperfect, inaccurate, and biased teaching of computer-generated knowledge as gospel, and from that, I had begun forming my opinions and defining my next steps. I had drunk the proverbial Kool-Aid, believing distortions because I thought the words came from a well-known person.

Looking back, I see my mistake, but more importantly, I realize there are other times when I’ve listened to misguided but well-meaning people, only to wonder how I ended up so far off course before recognizing I wasn’t even on the right road.

And as I reflect further, I understand that the most important thing is to remember that our world thrives on creating an environment filled with fear and anxiety. Because of this, we should seek the truth, looking to individuals with a history of wisdom, but more importantly, seeking true wisdom that comes only from God.

This experience taught me two key lessons about taking advice from social media (or any source): First, don’t always trust what you hear or read without verifying its source. Second, always read the fine print before you drink the Kool-Aid. It also reminded me of a favorite Bible verse, James 1:5:

“If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking.” (New Living Translation)

If you find yourself searching for answers, I encourage you to seek God’s wisdom first. I am confident you will save yourself a bit of angst, and you’ll never have to doubt whether the words are true or subtle deception.

Be blessed,