While reading Ephesians this weekend this jumped out to me:

“Nobody should deceive you with stupid ideas. God’s anger comes down on those who are disobedient because of this kind of thing. So you shouldn’t have anything to do with them. You were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord, so live your life as children of light. Light produces fruit that consists of every sort of goodness, justice, and truth. Therefore, test everything to see what’s pleasing to the Lord, and don’t participate in the unfruitful actions of darkness. Instead, you should reveal the truth about them.” ~ Ephesians 5:6-11

There are stupid ideas out there, always inviting us to believe them as true. Paul says we shouldn’t have anything to do with them. At one time we were darkness, contributing to them while believing them, but now we are light. And light produces fruit that consists of every sort of, and say this with me, goodness, justice, and truth.

Then Paul tells us to “test everything to see what is pleasing to the Lord.” So here is what I am thinking.

If it doesn’t promote goodness, it is a stupid idea. If it doesn’t promote justice, it is a stupid idea. If it doesn’t promote truth, it is a stupid idea.

Then he tells us to not even participate in these stupid ideas because they are unfruitful. Instead, we should call it out and reveal what is true about them: that anything that doesn’t promote goodness, justice and truth harms all of us.

Jesus shows us what is good. Jesus shows us what is just. Jesus shows us what is true.