What we test and what we don't

You know, sometimes when I am buying shoes or something of relatively low value, I spend months and weeks trying out different ones to decide what I want.

I put them on, walk around in them, look at myself in the mirror and ask my wife what she thinks of the shoes.

The house I am living in - I didn't even sleep the night in it before buying it!

What about new beliefs?  Do I fully check them out before buying them?  Do I test them, do I see if they check out, do I talk to others about them?  

I Thessalonians 5:21 says "Test everything.  Hold onto the good."

Some things we do test.  The thoughts and beliefs we actively choose to pursue are likely to be tested - that is the front door so to speak.

But there are many other thoughts and beliefs coming to us that we don't seek out.  These come through the words and actions of others (and ourselves), our culture, our church, our surroundings and media sources to name some.  The unspoken assumptions and inferences that are behind what people say and do come to us and present themselves as the truth.  They try to enter in the backdoor and windows of our heart and mind.  They may not get the test unless we realise what we are receiving and measure it, test it, check it out to see if it is a truthful belief or not.  

II Corinthians 10:5 says "We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ"

Be alert to what you are building your life on and make sure it aligns to the Truth of Jesus