Harmless as Doves

“The only thing I know, is that I know nothing.” - Socrates

I remember a day, maybe about two weeks ago, where I stomped into my Mom’s room and loudly yelled, “Do you know what they are doing? They are actively censoring content so they control what people can and cannot see!”

Most of you reading this probably know who “they” are. Some of you may have even agreed with me for being angry about it. But I realized I was wrong, and I think its important that I explain why.

When everything first kicked off with Covid-19 months ago, I made no declarations or assumptions. I simply just watched. I watched the news, I watched social media, and I watched the people I love and how they were reacting. I wasn’t scared. I was, however, frustrated. Every day it seemed we were bombarded with different information on what this virus was, where it came from, who was most vulnerable to it. Theories, as I now have seen, because it has changed quite a few times from those initial briefings. But I wasn’t scared of the virus, not of catching it, and oddly, not overwhelmed with fear that someone I loved would. Not because I don’t care – believe me, I do – but because God had given me a strange sense of peace. I knew no matter what happened with this that I had no control and He did. Nothing is out of his hands. Whatever came of this would work for the good of those who love him, of that I am certain.

It wasn’t until recently that I realized there was another fear that had crept into my heart that was completely at odds with my previous peace.

There are many videos and documentaries that have been circulating on all the major social media platforms the last month or so. You know the ones. All have different topics, but the underlying message is the same: you are being lied to. There are conspiracies in our Nation that we have the right to know about. Child trafficking rings of the Hollywood elite; Social Media censoring information that doesn’t align with their political agenda; the virus is man made and was released intentionally; Fauci is corrupt and is spreading misinformation to kill off the American population; Bill Gates is trying to use a vaccine as a vessel for a microchip to have dominion over us all. I could go on and on. I watched these videos, I shared them myself, some of them I believed. Others I wasn’t sure of. What did take hold, however, was indignation about the possibility that any of it was true, and people didn’t seem to care. The very idea that information is deleted from large and popular sharing platforms before it can reach all eyes made me even more convinced that as a nation we were ignorant. And the powers that be were just getting away with it.

I was angry about the constitution being violated, angry that the people who did notice were being labeled as “crazy conspiracy theorists”, and angry that it was just so easy for it to happen. But at the heart of my anger was something else – fear. It occurred to me suddenly that I felt that circumstances were out of my control, and my anger was stemming from that. I thought to myself, how can I trust God with my health and the impact of this virus but not trust Him with all this other stuff? In truth, it is the same thing. Trust is trust. I either trust all of His plan or none of it. There is no middle ground – it would be a contradiction and at the root of it is unbelief.

As Christians, we are to operate in this world with discernment. In fact, Jesus was very specific in what our disposition should be when he said, “Behold, I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore, be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.” Matt 10:16. God has repeatedly brought this verse to me over and over this last week and I was, in my head, like “Yeah, totally!” but I clearly hadn’t let the point he was trying to get across sink in yet.

These are uncertain times, for sure, but what times are ever not? Fauci could be corrupt and have an agenda behind this virus. The Hollywood elite could be abusing children. Everything you see on social media could be controlled and filtered so you only find what they want you to. If all of it is true, you should not be surprised. People are sinful. And if all the above is not true, you shouldn’t be surprised. Because people are sinful. They will do awful things, and they will not hesitate to spread awful things without any validation or merit to them. Slander is ripe in this nation and those who are fearful will pass that on to others. This is what we call Gnosticism, or, “secret knowledge”. It is just another form of the original sin that the serpent brought to Eve when he said, “Will you really die if you eat from this fruit?” We think we have special knowledge that others don't, and that gives us a false sense of control.

At the heart of humanity, we want to know everything. We are not ambiguous creatures. But knowledge of all, pure “enlightenment” cannot be attained in this life. We are of a limited capacity to understand all things. When Jesus instructs us to be wise as serpents but harmless as doves, he is saying to be aware and on your guard. Educate yourself on what is out there, what could be, and pray. Be harmless. Be gentle. And above all else, do not fear. You know you are among wolves – but you have the risen savior living inside you. You don’t have to be naïve to be kind. Wisdom is only attained when we realize that we don’t know everything and are at peace with it.