If I Only Had a Brain

"It is better to keep your mouth closed and let people think you are a fool, than to open it and remove all doubt."

- Mark Twain

     You find yourself in a conversation about your Christian faith, your beliefs upon various subjects, etc. When all of a sudden the person you are with asks, "Why do you believe that?" Caught off guard you might timidly say, "Because the Bible says so." "Where?" He/ she counters.  And you freeze. Where does the Bible say that?

"Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have."

- 1 Peter 3:15 (NIV)

     The Bible tells us to always be prepared to give an answer for the reason we believe what we believe. God gave us a brain to think and reason with; we can't effectively be His ambassadors, if we don't take the time to learn about what and Who we are representing. Now obviously we are not going to have the answer to everything; sometimes we'll just have to say, "You know what, I don't know" (and that can be really hard to say). However, we need to study God's word and seek answers.

     Below are several suggestions to help you "renew your mind" and find answers.

               - As you are reading your Bible, and doing your devotions, keep a notebook by you. List the categories that you want to find verses on. Each time you find a verse, write it down.

              - Listen to theology podcasts (ask your parents or someone at church what they recommend).

               - Read theologically sound books

     By studying God's word and learning more about Him, the next time we encounter a conversation about our beliefs, we will be able to discuss our views intelligently and in a way that is glorifying to God. And who knows, maybe the answers we give can help bring someone to Christ. God gave us brains, it is time we used them for His glory.

"The mind of the wise instructs his mouth, and adds learning and persuasiveness to his lips."

- Proverbs 16:23 (AMP)

"The more that you read, the more things you will know."

"I declare after all there is no enjoyment like reading! ...When I have a house of my own, I shall be miserable if I have not an excellent library."

           - Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice

     The novel is almost a lost form in our society. Yea, we read what we absolutely have to for schoolwork, but the line is drawn there. Many can graduate high school and never read a full book. Those who do read for fun stick to "Twilight," "A Diary of a Wimpy Kind" and other "popular" books (but hey, their making movies of them so why bother? :P ). But what about Jane Austen, C. S. Lewis, Charles Dickens and the other great authors of past generations? It used to be that every young man and woman would have to have a thorough knowledge of classic literature, and now many do not even know the names of these authors.

     On The Rebelution an article was recently published, called "Boys Who Read," which explores the decline of literacy in America. “Throughout history more lives have been changed through books than by any other means," They begin. "Books are important. Reading is important. Charles Spurgeon, the prince of preachers, wrote: 'The man who never reads will never be read; he who never quotes will never be quoted. He who will not use the thoughts of other men's brains, proves that he has no brains of his own.' If that is true are generation is largely brainless. We don't read."

Click here: to read the full article, "Boys Who Read."

     The founding fathers of America made sure that everyone could read, because they didn't want anyone getting swindled by the authorities. It happened to the people of Europe, and the pilgrims didn't want this to happen to America. But our nation has moved from being one of the most literate countries in the world, to one of the most illiterate. And without the ability to read and discern documents for ourselves, we can be easily manipulated.

     So what was the last book you read? Did it "renew your mind?" Read much, so that your mind can learn and think and grow. In the wise words of Dr. Seuss, "The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go."