“We don’t see things as they are, but as we are.”

A thought by Chris Hodge from his book, The Daniel Dilemma: How to Stand Firm and Love Well in a Culture of Compromise (Kindle Locations 852). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.)

Here is another important truth to see at the beginning of this new year of 2018.

Chris says, “We don’t see things as they are, but as we are—through a filter of our personal experiences, relationships, observations, and conclusions. Both good and bad, these variables are often biased, inaccurate, and subject to our emotions.”

Later he says, “What we believe—about ourselves, about God, about others, about the way life works—makes a direct impact on our decisions each day. Our worldviews shape the objective events we encounter into subjective experiences. But here’s the problem:  our worldviews are profoundly influenced by the worldviews of others.

“In fact, we probably have many ingredients baked into our worldviews that we never chose consciously or deliberately. We picked them up from our surroundings, our environment, our families, and the people we’re around most frequently. Every time we listen to a song, we are exposed to its worldview. Every movie or TV show we watch represents a worldview. Every time we read a newspaper, magazine, novel, textbook, blog, or tweet, we see a worldview. Every conversation, every interaction, every personal encounter. They each convey a worldview.

“Consequently, many threads in the tapestry of our worldviews don’t belong. They’re not true. Our worldviews require truth, and if we haven’t based them on God’s Word, the ultimate truth, then our worldviews rely on false and negative contributions of the world.”

He also says, “If we want to maintain a worldview centered on Christ and live according to God’s standards, then we must determine our core convictions. Just as a building must have load-bearing beams to support its structure, our worldview relies on beliefs determined by God’s Word. Otherwise, when the culture-quakes of change occur, our worldview will collapse.

“Convictions require you to decide what’s right ahead of time. They’re not based on what feels good or seems right in the moment. They are, instead, the unmovable foundation upon which our lives are built. We don’t need to be mean or judgmental when we share them with others, but we do need to be sure of them. Our beliefs, values, and moral convictions provide a starting point for what we think and feel, the decisions we make, and the actions we take. They shape every aspect of our lives.

So, are your core convictions based on God’s Word or other stuff?