Megaphones

"Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God; for many false prophets have gone out into the world. ... Little children, you are from God, and have conquered them; for the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world."

Reflection:
It feels like everyone has a megaphone right now.

Between the news cyles, the arguments online, and just the general hum of anxiety we all seem to carry around, the noise is deafening. You feel it even doing regular errands. There's a lot of fear out there. So many voices are telling us to panic, pick a side, or just be angry.

John wrote his first letter to a church that was also dealing with a lot of confusing voices. He told them, "test the spirits to see whether they are from God."

In the first century, that meant watching out for false teachers. But for us today, I think "testing the spirits" looks like checking the source of the anxiety we let into our heads. When you watch a particular news program, or scroll past someone's rant on Facebook, what does it leave you with? Does it leave you with the peace of Christ, or does it leave you agitated and afraid?

If it's feeding your fear, it's probably not the Spirit of God.

John gives us this incredible reassurance in today's reading: "The one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world." You don’t have to let the loudest voices win. You don't have to carry the weight of all the world's panic while you're just trying to get through the week and maybe enjoy the 4th of July parade this weekend.

God's spirit doesn't usually yell. It's often a quieter voice, one that reminds us we belong to God, that we are loved, and that we have enough grace for whatever today throws at us.

Let's practice testing the spirits today. When the noise gets too loud, turn it off. Listen for the One who is greater.

Prayer:
God of peace, there are so many voices competing for our attention today. Give us the wisdom to test the spirits and the courage to tune out the ones that deal in fear. Remind us that Your Spirit lives in us, and that You are greater than whatever makes us anxious. Amen.