Why people CHOOSE to be stupid.

Over the course of my life I have struggled with the question of "Why people CHOOSE to be stupid". What I mean by that, is that some people no matter how many black and white irrefutable facts you show them they still choose to believe a lie. God has given me the opportunity to work in several different fields over the years and I have gotten to know many different kinds of people. Being in the ministry has given me a unique opportunity to deal with people in situations that most people in the general public don't get. A common thread that ties all people together is the fact that they are going to believe what they WANT to believe even in the face of overwhelming evidence to the contrary. I have always considered myself doggedly stubborn but at the same time opened minded enough that if you can prove me wrong on a certain point, I will quickly change my opinion and then be just as stubborn for the other side. I am not sure if this is a good quality or not but it is who I am. I am just as guilty as the next person for choosing to believe stupid things and I have learned much from my mistakes (Thank you Lord!).

     To me, it is very frustrating when people come to me for help or advice and then when I offer a solution to their problem, they will want to argue the point or make excuses as to why it won't work. Then they come back to me at a later date with the same problem. The conversation usually goes like this, " I have tried everything I can think of to solve..." then I say, "Did you do what I suggested?" then they proceed to give me a litany of excuses as to why they did not follow my advice. Most preachers and Pastors experience this same scenario on a regular basis. Honestly, it makes me slightly angry that people will choose to believe everything but the truth. I now understand what God must feel like when He is dealing with me. I go to him with a question or problem, and He provides the answer but then I choose to ignore His answer and look elsewhere for one that is more pleasing to me.

     Our emotions play far too big a role in our decision-making processes. The Bible warns us not to trust our emotions. Jeremiah 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?   It is interesting that God chose to use the word deceitful to describe our hearts because of the definition. Deceitful means "to lead astray". In order to lead someone astray, the lie has to be mixed with a little bit of truth, otherwise, you would recognize it as a lie right away. Notice that the verse also states that our heart is deceitful above ALL things. This would include the most powerful created being in all existence; Satan.

   A while back I heard the statement "The heart wants what it wants". At first,  I did not give it a second thought but the more I thought about it, the more I believe that it is one of the most profound statements I have heard about our desire to choose to be stupid. Decisions based on emotions are almost always wrong. Everything in our secular society is based on messing with our emotions. Advertising for example, is all emotional based. The next time you sit down to watch the idiot box, check to see how many commercials are geared to appeal to your emotions. Why do you think advertisers do that? They know they can sway you to go against your better judgment. The heart can overrule the mind the majority of the time.

    There is an old saying in this country, "Never discuss politics or religion". I would modify it to say, "Never discuss politics, religion or any kind of personal belief" Why, simply because people WANT to believe what they want. No matter how hard you try you are not going to talk people out of their feelings. Another old saying we have is, "A man convinced against his will is of the same opinion still". Even the Apostles of Jesus knew that human perception and the heart was a problem when it came to determining the truth. In 2 Peter 1:16-21 Peter talks about believing God's Word above what we see, hear and FEEL. The Bible is our FINAL AUTHORITY and not our feelings! Read it for yourself:

2 Peter 1:16-21 For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty. For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount. We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

   Notice that Peter says, "we saw..., we heard..., but we have a better proof of what God did...His WRITTEN WORD. Peter is telling us not to trust our feelings. God has much to say about our hearts. As a matter of fact, the first mention of the human heart in Scripture is in Genesis 6:5 And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

   If we would choose to run our personal lives, marriages, families, businesses, country, and society according to the Bible and not our personal feelings we would be much happier, in my opinion.