We yearn for the principles of God and the people who love His principles. We are not those who add the world's ways to the Wrod of God, but rather remove the world's ways from our thinking entirely.
Those who read God's word to find what they like, adding to it the world's thinking to fit in with those around them, design a religion according to their own desires, and being accepted by others. These are not authentic people; they are pretenders wanting to appear spiritual while still being accepted by the world.
1 Samuel 16:7 "For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart."
Authentic people who love Christ are not interested in superficial chatter, one-upmanship boasting, laughing at silly jokes that are not funny just so the one telling it won't feel bad, they see through social masks, peacock displays of attitudes of arrogance. Authentic people can discern fake compliments, conversations that are ego enhancers, and small talk that irritates like nails across a blackboard.
It is the monotony of many dull questions and facts that do not feed the soul. The mechanical exchanges of superficial people sit heavily on the heart of those who wish for depth.
Those who love depth are not antisocial, but rather, they find typical social interactions lacking in nutrients that feed the mind. The Scriptures are the food for the born-again believer; we thrive on it and crave it when it is lean.
Most people do not think very much during conversations; they glide through them without sensible and rational evaluation, being much more mindful of the social expectation than the truth. They are watching for the signs of approval from those in the group. People exaggerate and embellish stories to impress others.
Everything the born-again believer sees and wonders about is interpreted in terms of the Word of God. We don't ask "what would Jesus do", we ask "How does God think." If we think right, we will do right! What Jesus did on the cross is far more important and how He thinks that leads to obedience is paramount to the Christian walk.
The "what would Jesus do" phrase focuses on outer acts that can be used to fool people; it is the inner heart that Christ changes that leads to authentic right actions.
The superficial appearances of things neither challenge nor edify. When in company with most people, we walk on eggshells to avoid any offense toward the hearer rather than seeking the Holy Spirit for what edifies.
These are the reasons most born-again believers are not party goers; they dislike gatherings that foster boasting, silly jokes, and fake smiles. Gatherings in which only superficiality is accepted and anything of depth is discouraged. After all, deep thinking about important matters ruins the whole ambiance of the party mentality.
Groupthink is intolerable for the one who follows Christ.
Groupthinkers will agree with everyone in the room just because they are all doing it. There is no thinking involved in this foolishness, but there is a regression of character that leads to dullness of soul.
Groupthink is laziness and often hypocritical; it is where people pretend to agree with the group to gain the favor of those in the room.
Groupthink squashes all authentic conversation, only allowing those in the group to express themselves if they say things others want to hear. The hypocrisy is when there are people in the room who may not agree but remain silent, allowing the group to believe something that is not true, thinking their silence is not approval. They think their silence absolves them of all responsibility toward truth.
The authentic person desires sincerity, even if it is messy! The truth is far more valued than pleasing people to those who love Christ.
There is no freedom of expression in secular group settings. Even in "Christian" groups now, there is quenching of the Spirit of Christ in favor of the cultural social gospel. They say freedom, but practice censorship. There is a herd mentality, and the herd tramples the truth.
There is a slow spiritual decay that occurs when we spend too much time in groups or with unbelievers. It is possible to regress in Spiritual growth by silencing our voice to be with those who do not love Christ.
If Christ means less to us than people, we will be more concerned about having friends than we are about what Christ thinks.
The truth is this: It is either Christ or people we follow, it cannot be both.
Authentic people are not anti-social; they are anti-pretense.
What a blessing when we come across an authentic believer who is full of joy, expressing themselves honestly and openly without make-believe!
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