if

Why do we want proof or conditions? “If” you do this; then I will do that. “If” you show me this, then I’ll believe you,” Gideon was such a man who wanted proof of God’s promises. In Judges 6: God tells Gideon he is going to save Israel out of Midian’s hand. Gideon doesn’t believe God and in 16, The Lord answered, “I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites, leaving none alive.”

17 Gideon replied, “If now I have found favor in your eyes, give me a sign that it is really you talking to me. 18 Please do not go away until I come back and bring my offering and set it before you.” Gideon continues to seek proof.

When I was teaching, I would often use children’s books to convey varous ideas. One particular lesson, I used the books by Laura Numeroff, If You Give a Mouse a Cookie and If You Give a Moose a Muffin. These books are described as “circular tales” or “slippery slope” stories.

The premise in critical thinking shows there is an argument to demonstrate that one small step (the “if) can lead to a chain of events ending in some significant effect. The crazy thing is that this type of argument is a form of fearmongering. The organization or person, takes the probable consequences of an action, exaggerates them in an attempt to scare others. Sounding familiar?

The Arabs share a fable from 1858 called “the camel’s nose in the tent.” I was intrigued by the story. An Arab miller allows a camel to stick his nose into his bedroom, then the head, legs and body until the camel is inside the room and refuses to leave. Apparently, the story is a metaphor for the situation where the permitting of a small seeminly, innocent act opens the door for undesirable actions. The moral of the fable is: It is wise rule to resist the beginnings of evil.

The bible has numerous warnings about this. In James 4:7, he reminds us to “Resist the devil and he will flee from you!”

Perhaps we bring fear upon ourselves by conjuring up all sorts of horrible events that we believe will happen. That one thought (What if?) leads to others and soon we are frantic with worry. After the incident passes and nothing major happens, we wonder why we wasted all that energy on “what if?”

What if we thought differently and changed our train of thought? What if we didn’t live in fear? What if we followed the words in scripture and filled our minds with (Philippians 4: 7-9)?  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. Have a worry-free day!