I just tried taking one of those "TEST YOUR IQ" quizzes. I should have known something was up when I got a popup ad after the first question and nearly all of the questions are really easy. When I finished I couldn't get my brilliant test results until I gave my cell phone number. Once I gave them the good ol' 555-1234 number, clearly I am a genius, I was told that my results were only one screen away, as long as I agreed to sign up for some web service like online dating or find out who is searching for you or something dumb like that. I quickly or maybe not so quickly realized that this was not a legitimate IQ test and I was not a genius. Perhaps 10 questions is not enough to determine if you are truly a genius.
This has reminded me of a story. A long time ago, I know it is long because it was before I had any children and that seems like a really long time ago; my wife, Amy, and I were shopping at the mall. We were new to the area and this was not a mall that we knew very well. Amy stepped into a store and I decided to hang outside the store and look around. While I was standing there I was approached by this very nice lady with a clip board. Now usually when someone with a clip board approaches in the mall you quickly divert your eyes to some store you would never go in and start running away. But this time was different. She walked up to me quietly and asked if she could ask me a few questions. She even said that I could get a "FREE HOT DOG" if I was willing to help her out. My goodness, a kind person who would give me a free hot dog, if I only answered a few questions. So I said, OK. It seemed pretty harmless. A few questions and then the free hot dog.
Then she said, I will need you to come to our office, which was a few stores down. OK now this was getting a little complicated. How would I leave and not let Amy know that I would be a few stores down securing a free lunch for the both of us. But don't worry, because Amy walked out right as I was about to turn down the hot dog lady. So I quickly said to Amy, come with me I need to answer some questions and we will get a free lunch. Amy was not happy but she decided to come along anyway (this was prior to her developing her keen bad idea sniffing ability).
Unfortunately we would have to go into separate little offices to answer questions. They were actually little booths with pulled curtains. You could pretty much hear everything going on in the store. And I could hear Amy answering her marketing questions.
Yes. No. I don't know. Yes. No. Why do you need to know that? Yes. What? No. NO. NO. Johnny I am getting out of here.
Oops, I better go.
I learned that day that none of the clip board people can be trusted.
But lately I am understanding that it is not their fault. While Satan may not be behind the online IQ test or clip board people at the mall, he is behind plenty of phishing techniques that try to pull me away from God every day. It is easy to blame those slick computer spammers and hackers or the crafty clip board people, but it is my shortcomings and sinful nature that is to blame. It is probably not a sin to have fun with a game on the internet or to do something crazy and talk to a marketing person, but it is our purpose for participating that gets us into trouble.
I was most certain that I would get the highest or at least close to the highest IQ for the day, since I am so incredibly smart. Obviously I am personally responsible for my enormous IQ. I suppose I was hoping for a little self recognition and ego inflation. With all of that ego there is not much room for God.
And who can pass up a hot dog and a FREE one at that. Another desire for inflation, although, the hot dogs will stick around a little longer than the IQ test results. Food gets in the way of many things in my life. Unfortunately it is mostly God.
I started a new way of reading the Bible yesterday. It is not my own idea, it is from John MacArthur. I will read all of 1 John once a day every day for thirty days. By the end of thirty days I should have a good grasp for what is said in the book and be in a better position to apply its teachings to my life on a daily, hourly, minutely (pretty sure this is not a word, but you get my point) basis. Next, I move on to the Book of John. 1st seven chapters for thirty days, next seven chapters next thirty days, final chapters next thirty days. Then I move on to another small book. In about 2 1/2 years I will have ready the entire New Testament and hopefully retained most of it. Without that constant reminder in my soul of God's desires for me, it is very easy to let my personal and worldly desires get in the way.
This is the last verse of the Book of 1 John. "Dear children, keep away from anything that might take God's place in your hearts." 1 John 5:21.
