Beyond Cynicism – March 3, 2024

The foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.
1 Corinthians 1:25

Beyond Cynicism

If you were to ask people to say one word to describe our society’s attitude for the last twenty years or so, many might say the word “cynical.” A pure cynic is distrustful of everything. A pure cynic takes pleasure in mocking someone instead of listening and learning. A pure cynic always looks for the next punch line at someone else’s expense.

Recently, however, some observers of our culture have suggested that we have begun to enter what they call “post cynicism.” This is simply their way of saying that maybe, just maybe, our society is getting tired of assuming that everything is a big joke. After all, if you spend your life only making fun of other people and their ideas, when the day is done, you still have no answers.

How about you? Over the years, how much time and energy have you spent in figuring out ways to dismiss Jesus, to dismiss his promises, to dismiss the specific things he did to rescue your soul?

One thing is certain. As long as you keep embracing cynicism as if it were some great philosophy of the age and keep dismissing the promises that Jesus has made to you, nothing will change. You’ll remain in the same old mess, the same old bitterness, the same old despair.

Cynicism is not the answer. Jesus is. He will displace your buried guilt with full forgiveness. He will fill your darkness with light. He will fill your emptiness with himself. That’s why he came to live a holy life on your behalf. That’s why he died in your place. And that’s why he lives.

Come and see.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, speak to me in your gospel. Fill me with your Spirit. Wash me in your blood. Renew my mind and heart. Amen.