Can someone tell me the truth?

Several weeks ago, my husband and I decided to use some Christmas money to replace our 10 year old, dying, picture tube TV with a new high definition digital TV. It looked wonderful in the store, so we bought it and brought it home.



Once we had it hooked up, we were surprised that it didn't seem to look any better than our old TV! Some channels actually seemed to look worse. I first called a local TV repair store, thinking we might return the new TV and get the old one fixed. I explained the situation to the woman there. She told me that it didn't look as good because not all channels are being transmitted in digital. Some cable companies would be switching to digital transmissions come February and others would require customers to use a digital receiver.



So, I called my cable company and asked about what the repair woman told me. This lady at the cable company said that actually, they were already transmitting in digital and a digital receiver wouldn't help our picture, but only give us extra channels. She suggested that there was something wrong with our new TV. She didn't sound very confident or informed, but I had nothing else to go on.



Next, I called the store where we bought the TV and explained the situation. The gentleman I talked to confidently told me that what I was seeing was the difference between high definition channels and regular digital channels. He said that the HD channels look SO good that it makes the regular ones seem poor by comparison. He explained that many channels now broadcast both in regular digital and HD, so I should call my cable company and find out what the HD versions of all the channels are.



So, back to the cable company I went. This time, I got a very confident young man who told me that unfortunately everything the earlier lady from his comapny told me was incorrect. He was able to tell me what was really going on, if I was interested. He said that what we needed was a digital receiver. Our picture would absolutely improve if we rented this box from them for $5 per month. It would improve even more if we spent $10 a month for the HD package.



So, off to the local cable company office I went and picked up a digital receiver. After spending the time to get it hooked up, I eagerly watched TV, anticipating wonderful results. It wasn't any different at all. I called tech support to make sure I did everything right, and he said that a digital receiver wouldn't improve my picture quality.



Now I was ready to scream, throw the thing out the window and say goodbye to everything that required electricity. The Amish life always did appeal to me...



My husband got home from work and called the TV manufacturer, getting still another slightly different story. Finally, we decided to put the thing to the test. Hubby figured out how we could watch both our old and new TVs simultaneously. We compared the two, channel by channel and discovered something very interesting. The new TV was actually better than the old one. Go figure.



We did find later that there are some HD versions of certain channels that do look much better, but most of the regular ones are just fine. (Thankfully for hubby, the football games have been on the extra good channels!)



What did I learn from all this that applies to the spiritual world? Just because someone sounds confident, doesn't mean they're right. People can be completely convinced that they're right and yet be completely wrong. There are likely things that I think I'm totally right about, yet I'm dead wrong. God's Word is our only source of absolute truth. Everything we do must be checked against it or we risk becoming convinced of a lie.


PS...
I think I figured out the TV thing, if you're interested. I found a great website that explained it in normal English. It's at: http://tinyurl.com/66v3sd

American Idol - Lessons in Self-delusion

I'm really not a fan of 95% of network shows. Most of them contain way too much content that I find objectionable. "American Idol" is the exception. As a classcally trained clarinet player who likes to sing (although I'd never make it past Simon!), I love watching the show and seeing if I can hear what the judges hear.



Watching the early episodes leading up to Hollywood Week is always, well, interesting. I'm amazed by the contestants who are completely convinced beyond the shadow of a doubt that they are the best singer the judges have ever heard. Have you noticed that they almost never are? The cockiest ones are usually the worst! Why is that? How does that happen?



As a musician, I know that some people are genuinely tone-deaf. Their ears can't tell whether they're singing the song right or not. They really can't help it. I went to college with such a person. One day, we were helping clean our church and he sang hymns while working. The problem was, he changed key every line of the song! I found it fun to try and follow along with his key changes. It was a real challenge!



I don't know the statistics, but I'm guessing there aren't THAT many people who are physiologically tone deaf. My husband also suggested that some of the contestants may have varying levels of developmental disabilities, contributing to their unrealistic understanding of their talent. Either of those issues may be going on with some contestants, but with the number of horrific auditions that take place in every city, every season, I think there's also something else going on.



We sin-soaked humans have an incredible ability to deceive ourselves. "The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?" Jeremiah 17:9 We can talk ourselves into believing almost anything is true. While there may be some merit to thinking positively about ourselves, no amount of belief can change certain things about us, such as our ability to sing (or lack thereof).



Are we guilty of deceiving ourselves? Maybe you're not running off to American Idol even though you can't carry a tune, but parents, are you encouraging your children to do it instead? I'm amazed at the number of parents on "Idol" who seem just as deceived as their children! It's great to encourage our kids to try something new, but don't tell them they're wonderful at something when they're not! Be realistic and you'll do your kids a favor.



Search your heart and see if there are any spiritual areas where you think you may have succumbed to your deceitful heart? Have you convinced yourself that you don't struggle with sin or that you can handle certain tempting situations without a problem when that's not really true? Do you think you're a generous, loving person, but it's OK to talk about your neighbors behind their backs?



"Search me O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." Psalm 139:23-24