Sifting for Peaches: Discerning the Best Resources for Christian Growth
Shopping for peaches (especially in the winter months) is so challenging. As you survey the bin of fruit, you'll notice a wide array of options:
Some will be shriveled and rotten-looking. (Ew . . . definitely don't want those.)
Some will look good overall, with a few bruises that you'll have to consider cutting-off. (Is this viable and worth the money?)
Some will be near-perfect, and you'll eagerly drop them into your bag. (Yum!)
And some will look awesome, but when you get them home and dig in, they might be brown and flavorless inside. (Bummer.)
While this experience rings true at the grocery store, it also somewhat rings true as we pick through Christian resources for motherhood.
Some books, blogs, and articles are obviously just not true and healthy.
Some are going to be a mixture—helpful truths that apply to your situation with some other things that aren't really biblical or true for every mom.
Some are going to be wonderful (but not perfect), and you'll pass those around to your friends as trusted resources!
And unfortunately, some will come highly recommended or seem good, but once you read them, you discover they have harmful teaching and application.
It's good to remember these things as we sift through the "peach bin" online and in the bookstores, respecting that each person is going to have different tolerance levels in the gray areas. We can spur one another on towards godliness and good works in Christ as we become literate in biblical truth and have great conversations about how those truths apply to our lives!
Moms, don't avoid shopping for peaches just because you might get a dud—do your best to discern truth, live in community with other women who can help you figure it out, and never stop growing in your own knowledge of God's Word!
Want to hear more about discerning resources? Check out episode #53.
