READ: 1 TIMOTHY 4:6-10; 1 PETER 3:8-18

Have you ever faced a situation like this? One time, a man from church came over for dinner, and for the duration of supper and dessert, he talked about crazy conspiracies, wild rumors, and out-there theories supposedly based on the Bible.

Whether this man turns out to be right or wrong about the conspiracy theories he shared, sometimes we as Christians miss the point of the Bible when we get so caught up in debates or arguments. When we make a nonessential issue more central to the Bible than Jesus, we’ve lost our focus on Christ in order to win an argument. When that happens, there’s no point in winning the argument in the first place.

The point of the Bible isn’t to shed light on an international scandal or an elite group of individuals controlling the world. Satan would love for us to get so caught up in conspiracies that we lose our focus on our true mission: sharing the gospel of Jesus.

When we get so involved in minor and controversial debates, we miss the real reason God gave us the Bible. Our mission from God isn’t to prove to everyone that our particular ideology or theory is right. No, our mission is to spread the good news of Christ. In our daily lives, we live in light of Christ’s truth and love, sharing the gospel without living in fear about the future. We belong to Jesus, and He will help us keep our eyes on Him alone. • Emma Pamer

• Can you think of a time you got carried away with nonessential issues and lost your focus on Christ? What directed your eyes back to God?

• When someone around you starts talking about conspiracy theories, rumors, etc. how could you respond with love and truth? Sometimes situations like this can be difficult to navigate. Who are trusted Christians in your life you could talk to about this?

• If you want to know more about the good news of Jesus, and how to share it with others, see our "Know Jesus" page.

But have nothing to do with pointless and silly myths. Rather, train yourself in godliness. 1 Timothy 4:7 (CSB)