Faux Snow Day
While we pray for our friends in the Midwestern and Northeastern part of the U.S. who are getting blasted by a Polar Vortex that’s sending snow, ice and sub-zero temperatures, my mind goes back 5 years when the prospect of snow in North Florida was enough to close schools and keep students home for a day...
It was a Faux Snow Day - January 29, 2014
“But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves. Many will follow their depraved conduct and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. In their greed these teachers will exploit you with fabricated stories. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping.” - 2 Peter 2:1-3 NIV
That’s what I like to call it - “Faux Snow Day”- because there was no snow. There was very little ice. There was not even enough ice to scrape off the windshield of the car. Yet, the threat of snow and ice and the dreaded “winter mix” was there. So, all Tallahassee schools were canceled for the day.
Back when I was growing up in Kentucky, if they canceled school because of the threat of snow and ice, we might not have ever gone to school in January or February. But the South, especially Florida, is not prepared for that kind of weather. Thus we have a “Faux Snow Day”from time to time.
A few weeks prior, the morning temperature was 28 degrees and the rain had blown through. I guess with the wind chill there may have been a patch of ice out in the county somewhere. But for the most part, it was just a cold, somewhat wet day.
My kids were excited all night about ther threat of snow. They’ve only seen snow once or twice (if that), much less really played in it... except for those times when there school or church made some man-made “Faux Snow.” for them to play in and ride a boogie board on down a faux snow covered hill. We don’t have sleds in Tallahassee. So a boogie board is the next best thing.
What does all this talk about faux snow days (unlike my friends in most of the rest of the country) and faux snow have to do about our faith and faith walk?
We are reminded a number of times in the Old and New Testament to be aware of false teachers and false prophets that introduce and teach heresies and false teachings that cloud the minds and hearts of the those that follow and buy into their stories. Ultimately, these faux teachers/prophets will say that there are other ways to heaven than through Jesus. They may even deny the sovereignty of the Lord. It’s all “Faux Snow”~ Man-made and fabricated. Made to confuse and build doubt. And ultimately leading to destruction.
In other words, we need to know what it is that we say that we believe because there are and will continue to be people out there telling us and teaching us to go down the wrong road. Teaching us that we have to do more than just Trust and Believe. That we have to somehow earn our salvation. That somehow teach that grace and forgiveness are not enough. That somehow deny what happened on the cross and through the resurrection.
We’ve got to know what we believe so that we aren’t swayed by these false teachings. We’ve got to know what we believe so that we can stand strong against the lies and the gray that the world around us says is the “new”truth... the newway.
Stand strong. Know the Truth. And be aware of the Faux Snow
Keep the Faith... Carpe Diem
