In this reading, Moses promises that after he dies, God will raise up another prophet who is just as trustworthy. The question is how they will know who to listen to and who they can trust. Moses’ advice is, “Well, if what you are hearing takes place or proves true, you can trust the person who said it.”
In the world we live in, it is not quite that easy. When you hear preachers, authors, or other Christian mouthpieces, how do you decide what to believe or who to trust? What do you do when what you are hearing doesn’t square with your experience of God or what you have learned about God? How much effort do you put into investigating the trustworthiness of what you hear or see on TV or radio, social media, or print materials? One question you might ask is, how does this hold up in the kingdom of God that Jesus described and lived? Does what I am hearing or seeing bring light and life to a situation or does it inspire dehumanization and apathy towards the greater good?
Offer a prayer of thanksgiving for the prophets – both those of history and modern-day ones – and seek God’s continued blessing and protection for those who have been anointed to speak God’s word.
