Is superstition ever okay for Christians?
September 1, 2015
Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales; rather, train yourself to be godly. - 1 Timothy 4:7
For centuries, well-educated and literate people thought it to be of the utmost importance to get out of bed on the right side. The thought was that to get out of bed on the left side provided easy access for evil spirits. And to this day, people will still ask those who seem to be having a bad day if they “got out on the wrong side of the bed.”
There’s nothing in the Bible about the left side of the bed providing access for evil spirits. It’s simply a superstition, a belief that really has no basis in fact, yet has been regarded as truth for many people.
If you’ve ever knocked on wood to keep something you say from materializing or made a wish before you blew out your birthday candles, you’ve participated in practices that are rooted in superstition. But does that make those things inherently wrong?
The answer to that question is a subjective one… What does it really mean to you? If you see these practices as nothing more than fun and don’t assign spiritual power to them, then there’s probably nothing wrong with what you’re doing. But if you truly believe you can manipulate the unseen world through practices like these, you may be treading into unbiblical superstition.
The ultimate question is this: Where do you seek spiritual power? Instead of finding power in the material world, find it in Christ alone – not unbiblical myths!
Prayer Challenge
Pray that God would reveal areas where you’re trusting in superstition rather than in Christ for spiritual power.
Questions for Thought
What attitude do you think is at the core of the human tendency toward superstition?
How are you tempted when it comes to assigning spiritual power to worldly things rather than focusing on the death of Christ?
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