Throughout Paul’s journeys, the Bereansare especially interesting examples of exactly what Paul urged the Colossians to become. As we explored last week, the Bereans have openness to what they are hearing, while not assuming it is certain. Acts 17:10-12 helps us see that they took in what Paul had to say, and then … yes, then they checked it out. They were not even necessarily skeptical, and definitely not cynical, but had an attitude of verification.
In our quest to have a skeptical mindset towards new information, it is important that we don’t slide towards cynicism. Our curiosity keeps us learning; it keeps us open. Thus, it is so important to nurture the mindset of verification. A big part of any research is triangulation … a concept where you find three different ways to determine if something is real. A big part of the legal system is corroboration … a concept where you find another source to validate what happened who didn’t have a stake in the situation. We can maintain our curiosity while also maintaining a consistent practice of verification!
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