Sermon On Misconception

Justin Menkes, PhD, the American author of: "Executive Intelligence: What All Great Leaders Have In Common." once remarked: "There is a common misconception that intelligence is synonymous with IQ. "Intelligence Quotient" or IQ was originally built to predict the academic aptitude of schoolchildren and is nothing more than a measure of the skills needed for academic success. Intelligence, however, is a much broader concept that encompasses a person's level of skill for any of a number of subjects." Matthew 7:1-5 states: “Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye.”

A misconception is defined as a view or opinion that is incorrect because it is based on faulty thinking or understanding. We all make mistakes in our life, sometimes through a definitive lack of intelligence. We may have misinterpreted something that was said or done. We may have formed a wrong notion about a situation through unsubstantiated evidence. It can happen in so many ways. A mistake is not normally considered intentional, whereas a misconception often is. A misconception could be associated with a wrong judgment which may be seriously lacking in essential facts, which might otherwise cast a totally different complexion on the circumstances. It may include harmful thoughts toward another which are instigated because the conclusion has been erroneously arrived at. James 4:11-12 states: "Do not speak evil against one another, brothers. The one who speaks against a brother or judges his brother, speaks evil against the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge. There is only one lawgiver and judge, he who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbor?”

It is a sad fact of life that wrong judgments occur frequently. 1 Corinthians 4:3-5 states: “But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by any human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself. For I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not thereby acquitted. It is the Lord who judges me. Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Then each one will receive his commendation from God.”

Joanne Peterson had caught the 08:17 train from Chiswick Railway Station to London Waterloo, every day barring weekends for the past five years where her office was located. She had been happily married to Tristram for fifteen years. On their fifth wedding anniversary, he had given her a beautiful diamond and ruby bejeweled gold brooch which she adored. To protect this item from possible damage and loss, she always kept it secure in the small top drawer of her vanity dressing table. Two females, who also worked in London, regularly caught the same train as Joanne from Chiswick station, and on a particular morning, they all found themselves sharing the same carriage. The two women were chatting amongst themselves while Joanne was reading the morning paper. She overheard one of the women informing the other that she had acquired a new man in her life whose name was Tristram and lived locally. They were very much in love but there was one distinct problem, which was that he happened to be already married.

Tristram often worked late in the office and on many occasions did not arrive home until the early hours. With this in mind, Joanne became interested in their conversation and wished to learn more about her newfound relationship as the name of the man was not particularly common. Over several months she deliberately joined them in the same carriage so that she could glean the latest information about the progress in the affair, as her suspicions were steadily increasing. On a recent occasion, Joanne wished to wear her lovely brooch on a rare evening out with her husband but was unable to find it. She searched several places to no avail. She knew how upset her husband would be if she confessed that she had apparently lost it and so kept the loss quiet.

Her husband Tristram had recently returned from a three-day business trip to Birmingham where he had reputedly attended a conference. Shortly afterward she was making her usual trip to London when she overheard the suspected female stating that she had recently returned from a secret trip with Tristram to Brighton. Much to her horror she also noticed that the woman was wearing a beautiful brooch. Her missing brooch. She was now convinced in her mind that the affair she was having, was with her own husband. It was evident that he had removed the brooch from the drawer and given it to his new love on their trip away.