Doctor Google, Influencer Moms, and the Local Church

A family member was recently paying a visit to a doctor who provided his diagnosis of the condition and suggested a course of treatment. My family member listened patiently but then said, “I was wondering if we could actually try another treatment instead.” The doctor playfully rolled his eyes and said, “I see you’ve been consulting with Dr. Google.” Guilty as charged.

I suppose every doctor must be familiar with this phenomenon by now—familiar with patients who, the moment they are told of their condition, jump on the Internet and quickly read every relevant page on WebMD, scour specialized forums, and probably check what people are saying on Reddit as well. By the time they show up for their follow-up, they have armed themselves with plenty of knowledge and their best assessment of the path forward. As much as they appreciate the doctor’s ideas, they would prefer to follow their own.

We live in an age of information—an age in which there is more information available to us than we can possibly ever read, absorb, understand, or master. And in this age, we have grown accustomed to looking beyond those who are near to us to seek the wisdom of those who are far. And this isn’t only the case when it comes to medical issues. It also overlaps spiritual concerns, marriage, parenting, and a host of other issues. We have become so accustomed to Googling everything, relying on the expertise of digital experts, and experiencing community online that we may fail to make use of the resources God has given us and means for us to take advantage of.

In this cultural milieu, perhaps it is fitting to remind us of the resources we have close at hand—resources God has deliberately put in close proximity to each of us. He has put people in our lives who have wisdom where we are ignorant and who have answers where we have questions. They are as near to us as the local church. We can see them, know them, and have confidence that their lives actually do display the beauty and benefits of Christian living, character, and convictions. It honors them when we seek their wisdom and it honors God who has given them this wisdom.

Your church has many older women who have successfully raised mature and God-fearing children. A number of them have probably wondered: Why don’t the young women come to us when they have questions about raising their little ones? Why aren’t they interested in learning from us? The answer is as close as Instagram. Why seek the advice of an older mom who raised her children in a previous generation when today’s influencers are flaunting more recent successes and supplying more updated answers?

Your church has couples who have been married for decades. Along the way they have endured many trials, come to peace through many conflicts, and weathered many storms. Yet the younger couples in the church rarely approach them to ask, “How can our marriage be as good as yours?” Why not? Because it is far easier to read a book by a stranger or watch a video by a self-styled expert. I recently saw some Christian influencers offer a course on marriage, though they had been married for less than two years. They had paltry experience and undoubtedly little wisdom, but they did have a big platform. And many were eager to learn from them.

Your church has many seasoned saints who have spent their whole lives following the Lord and whose godliness is on display each and every time the church gathers. Ask them to teach you! It has men and women who have never been married and who have joyfully served God in the special ways that singleness permits. Ask them to mentor you! It has women who have endured years or decades of widowhood. Ask them to guide you! God has carefully constructed his church so that, as much as we may benefit from those who are far off, we are likely to find the greatest and most credible help nearby.

We are only just learning how to live in this new world and how to reconcile information with expertise. And as much as it expands our horizons and widens our access to information, let’s make sure we never forget that God has called us to the local church and that many of our most important relationships—opportunities to teach and be taught, to mentor and be mentored, to disciple and be discipled—are before us and around us each and every Sunday. The only question is whether or not we will reach out and take hold of what God has so kindly offered to us.