I saw an interesting tweet and scanned some of the comments. They derailed quickly but morphed into an entertaining thread, including this graphic and explanation.

The comments that followed included a myriad of stories of what parents had told their kids these objects are. Growing up on a farm, it seemed hilarious to me that anyone would think they were anything other than round hay bales. Then I remembered a few misconceptions I had about things because of the stories I heard.

We’re susceptible, and not just when we’re young. Even the most skeptical of us are susceptible; our skepticism itself opens us up to misconceptions. Add the fact that we can Google just about anything and find the answer that confirms our suspicions – even if our suspicions are completely misguided – and we have significant potential for discombobulated thinking.

Rational thinking alone will not solve every question and struggle we have, yet rational thinking is essential. Common sense will not give us insight into every problem we face, yet common sense is essential (and not-so-common). Faith doesn’t give us iron-clad answers to everything, yet faith is essential (and we all have faith is something).

And while you might not agree, rational thinking, common sense, and faith are much more important than Google.

You might not believe the cowmadillo explanation, but you believe some things that need to be tweaked. So do I. We all do. Even some of the beliefs and ideas we allowed to be tweaked years ago are likely due for another tweaking.

It’s time.

Engage your rational thinking, common sense, and faith. Let them work together. Stay engaged and refuse to get lazy. Seeing the world through the lens of truth might not always be comfortable, but it’s challenging and beautiful and trustworthy at its core.