If the adage “you are what you eat” is true, why don’t salad eaters have lettuce for hair or meat eaters have bacon for brains? The reality is a little more complicated. Modern psychology calls it “change blindness” – the tendency of people not to see small changes over time. A salad eater may indeed wake up one day to find a slimmer waistline, and the bacon eater may notice a slight heart palpation after that same time. The change happened, but the process wasn’t really noticed.

They went after false idols and became false.

II Kings 17:15

In the Bible, the ancient Israelite nation was crumbling under persecution after God’s people had given up their faith and began to follow pagan practices. You might think after they had seen the Lord miraculously defeat a mighty Pharaoh and deliver them from slavery, they would never forget their powerful God; but that does not account for change blindness. Life was hard for the Israelites, living among people that did not acknowledge their God. Instead of challenging the situation as the Lord had instructed, they stayed silent. Slowly, over time, they became just like their enemies.

Today, pray for faithful believers in the nation to stay strong, standing for God’s purposes. Have faith that, over time, America will become what you pray for.

Recommended Reading: Philippians 3:8-21