On November 18, 1978 in a remote commune in Jonestown, Guyana, a charismatic Jim Jones convinced 909 people to drink cyanide laced Flavor Aid. It is the largest mass murder suicide in history. This event popularized the phrase, “Don’t drink the Kool-Aid.” A warning of unconditional devotion beyond rationality to something potentially dangerous. It seems like there are always people who are ready to drink the Kool-Aid. Those people are convinced of a reality that is beyond rational thought or explanation. They are often tied to an ideology linked with a strong emotion. Jim Jones piggybacked on the civil rights movement for his Peoples Temple cult. Hitler convinced a nation to drink using national pride and a common enemy. Throughout human history, events like these have unfolded. We are in a dangerous time ourselves. The concept of absolute pure truth has been gone for a long time now. In its absence, everyone has a truth. All those truths are circulated. Now they are circulated at the government and national level. Not just individuals on podcasts but government leaders and groups spinning truth to control the masses. Many special interest groups all slinging their own Kool-Aid. There isn’t just one flavor. You can pick your poison and join a cause. It is divisive, destructive, and dangerous. How do we operate as the church in this culture?
The first thing is self-assessment. These divisive ideologies are creeping into the church. If my thoughts vilify “those people” I need to be careful. If I am thinking anything that demonizes a group of people that Christ died for, I am taking sips of the Kool-Aid. We are told, “If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men” (Rom. 12:18; Heb. 12:14).
The next thing is checking our message. What are we saying? What are we repeating and circulating? We cannot afford to get caught up in Earthly struggles and forget our purpose. We are not social warriors or political commandos but heavenly ambassadors. We are to be “constantly nourished on the words of the faith and of the sound doctrine” and “have nothing to do with worldly fables” (1 Tim. 4:6-7). “Refuse foolish and ignorant speculations, knowing that they produce quarrels” (2 Tim. 2:23).
Finally, we must be kind and gentle not combative. “The Lord’s bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition” that “they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will” (2 Tim. 2:23-26). Always remember that Satan is our enemy. He was the first one handing out the Kool-Aid to Adam and Eve, and he is still deceiving people today. Don’t drink the Kool-Aid he sells.