In 1969 the rock band Led Zeppelin released a song titled “Dazed and Confused”. I remember hearing it on the radio and wondering who was most confused. Was it the band, whose performance of the tune was a hodgepodge of screaming vocals, rolling drums and gritty guitar, or was it the listeners, who wondered if the song was about an acid trip, bad relationship, or simply nonsense? Upon hearing it, I was not dazed or personally confused, but it became clear that many of my generation were both.
Fast forward 50 years, and it seems the confusion has only become worse. The dazed and confused radio listeners of the ’60s are now the dazed and confused professors in our institutions of “higher” learning and office holders in our government. Confusion reigns regarding when human life begins, and once born, whether it is male or female. This used to be defined by the body parts with which a baby is equipped, but according to professors and politicians this is no longer the case. DAZED AND CONFUSED.
At one time, our culture valued and stood for the truth. We were taught in school about George “I cannot tell a lie” Washington and “honest” Abe Lincoln. These days the press marvels over how well and effectively our leaders lie and even celebrate their dishonesty. Recent examples ” I never had sex with that woman” and “you can keep your doctor and insurance rates will go down” and “I have incontrovertible evidence that Donald Trump conspired with Russia to win the 2016 election “ come to mind. DAZED AND CONFUSED.
The one thing that makes this madness bearable is the truth and stability that is found in a relationship with God. 1 Cor 14:33 declares “For God is not the author of confusion but of peace..” God is not confused in any way about anything. He never creates confusion and desires for people to live lives of peace and freedom. He has never confused one person about their gender and has never placed a woman in a man’s body or vice versa. He has never celebrated lying and those who skillfully spin falsehood. In fact He says “Love takes no pleasure in evil but rejoices over the truth” (1 Cor 13:6) God is never ‘dazed and confused”.
Paul wrote “With the Lord’s authority I say this: Live no longer as the Gentiles do, for they are hopelessly confused. Their minds are full of darkness; they wander far from the life God gives because they have closed their minds and hardened their hearts against him. They have no sense of shame. They live for lustful pleasure and eagerly practice every kind of impurity. (Eph 4:17-19) The world is dazed and confused, but we should not be. Christians should stand for the truth and be focused and enthused. Focused on the Word of God and enthused about the truth.
Jesus was clear when He said the truth makes us free. The world needs a way out of their dazed and confused lives. When we live by the truth of the Word, we show others that freedom from mental instability and confusion is possible. We must not have confidence in the hopelessly confused system of this world, but we should have compassion for those who are trapped in it. Speak the truth, be focused and enthused. When you do, God will use you as an agent of change in the lives of those who desperately need escape from the ranks of the “dazed and confused”!
