nce I decided to write about critical thinking, I couldn’t stop thinking about thinking. As Dr. Seuss so eloquently puts it, “Think left and think right and think low and think high. Oh, the thinks you can think up if only you try!”

I realized I have a lot of thoughts… and A LOT of questions. What is thinking? What is critical thinking? Most of us agree that there is a lack of it in our world today. What part is this playing in the tumult—the brokenness—we see all around us? Why is it so hard? With the advent of AI and selective video editing, how do we know what is true?

I am more convinced than ever that to be critical thinkers, who think rightly, we must know Truth. Jesus is:

Hold to, abide in, keep on obeying, remain faithful to the teaching of Jesus. If you do this, you are His disciple (follower, apprentice).

Critical thinking also requires having the mind of Christ. Without His mindset, we may gain all the wisdom this world offers. We may be able to reason and regurgitate, but if not done with the mind of Christ, what good will it do? Philippians 2 sums up this mindset so well as obedience and humility (sounds like John 8:31!).

So, a lack of critical thinking contributes to the brokenness of this world because it’s not built on God’s truth but on man’s version of it. When we replace God’s truth with man’s truth, it always leads to confusion, anxiety, fear, and hurt. It is self-focused and proud. Ultimately, it leads to death.

According to Pew Research, “Digital sources have become an important part of Americans’ news diets – with social media playing a crucial role, particularly for younger adults. Overall, about half of U.S. adults (53%) say they at least sometimes get news from social media.”

But a social media-based information system is flawed. Through it, we often consume information in the form of “hot takes,” soundbites, and edited videos. We read clickbait headlines and form quick opinions, often without reading the entire story. Increasingly, it’s hard to tell AI-generated images and text from real ones. And on the internet, anyone can have a platform, make videos, and surround themselves with “experts.” That’s not to say there isn’t truth in any of this, but it certainly makes discerning the truth more difficult!

1. Build a strong foundation for “right thinking” based on truth. Start by immersing yourself in Scripture, prayer, and a community of believers. Read the gospels together as a family and discuss how Jesus interacted with the world around Him. Think about the context He lived in: oppression under Roman rule, religious leaders adding to that oppression in their own way. How did Jesus respond? What did He teach His followers to do? How did He call them to live? I highly recommend a slow, in-depth study of the Sermon on the Mount, too—it’s been so beneficial in my own life over the last year. The book of Titus also gives excellent insight into living “in the present age.”

2. Remember that the “others” are made in the image of God. Too often, we call one another names, labeling others rather than recognizing them as image bearers like us. We see “them” as the enemy, forgetting Paul’s words to the Ephesians, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” Critical thinking requires that we know who the real enemy is. We need to remember that “God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16). Oh, how much He desires for all people to know Him!

We’ve grown up on stories of heroes and villains. I think that deep down, we look for these same characters in our real lives as well. And of course, we all want to be the heroes, the “good guys” in the story. My son said it so well years ago when reading Peter Pan. “Mom, it seems like the good guys aren’t all good and the bad guys aren’t all bad.”

3. Embrace the art of conversation. Our view of others makes an incredible difference in how we communicate with them. Social media and the internet are not conducive to honest discussions. Unfortunately, it’s too easy to throw self-control out the window (or should I say out the Microsoft Window?)! But in conversation, we sit across from a real person. We hear their tone of voice and watch their body language. We get to listen to the heart behind what they believe and why.

When discussing issues, it’s essential to ask questions to clarify what they are saying and to help the other person comprehend what we are trying to communicate. Active listening is crucial to actually understanding them. Asking questions and listening to their answers, without worrying about what we will say next, means we value the person across from us. We humbly recognize we may have biases, blind spots, and errors in our own thinking. We don’t have to completely agree in order to learn from one another.

4. Be honest with yourself. Critical thinking means we have to lay aside our biases and seek the truth as it is, not as we want it to be. Even having a foundation in Scripture does not make us immune to a distorted view of what the Bible says. (That’s why community is so important! We need each other.) We have been conditioned to call everything “false” if we don’t agree with it or don’t like it.

We have to be discerning. Do we really want to stand on God’s truth, or do we just want to be known as “right”? Can we admit when we are wrong? What an incredible opportunity we have to model humility and self-reflection.

We need a firm foundation, especially in the Gospels! Our deep need to be right can sometimes lead us to finding our identity in more than the Truth Himself, Jesus Christ.

• Does this align with what the Bible teaches? If so, how? Are there other biblical principles to keep in mind that speak to the issue indirectly as well as directly?
• How do you view others? Do you see them as image bearers of God? Do you see them as enemies? Can they be both? How does your view affect your ability to empathize with others? To see their point of view? Does love inform your view of the issues and the people behind them? What does it look like to love others while disagreeing with them?
• Are you so focused on being right that you’ve stopped listening to those who disagree, who have a different viewpoint, or even a different interpretation of what the Bible teaches? How can you be a better listener and communicator?
• What is truth? How will you live in light of that truth? What are your guiding principles when things aren’t so “black and white”?

ay Chance homeschooled her children for fifteen years. While teaching them, she discovered a passion for writing and developing curriculum resources. She loves sharing natural learning methods and creative lesson ideas with other homeschooling parents. Kay is the co-executive editor of Homeschooling Today magazine and the author of the older extensions for the Trail Guide to Learning series. She makes her home in Texas with her husband Brian.