This week, I want to dive into a memory lane moment that’s been tugging at my heartstrings, all centered around a term we’re all too familiar with — bullying. But, I’m not just talking about the kind we remember from the playground; I’m eyeing its more grown-up, yet equally damaging counterpart in our adult lives.

This grows from an incident I saw in the news that can only be classified as bullying, and it involves public figures, grown men. Frankly, it’s troubled me perhaps more than it should have. Let me tell you a story. There are some real parallels here.

My thoughts drift back to a childhood memory from Camp Ridgecrest for Boys — a memory that, oddly enough, has rippled through the years, influencing my understanding of kindness, courage, and the subtle forms of bullying that don’t always leave visible scars.

I was in the 6th grade, sharing a cabin with five other boys, one of whom, Ernie, had a stutter. His vulnerability became the target of another cabin mate, Herbie, who found a perverse delight in mocking him. Despite Ernie’s attempts to laugh it off, the bullying escalated until it reduced him to tears. Herbie accomplished what he set out to do. As a witness, my silence has since felt like complicity, a haunting reminder of the power of our actions — and inactions. I should have said or done something. As a 6^th grader, though, I guess I didn’t want to run the risk of being treated like Ernie had been.

The memory serves as a stark reflection on bullying, not just as a relic of our school days but as a shadow that can follow us into adulthood, morphing into forms that are harder to recognize but equally harmful. Adult bullying may not involve stolen lunch money or physical altercations, but it can manifest in workplace politics, social exclusion, or cutting remarks dressed as jokes, even to the extent of making fun of someone’s physical appearance or handicaps. These actions, though less overt, stem from the same desire to exert power over another.

As Christians, or simply as humans striving to be better, we’re compelled to ask ourselves, “What would Jesus do?” This question isn’t meant to invoke guilt but to encourage a profound introspection about our conduct and its impact on those around us. Jesus’ life was a testament to love, inclusivity, and standing up for the marginalized — a guidepost for our interactions.

Acknowledging feelings of complicity in the face of bullying is not an admission of defeat but a step toward growth. It’s a call to action, urging us to be vigilant and brave, to stand up against injustices, and to support those who are being diminished. Our silence can be as impactful as our words, and choosing to speak out can be a beacon of hope for someone in the throes of bullying.

As adults, we wield considerable influence — through our actions, our words, and our decisions about when to speak and when to listen. This influence gives us a unique responsibility to create environments (churches?) where respect and kindness overshadow the impulse to belittle or dominate. It’s about building communities where the Ernies of the world feel supported and valued, not for their ability to endure mockery but for their inherent worth as individuals.

This is an invitation — a call to reflect on our behaviors and the subtle ways we might contribute to or combat bullying in our everyday lives. It’s an encouragement to foster empathy, to be the ally that our younger selves needed, and to cultivate spaces where compassion drowns out cruelty.

In closing, let’s remember that the lessons learned on the playground have far-reaching implications. The way we navigate adult bullying, standing up for fairness and kindness, can transform our workplaces, homes, and social circles into havens of respect and understanding. By doing so, we honor the spirit of what Jesus taught, living out our faith through actions that speak louder than words.

Together, let’s pledge to be the change, to be adults who embody the virtues we wish to see in the world. Because in the end, it’s not just about preventing bullying; it’s about nurturing a society where every person is seen, heard, and valued — where the playground, the workplace, and the church are places of growth, not battlegrounds for dominance.

We can fight for our beliefs without demonizing each other.

Not everyone knows this, apparently.

I have a love/hate relationship with social media. I love being able to reconnect with friends that I haven’t heard from in years. It’s pretty wonderful to find a former student from one of the youth groups I led 30 years ago and hear how they’re doing Kingdom work and loving Jesus.

That’s the love side of things. What I hate, though, is when I run across some political or social screed and just shake my head. Or, worse, when I let myself get suckered and drawn into a no-win discussion, i.e., argument. It devalues my soul.

In a world bursting with diverse opinions and beliefs, it’s easy to find ourselves at odds with others. Do we live in a divided country or what? But as Christians, we’re called to a different standard — one of love, understanding, and peace.

The Apostle Paul reminds us inRomans 12:18, “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” This isn’t just a lofty ideal; it’s a practical guide for navigating our interactions, even when we disagree.

Understanding Over Judgment

One of the first steps in bridging differences is striving to understand rather than rush to judgment. Remember James 1:19, which encourages us to be “quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.” Understanding doesn’t mean we have to agree with every point of view, but it does mean acknowledging the sincerity and humanity in others’ perspectives.

That’s hard. I’ll read something from a friend or acquaintance and think, “Dude, you must be possessed. How can you believe such nonsense? Who are you listening to? What are you reading? What are your sources?”

Then I remember: Everyone has a story. Their story isn’t my story. They came to their beliefs based on their worldview, their upbringing, their environment, and a whole host of other factors. Just like you and I did.

I’d like to think I work hard at this. I once found myself in a heated debate with a friend over a social issue. As we talked, I made a conscious effort to listen, not just to respond but to understand. It didn’t change my viewpoint, but it certainly softened my heart towards my friend’s experience and reasoning.

Love as Our Guiding Principle

In every interaction, love should be our guiding principle. Jesus couldn’t have been clearer when he said, “Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another” (John 13:34). This love isn’t just a warm feeling; it’s patient, kind, and self-controlled, as detailed in1 Corinthians 13:4-7. It’s choosing to respond with gentleness even when we’re tempted to be harsh, showing kindness when it’s easier to be indifferent.

Just be kind.

The Strength in Diversity

Our differences can be a source of strength, not division. Proverbs 27:17 tells us, “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” Engaging with diverse viewpoints can challenge us to think deeper, understand more broadly, and grow stronger in our own beliefs. It’s like a community garden with a variety of plants; each contributes something unique to the overall beauty and health of the garden.

When I talk about diversity, I’m simply saying that we aren’t all alike. I’m not talking about a union of light and darkness, of sin and holiness. What I am saying is that just listening to others, even if you find their stances repellant and even wicked, can’t hurt. Just make sure you are secure in you own beliefs, and stand firm on biblical truths.

Bridging the Gap with Grace

Finally, grace is the bridge that spans the gap between differing viewpoints. Ephesians 4:2-3 encourages us to “be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.” Grace involves listening, forgiving, and sometimes agreeing to disagree, all while maintaining respect and dignity. It’s recognizing that we’re all works in progress, journeying together towards understanding and truth.

As followers of Christ, we’re called to stand firm in our beliefs while also extending love and respect to those who differ from us. This balance isn’t just a nice idea; it’s a scriptural mandate and a practical pathway to peace and unity in a diverse world.

Let’s embrace our differences, not as barriers, but as opportunities to demonstrate the love, understanding, and grace that are at the heart of our faith.

Those of us who are baby boomers are living in, uh, interesting days. Bob Dylan nailed it when, decades ago, he wrote “the times, they are a-changin’.” We of a certain age were alive when Sputnik was launched, and when man walked on the moon; we remember where we were when Kennedy was assassinated; and in later years, we remember Viet Nam, Nixon’s resignation after Watergate, the Berlin Wall coming down … we may even remember Woodstock and the 60’s. Those were days of extraordinary social and political upheaval. We see the world differently because of those days.

Now we are in a period of social change that I believe, subjectively, dwarfs what went on in previous decades. It seems that what was once good is now evil; what was virtuous is now a lie; and what were once the moral pillars of our society are crumbling. It seems that change is upon us daily, and it is not change for the better. It seems we’re balanced on a knife’s edge – one haphazard move and we slip off into the Abyss as a country.

As believers, we watch centuries of the best of biblical scholarship and Christian orthodoxy become twisted to fit unholy agendas. We see double standards at work in the media, where Christians are maligned but other religious groups are accommodated and embraced in the name of political correctness.

My response to all this is a profound sense of loss. Sometimes I think about the plight of Native Americans in our country when the Europeans came. I’m not going to debate the why’s of their often terrible treatment – what’s done is done. But consider: here are these indigenous people, living their lives without intrusion, when others come and stake claims on their lands. Before long, wars break out. The mindset among many newcomers toward the Indians was “We’re more enlightened, more educated, more cultured than you are. We know what’s best for you. And through the reach of our government, we are going to see to it that you comply with our laws and mandates. Cooperate, and all will go well for you. If you choose not to cooperate, there will be penalties.” These newcomers were persuaded they were on the right side of history.

This may be a tortured analogy, and certainly it would be naïve to compare what American Christians are facing these days to what American Indians were subjected to. But I think about those native peoples who had their lives turned upside down. I’m sure they felt extraordinary loss because their way of life had been wrested from them. It appears that American Christians are losing their way of life too – not in dramatic ways (we aren’t being persecuted as other believers in the Middle East are, for instance), but in the most subtle and subversive of ways. We’re being told “We’re more enlightened, more educated, more cultured than you are. We know what’s best for you. And through the reach of our government, we are going to see to it that you comply with our laws and mandates. Cooperate, and all will go well for you. If you choose not to cooperate, there will be penalties.” There are many in government and in society who feel they’re on the right side of history, too.

However, think about this: for the Christian, this is as bad as it will ever get. But for the non-believer, this is as good as it’s ever going to be.

I’m not advocating retiring from humanity, climbing a mountain, and waiting in solitude for the End of Days. I would suggest, though, that we be mindful of the truth that this is not our home. We are pilgrims here. Exiles. We are, by birthright, out of step and out of synch with the culture. If we conform to the changes around us, then we can’t be salt and light to the culture. At the same time, if we don’t engage the culture, then the salt remains in the shaker and the light stays under a basket. We have to adapt as missionaries, but we also have to confront wickedness.

The challenge is plain. The world won’t love us for the stand we take. We have to embrace the biblical combination of conviction in God’s truth and compassion for His creation. We don’t do that by standing off at a distance and hollering. We love others, even those who hold views contrary to ours and might even want us silenced. We see the world as perverse, abnormal, and destructive – and we must be willing to lay down our lives in love for those who are citizens of that world. Christ Himself personified this. His example is our call.

So, conspiracy theories. Do you enjoy them? If you do, you’re probably the happiest you’ve ever been.

I’ve been thinking about the mechanics and mindset of how conspiracy theories work. My conclusion is that conspiracy theorists can often create a world that is much worse than the one they actually live in.

This may seem like an odd topic for a blog that proposes to be encouraging and uplifting. I intend to take this to a virtuous place, and we’ll end up there. Promise.

I’d add, too, that this isn’t about COVID, necessarily. This has been a ripe place to look for conspiracy theories, but it certainly isn’t the only place. I’ll strive mightily not to judge you or your beliefs – I have my own, as do you. Looks like there’s a new variant (yawn.) So, no condemnation.

I’ll make a distinction between conspiracy theories and plots. History is rife with plots – starting wars, planning assassinations, even the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. A conspiracy theory, though, operates in a different realm. I’ll give you an example.

I’m old enough to remember the assassination of President Kennedy. The official final word is that Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone. But did he? I won’t use my space here to delve into other theories, because there are a gazillion out there. 

Here’s what common sense would say. Kennedy was considered the leader of the free world, right? Isn’t that the traditional title bestowed on the President of the United States? So is it plausible that a “nobody” could pull off such a heinous act? I mean, isn’t it more reasonable to assume that someone or a group equally as powerful as Kennedy had to have been responsible? Because if an Oswald could pull something like this, then none of us are safe.

Well, that’s kinda scary. So the natural human impulse is to seek out what really happened, because the thought that one person, working alone,  could assassinate the President is much more disconcerting than believing there was a worldwide conspiracy in place. 

Who, then, benefits in a conspiracy theory? If you want to use COVID as an example, then in whose interest is it for people to stay home, be unemployed, be inactive, lose jobs and income, place stress on close relationships, and watch as their mental, physical, and emotional health collapses. Who are the “they” that benefit from all this? 

I think it is reasonable to assume that there are plenty of bad people out there who would relish the opportunity to profit from a tragedy. It happens all the time. Many years ago my hometown of Elba, Alabama, was flooded by a breach in the levy that surrounded the town. My parents’ home was right in the flood zone. As soon as the water subsided, it wasn’t long before they heard a knock at the door. There was a large truck and trailer, and a crew of men who wanted to pull up the existing ruined carpet in their house and replace it with fresh new carpet.

As it turns out, this was a legitimate business. My parents accepted their offer and had new carpet in a couple of days. The company made some money off my parents, money that wouldn’t have come their way if the flood hadn’t occurred. But did the carpet company cause the breach in the levy? Uh, no. 

Because of some odd quirk in human nature, we assume there is a “they” out there. Off the top of my head, I can think of the Freemasons, the Illuminati, scientologists, FEMA, the New World Order, the Federal Reserve, Halliburton, Google, the Vatican, Bilderberg, Walmart, the Rothschilds, the Knights Templar, the UN, Skull and Bones, the Koch brothers, George Soros, the Trilateral Commission, the Knights of Malta, Exxon Mobil, Zionists, and the lizard people,  who might be considered “they.” 

“They” are at the heart of conspiracy theories.

So if the world is beaten down to a place of despair, famine, illness, and chaos, “they” benefit.

“They” will force us to do awful things, like convert to the metric system or listen to atonal music. 

What happens is that conspiracy theorists piece together a narrative based on snippets of evidence. Problem is that they don’t ask themselves if such a conspiracy actually exists. They don’t challenge their own thinking. Rather, they simply want the essential parts of their story to mesh with the beliefs they identify with. (Read that again.) It’s easier for some to believe in lizard people running the world, because that absolves them from accepting the reality that we live in a fallen world where bad things – disease, poverty, natural disasters, etc. – happen, and happen frequently. 

The impulse is to find scapegoats – someone has to be responsible for the bad. And that someone is out to get us. And, by golly, we won’t be enslaved by some nefarious overlord.

If you’re still with me, hear this: evil is rampant in the world. Satan wants to destroy. He uses human agents to further his wicked purposes. He might even use conspiracy theories. This is a fact. If you are a believer, you know this already. More on that later.

The problem is that we can struggle with identifying what is real wickedness. I’d suggest that conspiracy theories are, in themselves, potentially satanic. Conspiracy theories divert us into looking at imaginary, irrational beliefs rather than identifying where the true evil lies. 

Conspiracy theorists tend to flock together. There is much comfort in hanging out with those of like mind. It’s sort of like England during the World War II blitz – “we are all suffering together, and we need to mount some kind of resistance.”

Resisting evil is always appropriate. Fight it tooth and nail. Just make sure you’re fighting a real enemy and not some imaginary boogeyman. 

I’ve observed that people resent it when I’m not as troubled as much by the world as they are. I see evidence of that in veiled or sometimes overt putdowns. Using terms like “sheeple” or being encouraged to “wake up” are very revealing. Devaluing me is not a good way to bring me around to your way of thinking.

Conspiracies are like chains. The more involved in a conspiracy, the more likely it will be outed, just like that weakest link will snap. Conspiracies won’t stay a secret when there are a lot of people involved. Occam’s Razor comes into play here, too – what’s the most likely scenario? It’s going to be the simplest. Conspiracy theorists always give people more ability and competency than they actually have.

Speaking to my fellow Americans … most of us have never experienced a major catastrophe. We missed the 1918 flu epidemic, we missed the Great Depression, and for the most part missed the two world wars. We’ve seen bad things happen in other countries, but not in ours. So if we’re being submitted to a major catastrophe these days, there has to be a deliberate hand at work, right? There has to be a plot of some sort of evil human design. That’s the way many people try to make sense of it.

I’ll say this again. We live in a fallen world. We deal with evil in tangible and spiritual ways alike. Before Jesus returns, we will continue to live in this fallen world. What are we to do? 

We are to fight the real evils, not the sensationalized, hysterical, unreal monsters. Let’s make a difference in the life of that terrified young lady who is pregnant and alone, or the neighbor who is dealing with their spouse who is terminally ill, or the family who, through no fault of their own, has had their electricity turned off because both the mom and dad are out of work and struggling to find jobs. 

Be salt and light. Encourage the downtrodden with words and deeds. If you want to invest in something, invest in that individual who is yearning for Jesus and doesn’t even know it. Use the energy you’re expending in wondering what the Freemasons are up to into the life of someone you can actually impact with Christ’s love.

Talk later! And remember – it’s always appropriate to look in the mirror from time to time and say, “You know, I could be wrong.”

So, conspiracy theories. Do you enjoy them? If you do, you’re probably the happiest you’ve ever been.

I’ve been thinking about the mechanics and mindset of how conspiracy theories work. My conclusion is that conspiracy theorists can often create a world that is much worse than the one they actually live in.

This may seem like an odd topic for a blog that proposes to be encouraging and uplifting. I intend to take this to a virtuous place, and we’ll end up there. Promise.

I’d add, too, that this isn’t about COVID, necessarily. The pandemic (or whatever it is, assuming you don’t buy into the notion that this is a pandemic) is a ripe place to look for conspiracy theories, but it certainly isn’t the only place. I’ll strive mightily not to judge you or your beliefs – I have my own, as do you. So, no condemnation.

I’ll make a distinction between conspiracy theories and plots. History is rife with plots – starting wars, planning assassinations, even the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. A conspiracy theory, though, operates in a different realm. I’ll give you an example.

I’m old enough to remember the assisination of President Kennedy. The official final word is that Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone. But did he? I won’t use my space here to delve into other theories, because there are a gazillion out there. 

Here’s what common sense would say. Kennedy was considered the leader of the free world, right? Isn’t that the traditional title bestowed on the President of the United States? So is it plausible that a “nobody” could pull off such a heinous act? I mean, isn’t it more reasonable to assume that someone or a group equally as powerful as Kennedy had to have been responsible? Because if an Oswald could pull something like this, then none of us are safe.

Well, that’s kinda scary. So the natural human impulse is to seek out what really happened, because the thought that one person, working alone,  could assassinate the President is much more disconcerting than believing there was a worldwide conspiracy in place. 

Who, then, benefits in a conspiracy theory? If you want to use COVID as an example, then in whose interest is it for people to stay home, be unemployed, be inactive, lose jobs and income, place stress on close relationships, and watch as their mental, physical, and emotional health collapses. Who are the “they” that benefit from all this? 

I think it is reasonable to assume that there are plenty of bad people out there who would relish the opportunity to profit from a tragedy. It happens all the time. Many years ago my hometown of Elba, Alabama, was flooded by a breach in the levy that surrounded the town. My parents’ home was right in the flood zone. As soon as the water subsided, it wasn’t long before they heard a knock at the door. There was a large truck and trailer, and a crew of men who wanted to pull up the existing ruined carpet in their house and replace it with fresh new carpet.

As it turns out, this was a legitimate business. My parents accepted their offer and had new carpet in a couple of days. The company made some money off my parents, money that wouldn’t have come their way if the flood hadn’t occurred. But did the carpet company cause the breach in the levy? Uh, no. 

Because of some odd quirk in human nature, we assume there is a “they” out there. Off the top of my head, I can think of the Freemasons, the Illuminati, scientologists, FEMA, the New World Order, the Federal Reserve, Halliburton, Google, the Vatican, Bildurberg, Walmart, the Rothchilds, the Knights Templar, the UN, Skull and Bones, the Koch brothers, George Soros, the Trilateral Commission, the Knights of Malta, Exxon Mobil, Zionists, and the lizard people,  who might be considered “they.” 

“They” are at the heart of conspiracy theories.

So if the world is beaten down to a place of despair, famine, illness, and chaos, “they” benefit. “They” will force us to do awful things, like convert to the metric system or listen to atonal music. 

What happens is that conspiracy theorists piece together a narrative based on snippets of evidence. Problem is that they don’t ask themselves if such a conspiracy actually exists. They don’t challenge their own thinking. Rather, they simply want the essential parts of their story to mesh with the beliefs they identify with. (Read that again.) It’s easier for some to believe in lizard people running the world, because that absolves them from accepting the reality that we live in a fallen world where bad things – disease, poverty, natural disasters, etc. – happen, and happen frequently. 

The impulse is to find scapegoats – someone has to be responsible for the bad.And that someone is out to get us. And, by golly, we won’t be enslaved by some nefarious overlord.

If you’re still with me, hear this: evil is rampant in the world. Satan wants to destroy. He uses human agents to further his wicked purposes. This is a fact. If you are a believer, you know this already. More on that later.

The problem is that we can struggle with identifying what is real wickedness. I’d suggest that conspiracy theories are, in themselves, potentially satanic. Conspiracy theories divert us into looking at imaginary, irrational beliefs rather than identifying where the true evil lies. 

Conspiracy theorists tend to flock together. There is much comfort in hanging out with those of like mind. It’s sort of like England during the World War II blitz – “we are all suffering together, and we need to mount some kind of resistance.”

Resisting evil is always appropriate. Fight it tooth and nail. Just make sure you’re fighting a real enemy and not some imaginary boogeyman. 

I’ve observed that people resent it when I’m not as troubled as much by the world as they are. I see evidence of that in veiled or sometimes overt putdowns. Using terms like “sheeple” or being encouraged to “wake up” are very revealing. Devaluing me is not a good way to bring me around to your way of thinking.

Conspiracies are like chains. The more involved in a conspiracy, the more likely it will be outed, just like that weakest link will snap. Conspiracies won’t stay a secret when there are a lot of people involved. Occam’s Razor comes into play here, too – what’s the most likely scenario? It’s going to be the simplest. Conspiracy theorists always give people more ability and competency than they actually have.

Speaking to my fellow Americans … most of us have never experienced a major catastrophe. We missed the 1918 flu epidemic, we missed the Great Depression, and for the most part missed the two world wars. We’ve seen bad things happen in other countries, but not in ours. So if we’re being submitted to a major catastrophe these days, there has to be a deliberate hand at work, right? There has to be a plot of some sort of evil human design. That’s the way many people try to make sense of it.

I’ll say this again. We live in a fallen world. We deal with evil in tangible and spiritual ways alike. Before Jesus returns, we will continue to live in this fallen world. What are we to do? 

We are to fight the real evils, not the sensationalized, hysterical, unreal monsters. Let’s make a difference in the life of that terrified young lady who is pregnant and alone, or the neighbor who is dealing with their spouse who is terminally ill, or the family who, through no fault of their own, has had their electricity turned off because both the mom and dad are out of work and struggling to find jobs. 

Be salt and light. Encourage the downtrodden with words and deeds. If you want to invest in something, invest in that individual who is yearning for Jesus and doesn’t even know it. Use the energy you’re expending in wondering what the Freemasons are up to into the life of someone you can actually impact with Christ’s love.

Talk later! And remember – it’s always appropriate to look in the mirror from time to time and say, “You know, I could be wrong.”

What is truth? What a classic question, and one worth asking.

This is the foundation of the question, from ancient script. John 18:37-38:

³⁷ “You are a king, then!” said Pilate.

Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.”

³⁸ “What is truth?” retorted Pilate. With this he went out again to the Jews gathered there and said, “I find no basis for a charge against him.

As a nod to pop culture, and another classic found in the movie A Few Good Men:

Jessup: I’ll answer the question. You want answers?

Kaffee: I think I’m entitled!

Jessup: You want answers?!

Kaffee: I want the truth!

Jessup: You can’t handle the truth!

In trying to determine what is truth, I begin with the (correct) assumption that there is Absolute Truth.

God either says yes, no, or wait. He never says “It depends.”

What got me thinking about this question is an observation of The Way Things Currently Stand.

There’s COVID-19. As I’m writing this, I’m still quarantined. I’m waiting to turn that corner people keep talking about.

Specifically, it’s the mask thing. I can’t even.

Should you wear a mask or not?

What would Jesus do? Would He say “it depends?”

Beats me. He hasn’t let me in on His counsel on that one. Personally, I wore a mask and got COVID-19 anyway, which gives some folks an excuse to say “see?” Well, pilgrim, if wearing a mask before I tested positive kept someone else from getting it, then I have problems making that a bad move on my part. So there.

Building on that, then, I’d have to say there IS a truth about how the virus spreads, where it came from, how it can be treated, all that. God created the virus, and if you start going on about how it emerged from a Chinese lab, okay, but God still allowed it. Man can’t create life, but it seems that he can manipulate it. That’s all I got to say about that.

Another thought about truth – and I abhor bringing this up, just because it devalues my spirit – we’ve had this election in the United States recently, right? You probably heard about it. I hope you participated in it.

What is truth? Specifically, who is the president gonna be?

Here we go: we can discuss and debate if there was fraud, and to what extent. I just bet your mind is already made up.

Buried beneath all the hype and hyperbole and anger and frustration there is a truth out there: someone has been elected president, and God knew who that was to be before the foundation of the world was laid. So we/they just need to get at the truth – there is a truth out there – and then we all collectively abide by that even if it’s something we don’t want to hear. We can’t handle the truth … sometimes.

That’s the crux of the matter, isn’t it? We say we want the truth, but then we say “What is truth?” When we learn the truth, and we don’t like it, we might just go somewhere else to hear the truth we want.

Oh, y’all. That’s not the way it works. Don’t be that way.

I’ll illustrate.

I won’t go into the dynamics of why all these platforms have been on a meteoric rise. It’s a definite thing, though.

And I am not, not, not bashing any of these, nor the folks that have embraced them. That is absolutely fine and commendable.

What has brought these platforms to the forefront is that many, many people have looked around themselves, become disgusted at what they’ve seen as bias, and gone somewhere else with others of like mind.

The danger for some people (SOME, not all) is that they’ve gone looking for “a truth” that suits them, that confirms what they’ve already come to believe.

Chuck Swindoll obliquely addresses this tendency in a different context:

We refuse to become the “rabbit-hole Christians” John Stott speaks of, popping out of our holes and racing from our insulated caves to all-Christian gatherings only to rush back again. For salt to be tasted and for light to be seen, we must make contact. We are personally responsible.

That’s a lot of background for me to set up my thesis statement. Ready?

Truth is truth, no matter where you find it. And we should never fear the truth.

All truth is ultimately God’s truth. 

Now, Satan is a liar, and the father of lies. He’s really, really good at wrapping his lies in the mantle of truth, and even we believers can get suckered, big time.

Paraphrasing ancient script:

You shall know the truth, and the truth will make you mad.

Wrong, wrong, wrong. It’ll set you free.

Look, pilgrim, I get it. I want to have my beliefs confirmed independently. There’s that carnal streak in me that sometimes lives to say “told ya so!”

But if I’m going to honestly ask, “What is truth?”, then I need to be willing to make peace with that.

Even if it means my guy isn’t elected.

Even if it means that there was something to COVID-19 all along, and there are ways of curtailing its spread that we haven’t done.

And even if it means my little word is rocked in other ways and cherished beliefs are turned on their collective heads.

I don’t want to make things harder on myself than I need to. Here’s God, offering His truths (and remember, truth is absolute from His vantage point), and I build this social or society-driven wall that protects me from what I don’t want to hear.

I spend all my time with like-minded people and automatically assume other folks are delusional at best and evil at worst.

That makes it hard for me to be salt and light.

What’s the answer to “What is truth?”

To the extent that we can, we need to:

• Check our hearts and emotions. There is a place for righteous anger, but I’m guessing you know when you’re righteously angry and just plain mad. There is a difference.
• Hold up what we see in society against the backdrop of scripture. And if God “reveals” something to you in scripture that doesn’t hold up to orthodoxy or 2000-plus years of scholarship, you’re about to mess up.
• God is not going to reveal something to you and something else to another that is contradictory.
• We can factor in differences of opinion, but we can’t make truth unique to ourselves, and we shouldn’t detest others who don’t see things the same way as we do.
• Most of us were born with an open mind. Let God pry that open if you’ve allowed it to slam shut.
• It’s all going to be okay because God is sovereign.

“What is truth?” It’s not what you say it is. It’s what God says it is.

Be well. Comments are, as always, welcome.

Has technology worsened your life?

Perhaps. It has mine.

Of course, technology has its place. I don’t want to go back to no electricity or no air conditioning.

Even more current – I don’t want to go back to rotary dial phones or dialup internet. Or two television channels we could only get via rabbit ears or a roof antenna.

If, then, if technology has worsened my life, how so in light of all these good things?

Here’s my list, in no particular order.

1. The World Wide Web is a black hole. I would hate to have to go back to researching topics by going to the library, thumbing through the card catalogue, and finding the book I needed to help me understand the Austrian-Hungarian Empire. Google and I’m there. But the WWW is like quicksand – it can suck you in and hold you fast.
2. Social media is so antisocial. The history of Facebook is intriguing. It, of course, started out as a playground for college students. Now, it is a haven for grandparents looking at photos of their grandkids.  That is a good thing. What isn’t so good – and I’m primarily focusing on Facebook because it’s so ubiquitous – is just how toxic it’s become. You see hate and vitriol spewed everywhere. It’s a coward’s platform – people say things in cyberspace they’d never be bold enough to say in person. Worse, it’s become an echo chamber. People tend to hang out with others of like mind. That’s not bad, except when it leads to disdain for others who might have different opinions.
3. Anyone can have a platform. This isn’t just a social media thing. Anyone can put together a website, portray themselves as an expert in whatever, cobble together a false narrative complete with endorsements, and bingo. They are a “somebody.” Undiscerning types find them, accept what they say as gospel, and falsehood flourishes.
4. It can make us intellectually soft. I am struck by how many folks seem to have lost the capability to think for themselves. They latch onto what one of their cyberheroes says and accept it because it fits their particular worldview. You can gain knowledge online, but wisdom comes from somewhere else. Problem is, some folks are content with knowledge … even questionable knowledge.
5. It’s made us prone to kneejerk reactions. Have you ever read someone’s Facebook post – usually along the lines of Walmart giving cash to the Church of Satan, or something like that – and commented, enraged, and then reposted it without any verification? A word to my fellow Christians: We aren’t obligated to look “good” in the eyes of the world. But we do lose godly credibility when we repost bogus claims, false news items, or other’s opinions without vetting them first. I’m embarrassed with us. And yes, I am guilty. That has certainly worsened my life.
6. It can cause us to be insulated from personal contact. Yep, there’s this virus going around, and it’s made us be conscious of social distancing. But how many times have you observed couples or groups of people together in the same physical space, and all of them are staring at their own little screens? Again, guilty as charged, but it’s just not right or healthy. The struggle is real.
7. It can hinder your intimacy with God. I’ve heard those guilt-inducing sermons or Bible studies along the lines of “what would happen if you spent as much time with Jesus one-on-one as you did online?” I reckon they’re guilt-inducing because they can be scarily true. It’s a matter of balance and priorities, perhaps. We aren’t so good at setting those priorities.
8. It reveals what our addictions are. There is a whole dissertation to be written on this one. You have your phone out, you’re mindlessly scrolling, and it occurs to you – I can’t stop. 
9. Piggybacking on #8 – we can forget what’s really important. A sunset. Ocean waves gently crashing on the seashore. The ethereal rustle of wind in pine trees. There is a whole world around us that we forget to embrace.
10. It can give us a skewed view of the world. I know good news doesn’t sell. But when we’re exposed to the same content over and over and over again, we tend to think that things are awful. Which they are; we do live in a fallen world. But we are to rise above all that. We don’t need to be like everyone else. Embrace what is good and pure and holy.

I could make another list (and I probably should) of ways in which technology has bettered my life. For our thinking today, though, it’s time to do some personal evaluation.

You could come up with your own list as to how technology has worsened your life. I bet it has.

In many respects, this comes down to an unhealthy view of self. We become the centers of our own little universes, feeding ourselves nonstop with more “information” than we know what to do with. As a result, our minds are fragmented, we spend our days in a perpetual fog, and we’re angry and frustrated or scared for reasons we can’t identify.

Here’s my own personal counsel. File it away in that “for what it’s worth” folder.

I’ve identified some ways technology has worsened my life. For me, it’s just a simple matter of rationing – deciding as my day starts just how much time I’ll allot to spending non-work related time online. I’ll even set a timer (and check out the Be Focused Pro app – it’s so helpful to me.)

Then, I’ve honed the skill of “just keep scrolling.” If I run across a questionable source of info, or see a post of someone who is a nut (or perpetually negative), I’ll move along, even if they’re a friend.

Above all, guard your heart. Like fire, technology can be used for good and bad. We just need to exercise wisdom as to how to use it.

Be well.

Tony’s question: Think of just one specific way how technology has worsened your life and share it with us. Maybe even share a way you’ve overcome it.

Dealing with Chick-Fil-A. Mercy.

Still dealing with Chick-Fil-A? You’d think that the Apocalypse is upon us, and all over fast food.

In the last week or so I’ve read more news about Chick-Fil-A. Chick-Fil-A is the third largest restaurant chain. It allegedly has one of the slowest drive-throughs.  (I don’t know about that last one – ours moves customers through as fast as humanly possible, and the workers are unflappable.)

Is there anything bad about celebrating traditional Christian marriage?

Unless you’ve been vacationing on Uranus for the last couple of years, you are well aware of the firestorm over CFA’s Dan Cathy’s comments in favor of traditional Christian marriage. It just won’t go away, or be left alone. It’s been years since his comments.

While you’re at it, note, too, the responses from elected officials. Wow. It has come to this: “Not only do we disagree with you, we want to silence you.”  Folks take Machiavellian steps to prevent the chain from opening in their community or venue.

The success of Chick-Fil-A.

Some folks are still dealing with Chick-Fil-A. I’m not sure to what end other than expressing endless frustration that, by any metrics you use, Chick-Fil-A is wildly successful.

As a Christian, I’m trying to glean from all this something redemptive, while at the same time acknowledging a paradox (and thanks to John Piper who helped me sort all this out.)

We Christians are commanded to not be conformed to this world, but to be transformed. On  the other hand, we are shown that we are to “become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some.”

We live in the middle of a fallen, failing American culture. We aren’t to conform to that.

But – we are not to give offense, try to please, and become all things to all people so as to save some. There’s your paradox, right there.

Our fallen world.

Here are the facts for believers: This country is not our home. We are out of synch, out of step with the  culture. The world recognizes that, and that brings on scorn. We are the ultimate outsiders and pilgrims.

On the other hand, we are called on to take on some of the traits of the culture …if we don’t conform at all, then we are the salt trapped in the shaker.

The challenge is to describe homosexuality as sinful while at the same time be willing to lay down our lives in love for homsexual persons. That is what Christ did. To take this thought into even more radical realms, we MUST believe that homosexual behavior is sin in order to love homosexual people.

Rejoice in the truth.

According to First Corinthians, “Love does not rejoice in wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth.”

If you deny the truth that homosexuality is a sin and instead approve or rejoice in it, what you bring to a homosexual person will not be love, no matter how affirming, kind, or tolerant.

The whole issue, it seems, has found its nexus in the relationship between homosexuality and marriage. Jesus confirmed God’s will in creation in Matthew 19:4-6.

The argument which must be considered, if we’re to be intellectually honest, is when someone asks, “Why do you impose your religious beliefs on American culture?”

Legislated morality. Dealing with Chick-Fil-A may be a component of that.

Well, all laws impose convictions on culture. All convictions come from worldviews – they don’t come out of nowhere. People argue for laws on a basis of a particular view of the world. It follows that Christians should be involved in the business of lawmaking. Deciding whether or not still dealing with Chick-Fil-A is part of how you approach culture.

We should pray and work to shape our culture so that it reflects the revealed will of God, even if that reflection is dim and external. Goodness knows others will be attempting the same thing.

So we pray and work so that marriage is understood and treated as a lifelong union between a man and woman. The law has spoken otherwise. I understand that. We are still to stand firm, though.

But believers, we do this knowing that we do this with brokenhearted joy. Joy because God is God, sovereign over all, and He will establish justice in His own time in this fallen world.

We are brokenhearted because we will experience pain and misery because of the pain that sin has brought into the world. That should not make us cynical. The salt of the earth does not mock rotting meat. Where it can, it saves and seasons, and where it can’t, it weeps.

Many are still dealing with Chick-Fil-A. It is a metaphor, in many ways, of the nature of our culture.

Evil can and does triumph for a season.

Look. We can’t get all bent when evil triumphs for a season. Let’s don’t whine when we don’t get our way. We shouldn’t be hardened with anger.

What’s happening isn’t new. The early Christians were terribly out of step with their culture. Jesus Himself said, “You will be hated for my name’s sake … Love your enemies, pray for those who persecute you.”

We don’t own culture, and we don’t rule it. We serve it with brokenhearted joy and longsuffering mercy.

I’d be honored if you’d visit Transformational Encouragement Academy and check out the free resource you’ll find there. You input is valuable to me!