“There’s sign to be read on the ground, then there’s that in a man’s eyes.” –Mike Blakely (The Snowy Range Gang)
“And in the morning, ‘Today will be stormy because the sky is red and threatening.’ You know how to read the appearance of the sky, but you can’t read the signs of the times.” –Matthew 16:3 (HCSB)
People have always done stupid things, that’s a fact of life. However, now I’m beginning to believe that stupid is becoming the norm. For example, just go for a drive anytime, any place and you will see stupidity go rampant. Not only is it stupidity that is becoming the norm, it is arrogant stupidity. Take for example that journalist that fired an AR-15. He said it was like shooting a bazooka (I’m sure he has done that as well), and that it gave him PTSD. Maybe stupidity is a close kin to being an outright liar. Firing a weapon will not give you PTSD, unless maybe you’re a complete sissy, but it is also a slap in the face to those whose have the disorder.
Take this one from a few months back made by our pseudo-president. Remember when he said that Christians will have to stop clinging to their guns and religion? It might be time for him to say that about Muslims, ISIS in particular, or jihadists. Oh, excuse me, I read where that term in no longer politically correct, especially in meeting within the executive branch of the government.
Stupid!! Arrogantly stupid!!! In fact, much of what is happening is now beyond stupid!!!! I could rant and rave all day, but then that would make me stupid and I would be in a depressed, bad mood and that would make me even more stupid.
Not to make light of a stupid situation, but one thing I do know, and there are people who would call me stupid; I know that God has everything under His control. That is not to say that we do not have our part to play. If you think that you can sit back of a “spiritual couch” and just let the world go by, well, you’re stupid.
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The pastor where we attend church preached an excellent message for fathers yesterday. I said it years ago, that the family, next to God, is the key to keeping the nation strong. When the family is broken, when the family is sick, then the nation is broken and sick.
In the years that I spent as a school administrator I could usually tell the condition of the family by watching the kids. Sure there are exceptions to this, but more often than not if the kid was having problems, there were problems at home.
While I’m at it I might as well mention divorce and dead-beat dads. Want to see problems, well here are two of the biggest. There could be a major discussion as to why God said He hated divorce, but let it just end and recognize that He does hate it. Dads who are not doing their job, or are absent from the family, well, they are some of the lowest of the low type of people.
“‘For I hate divorce,’ says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘and him who covers his garment with wrong and violence,’ says the Lord of hosts. ‘Therefore keep watch on your spirit, so that you do not deal treacherously [with your wife].'” –Malachi 2:16 (AMP)
“If anyone fails to provide for his own, and especially for those of his own family, he has denied the faith [by disregarding its precepts] and is worse than an unbeliever [who fulfills his obligation in these matters].” –1 Timothy 5:8 (AMP)
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Oh my, looking at the next character trait in Peter might make some upset, especially any Postmodern Christians (if there is such a thing). After steadfastness Peter says to add piety. There are two aspects to piety: a) This is the person who always correctly worships God and gives Him His due, and b) This is the person who always correctly serve his fellow-men and gives them their due. James speaks much of piety, or he calls it “true religion.” The practical aspect of piety is a person who is sensible, wise, prudent, and self-controlled. If you want to truly worship properly you must have piety. Hmmmm, when was the last time you heard a person say that you were a pious person? This is the closest term that the Greeks had for the word “religion.”
Warde Fowler describes the Roman idea of piety. “He is superior to the enticements of individual passion and of selfish ease; [piety is] a sense of duty which never left a man, of duty first to the gods, then to father and to family, to son and to daughter, to his people and to his nation.” Duty, oh what a disgusting word in today’s society. Duty first to God! What did the “Preacher” say, “Fear God and keep His commandments for this is the whole duty of man.” (Ecclesiastes 12:13) That one verse sums up piety.
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No I didn’t forget the farmer:
“Sometimes you get, and sometimes you get got.”
“The biggest troublemaker you’ll probably ever have to deal with, watches you from the mirror every mornin’.”
“Always drink upstream from the herd.” (there’s a story I have from this one, maybe I’ll share it later this summer.)