It is About Destruction

February 16, 2023

If I were to design a way to corrupt a culture; turn evil into good and good into evil, I could not do it any better than what is currently happening in our country. The idea of traditional families has basically been destroyed. The healthy value found in employment is eroding. Crimes that used to have penalties now no longer do. Drug use is legal and/or permitted—creating a generation that works less and stays high more. The tragedy of homelessness is becoming epidemic totally changing life in our cities with few workable solutions apparent. Hate, accusations and blame have become the common cultural language–puncuated by vulgarity and profainity, which frequently drowns out any remaining calls for mutually respectful dialogue. Our nation’s leaders are ineffective—unable or unwilling to promote harmony. Our personhood is now being attacked–potentially robbing our kids of their innocence and childhood by gender confusion. Beyond that our culture seems determined to sexualize our kids. Here is a real excerpt from a book designed for kids entitled “Let’s Talk About It” that actually is placed in some school districts in our nation:

“There’s nothing wrong with enjoying some porn, it’s a fun sugary treat.” When consumed right, porn can help you discover new aspects of your sexuality. A great place to research fantasies and kinks safely is on the internet. There’s tons of people and communities out there who share your interests and have all kinds of advice.” Then there is this advice about sending naked pics to friends: “So before you start sending your naughty masterpieces around the world, take some time to get friendly with photo editing, software and apps.”  

I would do all that plus I would make sure to create hostility everywhere—to reduce every conversation to partisan arguing; to politicize everything producing a climate in which everyone is always suspicious, angry and ready to fight.

Obviously, God has to be removed from the national, cultural conversation and churches must be discredited and made irrelevant. Whatever word they do manage to speak would be reframed and labeled as oppressive, hate-speech and attached to some unpopular political agenda that can be easily dismissed. Or even better–politicize the churches and divide them along party lines.

Then I would hand everyone devices that either fuel the anger or dull whatever lingering alarm exists through constant distraction. I would reshape entertainment. No longer would anything “wholesome” be produced. Instead, it would be much darker, dystopic, vulgar, bleak, hopeless and politically charged. I would attack mental health and create the need for addiction as well—get folks hooked on chemicals, porn, gambling, sex, binge-watching—whatever works to make them dependent and prevent clear thinking and productive habits.

I would make pleasure the highest goal and then distort what that means. I would convince people that I have their best interest in mind. Cultural apathy would be the end-game.

And when any voices ever rise up to challenge—I would use every method to silence them; to prevent them from being heard I would bully; blame; accuse; shout; threaten, turn it all political, etc. I would forgive nothing. Instead, I would just keep reminding, rehashing and reliving whatever problems exist—historical or current. I would keep it all raw, fresh and painful constantly on every screen. I would choose violence if necessary and then justify it. I would create a compelling cultural narrative to support my efforts, use all resources to promote it and then dare anyone to differ.

I would distort truth; sow confusion and raise a harvest of disorder and chaos. Then I would normalize it all.

And when good becomes known as evil; when evil is redefined as good, then I will have succeeded.

It is about destruction after all—not construction. “The thief comes only to kill, steal and destroy” (John 10:10) and he ( “the accuser”– Revelation 12:10; “the father of all lies”–John 8:44) is very good at his job


Happy Father’s Day?

June 15, 2021

Father’s Day is here or to put it another way–my annual reminder of my failures as a father. Whatever mistakes a dad can make, I probably have made many of them. Thinking of the few Scriptures specifically addressing fatherhood—exasperated my children? Check, done that. Trained them up in the way of the Lord? Not all the time. Encouraged and comforted them? Sometimes just the opposite. Embittered my children? On occasion, yes. Impressed upon them the will of the Lord? I have tried but unevenly. Father of the year? Not me.

Sure, it is a tough job. I am the classic “fixer” too. My personality lands on the “okay, let’s solve the problem right now and move on” approach. Not necessarily the best model when parenting daughters. As an older dad, I have plenty of time to look back over my mistakes and even grieve over them. I have thought about writing a book entitled, “How to Mess Up Your Kids.”

Maybe I am being too hard on myself. After all, who has not had parental failures? Maybe I am not supposed to be so transparent either. But here it is. Why hide and try to pretend that I have it all together as a dad? Whose purpose does that serve?

In not having it altogether, I am in some pretty good (well, perhaps that is not the best word to use) company. Only one man in the Bible was ever referred to as being “after God’s own heart.” That was David, of course, and based upon what we know of his parenting skills, he would never be a “Father of the Year” candidate either. Yet, in all of his imperfections two things are evident.  He loved his children and throughout all of his many peaks and valleys, he held tightly to God. I have always found it interesting to see how totally exposed he is to us. As I deal with my own shortcomings as a father and otherwise, in a world framed by constructed social media life-presentation and the “likes” thus generated, it says much about our Father, that he allows the life of one of his favorite sons to be so utterly out there.

Whose purpose does that serve? Well, I think that would be God’s own and ours as well. Not that I take delight in the missteps of David, but if a man after God’s own heart did not always have it all figured out—there seems to still be hope for me—and you. God is in the redeeming business and if we can offer him the gift of a genuine heart, he can work wonders—even for an old dad like me.

So, it can be a Happy Father’s Day, after all, because of our good, good Father—because of the grace, mercy and love he freely gives. Don’t be afraid to admit you need it. Don’t be afraid to be vulnerable before him and one another. But also, don’t allow past mistakes to determine future outcomes. If nothing else, because of his exposed life and what God did with it, we can all follow the example of the “mercies of David”—all the way to the heart of God. I, for one, am happy to know that.

So, yes, Happy Father’s Day.

(Scriptures referenced include Ephesians 6:4; Proverbs 22:6; 1 Thessalonians 2:11-12; Colossians 3:21; Deuteronomy 6:6-7; 1 Samuel 13:14; 2 Samuel 11-16; Acts 13:34)


Could You Use Some Parenting Help?

January 6, 2015

Parenting conferenceI will be the first to admit, that yes I can! I am an older dad with two young daughters (12 and 9) who are both strong-willed and quick to share opinions. Occasionally this all comes together in a perfect storm–if you get my drift! And I confess to not always handling those storms in the right way. So certainly I can always use some more information on how to parent better.

This is what the Central Arkansas Parenting Conference held at the Levy Church of Christ in North Little Rock, Arkansas on January 23-24 is all about–sharing information to encourage better parenting. My wife and my go-to people when we need parenting advice are Christian counselors, Dr. Alan and Sherry Pogue. Fortunately for me, Alan is a shepherd at my church and both he and Sherry have helped us on numerous occasions with solid counsel and wisdom from their experience and education. They are keynoting this conference and will bring that wisdom and experience with them. If it were just them alone this would be a must-attend event, but there is much more.

Over the weekend several presenters will lead break-out sessions covering a wide range of parenting topics.  Among some of the topics covered:

  • Blended families
  • Parenting daughters, sons, preschoolers, middle schoolers and teens
  • Adjusting to becoming an empty nester
  • How to effectively discipline
  • Balancing busy schedules
  • Fostering and/or adopting
  • Being a new parent
  • Children and technology
  • Public, private and home schooling
  • Living with ADD/ADHD children
  • Helping children develop a positive self-esteem
  • Teaching kids about money
  • Building faith in children at home
  • Dealing with children in a grow-up-too-fast culture
  • Teaching kids about mission work

If you are anywhere near Central Arkansas, I urge you to strongly consider attending this special weekend event. You can look over the entire schedule and register at capc.eventbrite.com or you can register at a congregation of the churches of Christ in the Little Rock/North Little Rock area.