01/25/2026
Caution: this is a Long post:
It is Sunday morning in the US time zone in which I live. That means I am accustomed to preaching in worship. A quote about preaching has always been in my planning, preparation and sharing the Gospel. It goes, " “Keep the Bible in one hand, and the newspaper in the other.” –Karl Barth
Since weather forecasts and prudence saw us postpone worship this week, I desired to pen some thoughts in this forum. Caution: this may be one of those times when I may be accused to move from preaching to meddlin'. If that might bother you, now would be a good time of troll on.
“The government you elect is the government you deserve. Thomas Jefferson said this.
US Senator Thom Tills of NC said recently about governing: "I'm sick of stupid".
Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a German pastor who was executed by Hi**er said, "Stupidity is a more dangerous enemy of the good than malice. One may protest against evil; it can be exposed and, if need be, prevented by use of force ...Against stupidity we are defenseless. Neither protests nor the use of force accomplish anything here..."
I read recently, and I forget the source that we elect candidates who think as we do, remind us of ourselves. That fits in with a proven truth in management that supervisors promote employees who remind them of themselves. Maybe the motives, the same drive, tactics, values,haircut, dress, etc...
If Tills comment is true then, well...to quote Forest Gump, " Stupid is is stupid does."
And while I am on a quote roll, the comedian Ron White said, " You Can't fix stupid." Is he on to something.
For example, the addict is being stupid when he/she/they says, " I don't have a problem with..." As any person of reason or named Dr. Phil will tell you, "You can't fix what you won't acknowledge". Willful ignorance is a stupid choice and it has consequences.
And now from the Bible. I picked this translation from Luke because it might make better sense in this context: New Living Translation " But someone who does not know, and then does something wrong, will be punished only lightly. When someone has been given much, much will be required in return; and when someone has been entrusted with much, even more will be required."
Stupid is willful ignorance. While I am quoting founding fathers, “We are all born ignorant, but one must work hard to remain stupid.”― Benjamin Franklin
And a theologian, “There are two ways to be fooled. One is to believe what isn't true; the other is to refuse to believe what is true.”― Soren Kierkegaard
And now back to the Bible, The prophet Jeremiah reminds a nation and a people the consequences of choosing stupid when he says in Jeremiah 5:21. This verse reads: “Hear now this, O foolish people, and without understanding; which have eyes, and see not; which have ears, and hear not.”
Spoiler alert: It did not turn our well for them.
Ron White is wrong or at least can be wrong. Stupid can be fixed. At least I hope so - I pray so...Lord, in your mercy. Hear our prayer.
So why bother to apply scripture, philosophy into a secular world. Lots of reasons but for me, I pray often and every Sunday these words, " Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven... For me, I either have to seek this Kingdom here and now or stop praying the prayer.
Maybe take a moment any say or read it. It has some really good advice and hope.
And now to close with a hymn heard and sung all all kinds of Christian churches. If you are not a person of faith, that's cool. We /I seek this kingdom out of our of faith. Maybe you simply just choose a just world.
" Open my eyes, that I may see
glimpses of truth Thou hast for me;
place in my hands the wonderful key,
that shall unclasp and set me free.
Silently now I wait for Thee,
ready, my God, Thy will to see;
open my eyes, illumine me,
Spirit divine!
Open my ears, that I may hear
voices of truth Thou sendest clear;
and while the wave-notes fall on my ear,
ev’rything false will disappear.
Silently now I wait for Thee,
ready, my God, Thy will to see;
open my ears, illumine me,
Spirit divine!
By the way, thanks for staying awake for this long post 🙂
Your Facebook and other kind of friend, Rob
