I’ll be teaching on the Holocaust in my World History class in the near future. Here’s a timely and moving short film, “Shoah.” The Hebrew word “Shoah,” which means “devastation, ruin, or waste,” is also used for this genocide.
SHOAH from Matthew Brown on Vimeo.
The vice I am talking about is Pride or Self-Conceit: and the virtue opposite to it, in Christian morals, is called Humility. You may remember, when I was talking about sexual morality, I warned you that the centre of Christian morals did not lie there. Well, now we have come to the centre. According to Christian teachers, the essential vice, the utmost evil, is Pride. Unchastity, greed, drunkenness, and all that, are mere flea-bites in comparison: it was through Pride that the devil became the devil: Pride leads to every other vice: it is the complete anti-God state of mind.
Some quick thoughts that came from a February XXX Church article about John Mayer’s interview in Playboy magazine:
On one hand, the piece deeply saddened me. A talented guy oriented in such a way that may permanently damage his ability to have a committed relationship, not to mention participating in and perpetuating a dark and objectifying system – that sucks. Yet I love his honestly, it’s gutsy to be that real. And what’s more, I was actually encouraged. If you can read between the lines, you’ll catch an accidental/subtle insight that lust will ultimately isolate and leave it’s patrons discontented. Word.
Here’s an excerpt:
Those who think it is permissible to tell white lies soon grow color-blind. ~Austin O’Malley
A half truth is a whole lie. ~Yiddish Proverb
If you tell the truth you don’t have to remember anything. ~Mark Twain
[You may say,]“Everything is permissible for me”–but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible for me”–but I will not be mastered by anything. ” … The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. By his power God raised the Lord from the dead, and he will raise us also. Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ himself? Shall I then take the members of Christ and unite them with a prostitute? Never! Do you not know that he who unites himself with a prostitute is one with her in body? For it is said, “The two will become one flesh.” But he who unites himself with the Lord is one with him in spirit.
Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body. Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.
- St. Paul
If we name Jesus and claim to understand His Gospel, we must acknowledge that His gracious and sinless blood was not shed to give us a license to be selfish and live without self-control. Our lives tell God, “This is how much I love You.” Our lives also give others a picture of God, regardless of how well we are representing Him.
Oh, may we live new lives that are for His glory and pleasure (which oddly produces the most possible joy for us in the process). May we not take lightly or ignore the one called King, Lord, Almighty, Alpha & Omega, Savior, Holy, Master, & Redeemer. May we imitate, not frustrate the One who was pierced for our transgressions. May we trust His way is actually better than ours.
Amen.
For women who you find attractive or for women who find you attractive:
Bounce your eyes…
Avoid her…
When you’re in her company, play the dweeb…
A dweeb is the opposite of a player. In relationships players send and receive social signals smoothly. Dweebs do not. When a player wants to send attraction signals, there are certain things he’ll do. He’ll flirt. He’ll banter. He’ll smile with a knowing look. He’ll talk about hip things. In short, he’ll be cool…
As a married man, however, a little social suicide is very much in order. Always play the dweeb. Players flirt…learn to un-flirt. Players banter…learn to un-banter. If a woman smiles with a knowing look, learn to smile with a slightly confused look, to un-smile. If she talks about things that are hip, talk about things that are un-hip to her, like your wife and kids. She’ll find you pleasant enough but rather bland and uninteresting. Perfect.
- Every Man’s Battle, p. 171
OR, as Paul says it in 2 Timothy 2:
20 In a wealthy home some utensils are made of gold and silver, and some are made of wood and clay. The expensive utensils are used for special occasions, and the cheap ones are for everyday use. 21 If you keep yourself pure, you will be a special utensil for honorable use. Your life will be clean, and you will be ready for the Master to use you for every good work. 22 Run from anything that stimulates youthful lusts. Instead, pursue righteous living, faithfulness, love, and peace. Enjoy the companionship of those who call on the Lord with pure hearts.