Lessons of History: Over fifty years ago, Will and Ariel Durant completed The Story of Civilization – an eleven-volume history of the world which took them forty years to write. I’ve seen The Story on bookshelves and at garage sales, but I’ve never taken it on. I have, however, read what they wrote next – a 102 page set of reflections called The Lessons of History. And my recent efforts to host a church history podcast not only has me thinking about the Durant’s take-aways, it has me making some of my own. This week’s unnerving “Lesson” – completed after giving a lecture on the Crusades – is that large groups of people can be quite wrong for decades on end. Truth ultimately prevails. But it is possible for cultures to be wrong for decades.
Write Things Down: Peter Drucker encouraged business leaders to write down their expectations – i.e., to keep track of what they expect will happen as a result of their decisions. He claimed writing things down so we could later compare our expectations with reality is the only way to learn. Given the different scenarios I am hearing from the Left and Right, I am writing down their expectations and my own. BTW, long-time journalists (and politicians) already have track records. I wish we paid more attention to them.
I Apologize: I apologize for whining about journalism, but one of the ironies of this moment is that while we’ve never had more reporters filing updates – indeed, while we’ve never had access to so much information – we’ve seldom had more difficulty knowing who / what to trust.
Question of the Week: Are the people around me becoming more like Christ because of my influence?
Quotes Worth Requoting: 1) “Prayer may or may not get you what you want. But it will teach you to want what you need.” Vance Havner; 2) “I find your lack of faith disturbing.” Darth Vader; 3) “Pharisees repent of their wrong-doing. But they do not repent of the reasons of their right-doing, which is just as bad.” Tim Keller; 4) “A life of self-denying kindness to others is the true secret of greatness in the Kingdom of God.” Bishop J.C. Ryle
Pagan: Pagan is a word I’ve been hesitant to use because few know its true meaning. Enter Jake Angeli. Jake – the face-painted capitol rioter who paraded around in fur and animal horns – is a pagan. I’m horrified by what Mr. Angeli did, but thankful as well. I now have a picture I can use when describing a pagan. (Pagan /ˈpāɡən/ noun. one who, for the most part, has no religion and indulges in worldly delights and material possessions; someone who revels in sensual pleasures; a hedonistic or self-indulgent individual. Another, more modern term is neo-paganism, which refers to some of the contemporary forms of paganism such as Wica, Druidry, and Gwyddon.)
Io Triumphe!: While reading Robert Harris’s fictional trilogy about ancient Rome – told through the eyes of Cicero’s scribe, Tiro – I learned that Roman generals returning victorious from battle waited outside the gates of Rome for the Senate to decide what level of parade to grant them. There were three levels. All hoped for – but few were granted – the highest honor: A Triumphal Entry.
Closing Prayer: Lord, I rejoice in forgiveness of sin, but I still limp along, half crippled by fears, self-pity, anger, self-consciousness, and discouragement. All could be healed so much further if I took the truths of the Gospel more to heart. Bring your Word in deep – let it dwell in me richly – that I can be more freed from the effects of sin. Amen. Tim Keller