Happy Friday,
Lord, when did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and not help you?
Matthew 25:44
I’ve always been unsettled by Matthew 25. I grew more so recently when I realized that the sins Jesus calls out are ones of omission, not commission.
WOTW: Honorable mention goes to compos mentis (which refers to having full control of one’s mind and is turning up a lot), political hobbyism (which refers to those who listen to podcasts about the news, argue about it, and otherwise react to it without doing any of the real work of making society better), and post-achievement (which this WSJ article ascribes to older professionals transitioning to less demanding roles to make time for things such as podcasting or playing guitar). Full honors go to Zombie-corns (startups that earn a $1B valuation but struggle to achieve profitability after funding runs out). The Friday Update is not a Zombie-corn because although we struggle to achieve profitability, we were never officially valued north of $1B.
Without Comment: 1) 38% of Americans now identify as independents (with 57% thinking the Rs have moved too far to the right and 69% thinking the Ds have moved too far to the left); 2) A CDC study shows that in the years since COVID, marriage is up and divorce is down; 3) According to this Harvard/Harris Poll, immigration has replaced inflation as the number one issue on American’s minds; 4) According to this McKinsey study, the average person works 90,000 hours in their life; 5) According to this WSJ article, pro-Palestinian videos have run on TikTok 69x more often than pro-Israeli ones; 6) According to this McQuarrie University study, snakes are the new high-protein superfood; 7) The odds of picking a perfect bracket for the March Madness office pool are one in 130 billion; 8) According to this article, the fastest growing high school girls sport is wrestling; and 9 ) According to this US Census Bureau study, the major US cities with the lowest church attendance are San Francisco, Seattle, and Boston. And the major US cities with the highest church attendance are Dallas, Houston, and Atlanta.
IS2M: 1) Many Christians believe more strongly in karma than they do grace; 2) Our Founders had a better understanding of human nature than today’s elites; and 3) Few are prepared to move from “Who’s who” to “Who’s that?”.
Ugh: In her book The Writing Life, Annie Dillard tells of an experiment done with butterflies. When males were placed next to a painted cardboard female butterfly that was bigger than any real female butterfly could ever be, he ignored the living female butterfly next to him even though the cardboard butterfly ignored all of his advances — and the real, living female opens and closes her wings in a vain effort to attract his attention. I believe we are watching a lot of males pining after painted cardboard butterflies.
The Question: There are lots of questions filling our day — e.g., Is this expired milk going to make me sick? Are those who enroll in genetic studies genetically predisposed to do so? How long before Elon Musk goes full Hank Rearden? As a pastor, I keep asking a more important but often awkward one: Are you prepared to die? Many are not.
Update on My Car: The police recovered my 2013 Hyundai, but State Farm has declared it totaled (apparently, it was driven so fast that the engine seized up). I remain more scandalized by the thief throwing my books out the car window and into a puddle than I do by the loss of the car (which suggests something about my idols). BTW, to all of you who suggested I not leave the car unlocked with the keys in the ignition and the engine running, I did no such thing. But apparently, all you have to do to start a 2013 Hyundai without the key is ask nicely, and it will start on its own.
Pray: It seems time to remind everyone that we should be praying for God’s favor on our country, for the unity of the church, and for our national leaders.
Closing Prayer: O Lord, I do not know what to ask of you. You alone know what are my true needs. You love me more than I myself know how to love. Help me to see my real needs, which are concealed from me. I dare not ask for either a cross or a consolation; I can only wait on you. My heart is open to you. Come to me and help me, for your great mercy’s sake… I put all my trust in you. I have no other desire than to fulfill your will. Teach me how to pray; pray yourself in me. Amen (Patriarch Theodore Philaret of Moscow, 1553 – 1633)