Update: article shortened here and copied to the other site. The subject has essentially filled, or captured, my entire week. That would be the fourth week of the year, with one more left in January.
As for health, since this is a regular update, all is status quo. My eye appointment (cataract) has been rescheduled and parents are essentially fine. On schedule, I have quite a February coming up, with a ministry event and presentation next weekend, then a trip to Ohio, and another full weekend in Indy immediately following. On accountability, I’ve spent way too much time on YouTube, but I did get some sewing done. One quilt needs quilted and bound, another is in progress, and now that I’m healthy again I’ll focus on the next baby quilt. She was born in September, so I’m rather late, but I have time.
Nuance is a big word this week, as there are several matters that aren’t as polar as their marketers want it to appear. How one defines the words being used is part of that. In a “would you rather” form of survey, one set of options was color vs order. I’d go for order over color, but not if it entails the loss of freedom. Nuance, or at least definitions, required.
At the same time, there are places for absolute black and white, and the answer to “What’s your stance on Jesus?” is one of them. One answer will give you a positive eternity and both the reason and resource to live now. Any other answer negates all of these. But Jesus must be recognized and accepted for who He is, how He’s defined in scripture and by His true friends.
In contrast, this week’s viewing included quite a bit of cults and conniving. One contributor boiled it all down to lack of accountability in leadership, allowing for the egregious to continue unchecked. That’s the kind of thing that terrifies me in my journey. Accountability is critical, yet without “the committee” swaying one against God’s plan. Think of Peter & Jesus with the “get thee behind me” episode, or how the Abraham & Isaac story would have been altered by a poll.
Another contributor pointed out how often we’re warned in scripture about the deceit of humans – both perpetrating it and being gullible enough to follow along. “Wolves in sheeps’ clothing” is a frequent metaphor, joined by the many times Jesus spoke of how we are like sheep, defenseless and easily overcome without a shepherd. The old testament speaks of the responsibility of leaders to lead well, and the accountability of those who dare to claim they speak for God. As stated in Ecclesiastes 1:9, there is nothing new.
Scripture also warns us that as human time winds down, the prevalence and success of the deceiver’s tactics will increase. We’re there and wolves abound. Our only defense is Jesus, scripture, and the rational capacity He gave us. Be careful who you pay attention to, and one clue will be their use of nuance.
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