WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.800 --> 00:00:03.680 You're listening to The Bible Guys, a podcast where a 2 00:00:03.680 --> 00:00:06.440 couple of friends talk about the Bible in fun, in 3 00:00:06.519 --> 00:00:07.480 practical ways. 4 00:00:11.759 --> 00:00:14.759 Hey, everybody, my name is Chris and my name is Jeff, 5 00:00:14.960 --> 00:00:18.440 and we ares I. 6 00:00:18.160 --> 00:00:19.160 Could have done that a little better. 7 00:00:19.800 --> 00:00:21.879 Hey, we want to welcome you here, and we are 8 00:00:21.879 --> 00:00:23.960 in the middle of a series talking about the Beatitudes. 9 00:00:24.320 --> 00:00:26.800 But before we get into that, we are going to 10 00:00:26.839 --> 00:00:29.160 take time to read, Jeff one of the best articles 11 00:00:29.199 --> 00:00:29.679 I think I've. 12 00:00:29.600 --> 00:00:32.719 Ever read, some of the very important. We're always looking 13 00:00:32.840 --> 00:00:36.799 for special interest pieces, yeah, that are useful to our listeners. 14 00:00:37.359 --> 00:00:40.920 And since we're called the Bible Guys, right, we thought that, 15 00:00:41.359 --> 00:00:44.479 you know, there's probably people as they're in the new year. 16 00:00:44.520 --> 00:00:46.960 Now you're a couple of weeks in and you're trying 17 00:00:46.960 --> 00:00:49.039 to think, you know, maybe you've already missed a couple 18 00:00:49.119 --> 00:00:51.719 of your your New year resolutions. 19 00:00:51.799 --> 00:00:53.920 Fourth weekend now probably yeah, yeah. 20 00:00:53.560 --> 00:00:56.159 But you've probably already missed a few resolutions, and you're thinking, man, 21 00:00:56.159 --> 00:00:58.000 I just want to be a better Christian. Yeah, And 22 00:00:58.079 --> 00:01:02.799 so we scour every good resource we can find to 23 00:01:02.840 --> 00:01:05.319 help our people be better Christians. And what better place 24 00:01:05.359 --> 00:01:07.519 to go look than the Babylon b yes, right. So 25 00:01:07.560 --> 00:01:11.560 The Babylon b is our favorite news and self help 26 00:01:11.680 --> 00:01:14.120 website on the entire Internet if you don't know. 27 00:01:14.439 --> 00:01:17.239 Just to be clear, it is literally just as reliable 28 00:01:17.280 --> 00:01:20.560 and I sort of mean this as every other news 29 00:01:20.640 --> 00:01:21.519 outlet out there. 30 00:01:21.680 --> 00:01:24.519 It is, it is. But this one is seven simple 31 00:01:24.519 --> 00:01:27.920 ways to be a better Christian this year from the 32 00:01:27.959 --> 00:01:30.799 Babylon b. This is under the heading of Christian Living. 33 00:01:30.640 --> 00:01:33.040 Which I love this article. The premise of this article 34 00:01:33.079 --> 00:01:33.359 is great. 35 00:01:33.400 --> 00:01:35.280 Here's what they say. If you're hoping to make a good, 36 00:01:35.719 --> 00:01:37.599 make good on your New year's resolution to become a 37 00:01:37.599 --> 00:01:40.719 better Christian, then you've come to the right place. The 38 00:01:40.760 --> 00:01:43.719 staff of the Babylon Bee has collectively read the Bible 39 00:01:43.760 --> 00:01:46.200 at least once, so we know a thing or two 40 00:01:46.200 --> 00:01:51.760 about being a better Christian collective as here's a few 41 00:01:51.799 --> 00:01:58.200 good tips. One stop sinning. It's simple, really, it's so great. 42 00:01:58.599 --> 00:02:01.879 It's so great. Hey, we know the answers. Just stop sitting. 43 00:02:02.599 --> 00:02:03.480 It's so good. Yep. 44 00:02:03.680 --> 00:02:06.760 Number two, take a double helping of communion each time 45 00:02:07.120 --> 00:02:08.120 we heard this might work. 46 00:02:08.319 --> 00:02:11.280 That is so funny, It is really funny. 47 00:02:11.479 --> 00:02:13.759 Number three, try to read the Bible at least as 48 00:02:13.840 --> 00:02:16.199 much time as you spend playing that one little mobile 49 00:02:16.199 --> 00:02:19.080 game where you do simple math calculations to multiply your 50 00:02:19.120 --> 00:02:21.520 soldiers to fight these zombie people who are marching towards you. 51 00:02:21.599 --> 00:02:24.159 Oh my goodness, that's every advertisement. 52 00:02:23.560 --> 00:02:27.520 Ever, right, that'd be a huge improvement over last year. 53 00:02:28.280 --> 00:02:30.960 So good, it's so good. I love this next one. 54 00:02:31.000 --> 00:02:32.039 This next one makes me laugh. 55 00:02:32.120 --> 00:02:34.919 Make Number four is make a donation to k Love. 56 00:02:35.439 --> 00:02:37.599 If you don't know, k Love is the one of 57 00:02:37.599 --> 00:02:41.400 the top Christian music radio stations, and it says the 58 00:02:41.439 --> 00:02:44.080 Holy Spirit has been urging you to support positive, encouraging 59 00:02:44.120 --> 00:02:45.319 family music for years. 60 00:02:45.360 --> 00:02:48.240 Oh my goodness, it is so funny because that's all 61 00:02:48.240 --> 00:02:48.879 you hear, right. 62 00:02:50.120 --> 00:02:50.719 Support them. 63 00:02:51.360 --> 00:02:55.039 Number five learn to do a backflip. It's not particularly Christian, 64 00:02:55.080 --> 00:02:57.000 but it feels like a Christian who can do one 65 00:02:57.039 --> 00:02:58.879 is better than one, and can't I love that. 66 00:02:59.199 --> 00:03:01.800 It's so great. It is so good. 67 00:03:02.319 --> 00:03:04.280 A Christian who can do one is better than one 68 00:03:04.280 --> 00:03:06.800 who can't do one. That makes sense to me. Yeah, 69 00:03:06.919 --> 00:03:08.759 I never thought of it that way, but yeah, we 70 00:03:08.800 --> 00:03:12.120 should put that in a discipleship process. It's random, right, 71 00:03:12.800 --> 00:03:14.400 You need to read more, you need to pray more, 72 00:03:14.479 --> 00:03:15.919 you need to come to church more, and if you 73 00:03:16.000 --> 00:03:18.479 learn to do a backflip that puts you top ten percent, 74 00:03:18.560 --> 00:03:25.159 it can't hurt. Yeah. Number six, own more people in 75 00:03:25.240 --> 00:03:33.400 theological debates online. Just like the Apostle Paul. He'd be 76 00:03:33.400 --> 00:03:34.919 online just typing all caps. 77 00:03:34.919 --> 00:03:38.719 It's the altimate way of busting on those people. It's 78 00:03:38.800 --> 00:03:41.360 so good, just like you know, how just you know, 79 00:03:41.639 --> 00:03:43.879 just the Apostle Paul. Did he actually just like you 80 00:03:45.000 --> 00:03:46.599 and your theological debates online? 81 00:03:46.680 --> 00:03:47.400 Oh my goodness. 82 00:03:47.400 --> 00:03:50.759 That's right. And then number seven, don't wait until you're 83 00:03:50.800 --> 00:03:54.439 suffering from an existential life crisis to pray. It makes 84 00:03:54.479 --> 00:03:58.159 praying during your life crisis come more naturally. Right, So 85 00:03:58.639 --> 00:04:00.960 that makes sense. So follow these simple steps and you'll 86 00:04:01.000 --> 00:04:03.319 be holy in no time. Being a Christian has never 87 00:04:03.319 --> 00:04:05.599 been easier. There you go. 88 00:04:05.719 --> 00:04:07.919 I have a thought that I want to share about 89 00:04:08.240 --> 00:04:11.360 people who debate theological things online. Yes, and then share 90 00:04:11.479 --> 00:04:14.319 political thoughts online. Okay, so I'm opening up can of worms. 91 00:04:14.319 --> 00:04:15.319 You're you're nervous, aren't you. 92 00:04:15.400 --> 00:04:16.079 I know I'm for it. 93 00:04:16.160 --> 00:04:17.839 Okay, here's here's what I want to say to you. 94 00:04:17.879 --> 00:04:19.279 Because I hate social media. 95 00:04:19.399 --> 00:04:22.879 If you're a person who I have one, let me 96 00:04:22.879 --> 00:04:24.079 say it this way. This is a better way to 97 00:04:24.120 --> 00:04:29.639 say it. I have a friend whose wife she has 98 00:04:30.279 --> 00:04:34.199 no identity other than the identity. 99 00:04:33.759 --> 00:04:34.480 Of like. 100 00:04:36.160 --> 00:04:38.920 Sort of like, you know, expressing her anger against her 101 00:04:38.959 --> 00:04:41.759 opposing political view, right, because that's sort of what it is. 102 00:04:41.839 --> 00:04:45.040 Right, So her identity is being upset at people who 103 00:04:45.120 --> 00:04:47.480 don't believe what she believes politically correct. 104 00:04:47.560 --> 00:04:50.360 Yeah, and and and and and so. But either way, 105 00:04:50.480 --> 00:04:52.920 even if she's for what she believes, or if she's 106 00:04:52.959 --> 00:04:55.360 against what she doesn't believe, she's more against what she 107 00:04:55.360 --> 00:04:58.000 doesn't believe. But but even if she's for what she believes, 108 00:04:58.720 --> 00:05:01.399 she has no other idea. Like if you go over 109 00:05:01.439 --> 00:05:03.839 their house and you sit down and you talk with them, 110 00:05:04.199 --> 00:05:07.920 it's like, do you have a personality other than political views? 111 00:05:08.160 --> 00:05:09.480 Right? Like do you do? 112 00:05:09.240 --> 00:05:09.279 You? 113 00:05:09.480 --> 00:05:11.800 Do you talk about? Are you? Are you more than that? 114 00:05:12.519 --> 00:05:15.839 Because I sort of don't think you are right? And 115 00:05:16.160 --> 00:05:18.000 so I started and anyway, let me just say it 116 00:05:18.040 --> 00:05:22.399 this way. The number of people who are persuaded by 117 00:05:22.759 --> 00:05:25.199 her political views, let me think, let me try to 118 00:05:25.199 --> 00:05:28.240 add them up. Carry the two oh zero, right, yes, 119 00:05:28.360 --> 00:05:30.519 and and the people who are persuaded by your political 120 00:05:30.600 --> 00:05:33.560 views online are zero. And the people who are persuaded 121 00:05:33.600 --> 00:05:37.120 by anybody's view is zero. And and I feel the 122 00:05:37.120 --> 00:05:39.879 same way about theological debate online because it's not a 123 00:05:39.879 --> 00:05:45.839 real debate, right. A real debate involves care, it involves friendship, 124 00:05:45.959 --> 00:05:49.959 involves respect, right, it involves all those things like like 125 00:05:50.079 --> 00:05:56.680 productive debate. Uh, but online trolling and and caps, you know, 126 00:05:57.439 --> 00:06:00.360 opposition yelling, inserting. 127 00:06:00.120 --> 00:06:04.759 Opinion, especially typed debate. I do think that there have 128 00:06:04.920 --> 00:06:09.800 been a lot of beneficial video debate because you're watching 129 00:06:09.879 --> 00:06:12.800 humans interact with humans. Yes, that's a different thing than 130 00:06:12.879 --> 00:06:16.240 me typing my argument against you and waiting for an 131 00:06:16.279 --> 00:06:18.839 hour until you have time to type yours back. And 132 00:06:18.879 --> 00:06:20.879 then I do a little bit of chat GPT research 133 00:06:20.920 --> 00:06:22.759 and you do a little bit of chat GBT research, 134 00:06:22.800 --> 00:06:25.639 and we come back and clash again. That kind of stuff. 135 00:06:25.680 --> 00:06:28.040 I don't know how much effect it really has. It 136 00:06:28.040 --> 00:06:33.120 has zero, but watching others debate helps helps us form ideas. 137 00:06:33.199 --> 00:06:34.920 So here's so here's what I'm going to say. 138 00:06:35.160 --> 00:06:37.879 I'm going to say that if you really think about 139 00:06:37.959 --> 00:06:43.319 the heart of this, both of those things is really 140 00:06:43.399 --> 00:06:48.920 not about changing anything, right, although you may think it is. 141 00:06:49.000 --> 00:06:51.240 If you're that person who does those things, you may 142 00:06:51.279 --> 00:06:54.720 think you're doing good. And yet the whole world knows 143 00:06:55.000 --> 00:06:57.439 that you're not doing any good, right, and that that's 144 00:06:57.480 --> 00:07:01.399 an overstatement. But but but really, truly it's almost zero 145 00:07:01.480 --> 00:07:02.600 point zero percent good. 146 00:07:02.680 --> 00:07:02.879 Right. 147 00:07:03.519 --> 00:07:06.279 So here's what I'm gonna say, if you really think 148 00:07:06.279 --> 00:07:10.040 about it. I'm no psychologist, I'm no counselor, right, although 149 00:07:10.040 --> 00:07:14.240 I've done those things. It really comes down to people 150 00:07:14.480 --> 00:07:18.639 wanting their voice to be heard. So it's about It's 151 00:07:18.680 --> 00:07:22.279 really about whether or not you feel like you have 152 00:07:22.319 --> 00:07:28.120 a voice that is heard somewhere. And I believe that 153 00:07:28.160 --> 00:07:31.560 the people who have a voice that is heard, Like 154 00:07:31.600 --> 00:07:33.920 if you grow up and your family listens to you, 155 00:07:33.920 --> 00:07:36.800 your friends listen to you, and you have meaningful conversations, 156 00:07:37.360 --> 00:07:40.560 I think you don't have that tendency to spit off 157 00:07:40.600 --> 00:07:44.759 online because you live a life where your voice is heard. 158 00:07:45.079 --> 00:07:47.680 In general, I'm not talking about being a political person. 159 00:07:47.720 --> 00:07:51.360 I'm saying just you are a person whose voice is heard, right. 160 00:07:51.879 --> 00:07:53.600 But if you're a person who you feel like your 161 00:07:53.680 --> 00:07:57.839 voice has not been listened to, those are typically the 162 00:07:57.879 --> 00:08:03.279 people who are characterized in that manner. And so really 163 00:08:03.319 --> 00:08:05.800 it comes down to, like insecurity, it comes out it's 164 00:08:05.800 --> 00:08:07.680 the same thing if you grew up in a family 165 00:08:08.439 --> 00:08:12.800 and you experience unconditional love, acceptance, and value, then you 166 00:08:12.839 --> 00:08:15.639 don't have to look for love, acceptance, and value in 167 00:08:15.759 --> 00:08:18.680 unhealthy places. Right now, people go off and they join 168 00:08:18.800 --> 00:08:23.160 gangs right because they don't have acceptance right growing up 169 00:08:23.160 --> 00:08:26.120 in their home. So you're designed to receive those things, 170 00:08:26.680 --> 00:08:28.560 and you're designed to be a person whose voice is 171 00:08:28.600 --> 00:08:31.199 heard in a healthy way. But if you're not a 172 00:08:31.240 --> 00:08:33.320 person who receives that in a healthy way, you're going 173 00:08:33.360 --> 00:08:35.720 to look for unhealthy ways for your voice to be heard, 174 00:08:36.080 --> 00:08:38.480 and that is those people online. 175 00:08:38.519 --> 00:08:40.000 Yeah, and then we have to also understand that the 176 00:08:40.039 --> 00:08:42.600 algorithms are against us. We're not going to change the 177 00:08:42.639 --> 00:08:47.240 world with our opinions because algorithms are designed to feed 178 00:08:47.320 --> 00:08:49.559 you more of what they what the algorithm already knows 179 00:08:49.600 --> 00:08:52.679 you believe and what you want. And then your message 180 00:08:52.679 --> 00:08:56.399 is only getting out to a portion of your friend 181 00:08:56.480 --> 00:09:00.759 group that agrees with what you agree with and only 182 00:09:00.799 --> 00:09:03.600 a portion of your friend group that disagrees, very small 183 00:09:03.639 --> 00:09:06.879 portion that disagrees, because the algorithms are designed to give 184 00:09:07.000 --> 00:09:09.679 your friends more of what they also believe. And so 185 00:09:09.759 --> 00:09:12.639 what happens is you fight with your nieces and nephews 186 00:09:12.840 --> 00:09:16.159 and that's about it. Occasionally you get one of their friends. 187 00:09:16.159 --> 00:09:18.559 We'll see a thing, but that's a deep diver that 188 00:09:18.679 --> 00:09:22.039 eventually finds what you what you say, So there's better ways. 189 00:09:22.120 --> 00:09:24.399 I do believe in legit dialogue. I do think that 190 00:09:24.440 --> 00:09:27.879 you should be active in your in your engagement with 191 00:09:27.960 --> 00:09:31.120 your government and with your voting and those things. I 192 00:09:31.120 --> 00:09:33.440 think you should have a strong, strong opinion that should 193 00:09:33.480 --> 00:09:36.320 be well educated on these things. I'm just saying I 194 00:09:36.360 --> 00:09:39.039 don't think that social media is the place to get educated. 195 00:09:39.639 --> 00:09:42.120 And you're not actually gonna get more prayers answered if 196 00:09:42.120 --> 00:09:46.320 you keep forwarding things, right, and don't let this chain break, 197 00:09:46.360 --> 00:09:48.679 God's gonna bless you. Right, Let's see who really loves 198 00:09:48.759 --> 00:09:51.440 Jesus kind of stuff. That's all just junk. It's just junk. 199 00:09:51.759 --> 00:09:53.519 And when I said I hate social media, what I 200 00:09:53.559 --> 00:09:56.399 hate is what it turns people into. For the most part, right, 201 00:09:56.519 --> 00:09:58.960 it's a useful tool, but I say all the time 202 00:09:58.960 --> 00:10:00.759 it gives a plus play formed a lot of d 203 00:10:00.879 --> 00:10:05.080 minus ideas, right, And uh that's a that's the disadvantage. 204 00:10:05.080 --> 00:10:08.399 But uh, you know, you know what, rather than picking fights, 205 00:10:08.480 --> 00:10:10.960 my desires just to to try to make as much 206 00:10:10.960 --> 00:10:14.399 peace as possible, is it? Jeff it is Corean is 207 00:10:14.399 --> 00:10:16.759 at the core of who I am. I just want 208 00:10:16.799 --> 00:10:18.120 to be you know what, you know what I want 209 00:10:18.120 --> 00:10:18.279 to be. 210 00:10:18.320 --> 00:10:19.679 It's just part of the wonderfulness of me. 211 00:10:19.799 --> 00:10:21.639 I just want to be a peacemaker. That is what 212 00:10:21.720 --> 00:10:22.000 I want. 213 00:10:22.080 --> 00:10:23.080 That's a b renoldsol. 214 00:10:23.320 --> 00:10:24.200 It's just a wonderful. 215 00:10:24.559 --> 00:10:24.759 Yeah. 216 00:10:25.720 --> 00:10:28.120 Lannie Anderson looked at Burt Reynolds in the movie Struck 217 00:10:28.200 --> 00:10:30.960 Uration and she goes, you were just you were just 218 00:10:30.960 --> 00:10:33.120 so great because you did this thing, you know, and 219 00:10:33.159 --> 00:10:35.559 he goes, that's just part of the wonderfulness of me. 220 00:10:39.440 --> 00:10:40.320 That's huge. Well. 221 00:10:40.399 --> 00:10:43.240 In Matthew chapter five, verse nine, it's amazing because it 222 00:10:43.279 --> 00:10:47.399 says God blesses those who work for peace, for they 223 00:10:47.440 --> 00:10:48.919 will be called the children of God. 224 00:10:49.320 --> 00:10:51.000 This is a brand new beatitude. 225 00:10:51.000 --> 00:10:53.639 That's an incredible that's the brand new one there. 226 00:10:53.679 --> 00:10:55.200 I have taken note that you've read it. 227 00:10:55.320 --> 00:10:58.080 Yes, I just read it right there. God blesses those 228 00:10:58.120 --> 00:11:01.039 who work for peace. They will be called the children of. 229 00:11:00.960 --> 00:11:02.200 The Last be attitude. I didn't hear that. 230 00:11:02.200 --> 00:11:04.080 You officially read it, and that's twice right there. 231 00:11:04.240 --> 00:11:06.919 Oh, you said it. Well, blessed are the peacemakers, for 232 00:11:06.919 --> 00:11:09.519 they called the children of God. 233 00:11:09.080 --> 00:11:12.240 That's a good one. That's one of my favorites. 234 00:11:12.360 --> 00:11:12.559 Yeah. 235 00:11:14.679 --> 00:11:18.480 So so other translations would say blessed are the peacemakers. Yes, 236 00:11:18.720 --> 00:11:21.320 and I love this translation. Blessed are those who work 237 00:11:21.440 --> 00:11:25.679 for peace? Right. It's not people that are are. It 238 00:11:25.720 --> 00:11:28.840 doesn't say God blesses those people who like peace. 239 00:11:29.559 --> 00:11:29.679 Right. 240 00:11:30.159 --> 00:11:34.960 It doesn't say God blesses those people who never have confrontation. 241 00:11:35.559 --> 00:11:36.080 Correct. 242 00:11:36.559 --> 00:11:38.000 It doesn't say. 243 00:11:37.799 --> 00:11:40.799 It's so good, it's it's such an unbelievable distinction. 244 00:11:40.919 --> 00:11:44.639 Right. It doesn't say that God blesses those people who 245 00:11:44.679 --> 00:11:49.480 avoid difficult conversations or difficult topics. It doesn't say that 246 00:11:49.559 --> 00:11:51.759 God blesses people who choose neutrality. 247 00:11:52.200 --> 00:11:52.399 Right. 248 00:11:52.879 --> 00:11:56.919 It says that God blesses those people who work for peace. 249 00:11:57.039 --> 00:11:57.440 That's right. 250 00:11:57.519 --> 00:12:02.759 Peace always requires work, always the peace. Because we live 251 00:12:02.759 --> 00:12:05.679 in a cursed culture, because we live in a cursed world. 252 00:12:06.519 --> 00:12:08.759 All of creation is cursed. We live under the curse 253 00:12:08.799 --> 00:12:12.399 of sin. Say things degrade, they don't get better. Things 254 00:12:12.399 --> 00:12:15.440 don't move towards the utopia, they move away from them. 255 00:12:16.000 --> 00:12:19.720 Things don't go We don't go from chaos to order. 256 00:12:20.039 --> 00:12:24.639 It goes from order to chaos every single time, every time. Right, 257 00:12:25.039 --> 00:12:27.519 And it's the same thing with peace. Peace is something 258 00:12:27.519 --> 00:12:29.799 that has to be worked on and maintained. It has 259 00:12:29.840 --> 00:12:34.200 to be cultivated in order to thrive. And if you 260 00:12:34.200 --> 00:12:36.240 don't cultivate it, the weeds will grow up and eventually 261 00:12:36.279 --> 00:12:38.840 peace will fall apart. And this is true with every 262 00:12:38.879 --> 00:12:42.159 good thing in your life. Every single God made us 263 00:12:42.200 --> 00:12:47.600 to cultivate the garden, paradise, any piece of paradise we 264 00:12:47.639 --> 00:12:49.919 want in our life, we have to cultivate it. If 265 00:12:49.919 --> 00:12:52.120 you want more peace, you have to cultivate it. You 266 00:12:52.159 --> 00:12:54.159 have to be a peace maker. You have to be 267 00:12:54.440 --> 00:12:56.480 working for peace. You want joy, you need to be 268 00:12:56.519 --> 00:12:59.000 a joy maker. If you want love, you need to 269 00:12:59.000 --> 00:13:02.039 be a making. I don't know how to say that one. 270 00:13:02.120 --> 00:13:04.159 Now you need to be working to have more love 271 00:13:04.159 --> 00:13:08.159 in your life. Did you quite know? I walked myself 272 00:13:08.240 --> 00:13:09.000 right into that one. 273 00:13:09.039 --> 00:13:13.600 That is so good. That's so good, But it is true. 274 00:13:13.919 --> 00:13:19.000 Yeah, right, you have to work at it. You Romance 275 00:13:19.080 --> 00:13:22.519 in a marriage doesn't just keep happening, right, You have 276 00:13:22.559 --> 00:13:26.519 to work at it, and everything like that, every good thing. 277 00:13:26.559 --> 00:13:30.759 If you want paradise, you have to cultivate that part 278 00:13:30.799 --> 00:13:33.120 of it, otherwise it all falls apart. And so peace 279 00:13:33.200 --> 00:13:34.639 is not a thing just because you have peace today 280 00:13:34.759 --> 00:13:36.399 doesn't mean you have peace tomorrow. You have to keep 281 00:13:36.440 --> 00:13:36.960 working on it. 282 00:13:37.200 --> 00:13:41.080 Yeah. And by the way, uh, just that's hysterical. 283 00:13:41.440 --> 00:13:43.080 That's one of the funniest things I've done in this show. 284 00:13:43.200 --> 00:13:43.840 It's really funny. 285 00:13:43.840 --> 00:13:46.120 I'm really glad I avoided it. I almost stepped in it. 286 00:13:46.200 --> 00:13:47.600 Oh, I don't think it'd be that good. 287 00:13:47.840 --> 00:13:53.960 Yeah, the the let me go back and say, I 288 00:13:54.000 --> 00:13:57.639 want to say something fun. So whenever I teach on conflict, 289 00:13:58.919 --> 00:14:00.960 one of my favorite things to do is I usually 290 00:14:01.039 --> 00:14:04.519 have like a picture of an ostrich in a rhino. Right, 291 00:14:04.919 --> 00:14:08.240 So the ostriche has its head buried in the sand, 292 00:14:08.879 --> 00:14:12.720 and then there's a rhino who charges toward everything, right, 293 00:14:13.039 --> 00:14:16.279 and the rhino is blind, Right, the rhino can't see 294 00:14:16.320 --> 00:14:18.200 more than like a few feet in front of its face. 295 00:14:18.279 --> 00:14:20.360 Yeah. They can run forty five miles an hour and 296 00:14:20.399 --> 00:14:22.399 they can only see like fifty feet in front of 297 00:14:22.440 --> 00:14:25.559 them in that y Yeah, there's one of the most 298 00:14:25.639 --> 00:14:27.440 dangerous animals on the planet, just because they don't know 299 00:14:27.440 --> 00:14:30.039 where they're going. Yeah, but they weigh what five pounds 300 00:14:30.120 --> 00:14:30.720 or whatever? Yeah? 301 00:14:30.759 --> 00:14:31.519 Yeah, yeah, yeah. 302 00:14:31.519 --> 00:14:34.960 So you know we've all heard the phrase a charging rhino, right, 303 00:14:35.519 --> 00:14:38.480 and so so, yeah, we liken it to you know, 304 00:14:38.559 --> 00:14:42.639 either running into conflict like a rhino or hiding, you know, 305 00:14:42.720 --> 00:14:45.480 burying your head in the sand. And we've used that 306 00:14:45.519 --> 00:14:48.159 phrase too. And the funny thing is there are people 307 00:14:48.200 --> 00:14:51.759 who lean toward one and lean toward the other. Now, 308 00:14:51.879 --> 00:14:55.679 what's interesting is you and I are a different breed 309 00:14:55.759 --> 00:14:56.240 of people. 310 00:14:56.440 --> 00:14:57.240 Yes we are. 311 00:14:57.240 --> 00:15:00.559 Right, so we're it's not like we love conflict, but 312 00:15:01.600 --> 00:15:03.960 for our personality type the way that God has made us. 313 00:15:04.679 --> 00:15:04.960 Uh. 314 00:15:05.159 --> 00:15:09.320 You you often say debate is a sport, right, yes, yeah, 315 00:15:09.360 --> 00:15:11.600 so we are e NTPs to the. 316 00:15:11.519 --> 00:15:15.240 Mind debates sport. Yeah, so we will get into arguments 317 00:15:16.159 --> 00:15:20.200 because we sometimes where others would avoid the debate, we 318 00:15:20.240 --> 00:15:23.600 would jump in it sometimes because we just like, yeah, 319 00:15:23.759 --> 00:15:25.399 we like it for a few minutes. 320 00:15:25.519 --> 00:15:26.080 Yeah. 321 00:15:26.159 --> 00:15:27.759 And and the funny thing is that I think you're 322 00:15:27.799 --> 00:15:31.039 at way slightly more than me. Uh but but but 323 00:15:31.120 --> 00:15:31.600 I think. 324 00:15:31.480 --> 00:15:34.679 Because I'm quicker quick, I have more answers. Actually I 325 00:15:34.960 --> 00:15:35.639 have more answers. 326 00:15:35.679 --> 00:15:38.159 I know you're joking, but it actually. 327 00:15:37.879 --> 00:15:38.679 Has stronger opinions. 328 00:15:38.720 --> 00:15:39.720 But it actually is true. 329 00:15:40.399 --> 00:15:43.279 You have stronger opinions, and honestly, you have self assurance. 330 00:15:43.720 --> 00:15:45.759 I think, and I think that that plays into the 331 00:15:45.799 --> 00:15:47.080 fact that you think you're right more. 332 00:15:47.759 --> 00:15:51.000 But yountps do tend to be very clever and very quick, Yes, 333 00:15:51.000 --> 00:15:53.279 and so we tend to know that we can get 334 00:15:53.279 --> 00:15:55.360 one over on the person who's arguing. And especially if 335 00:15:55.399 --> 00:15:57.679 it's a dumb argument, if it's a dumb argument, doesn't 336 00:15:57.679 --> 00:16:01.320 it just it just you can't help it. Dumb arguments 337 00:16:01.399 --> 00:16:04.799 are like chumming the water, and we're chumming the water. 338 00:16:04.840 --> 00:16:05.480 We can't help it. 339 00:16:05.639 --> 00:16:07.639 Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah yeah yeah. 340 00:16:07.679 --> 00:16:09.600 But but but I think all those things play into that. 341 00:16:10.000 --> 00:16:12.279 So because of that, you and I have a tendency 342 00:16:12.600 --> 00:16:14.840 and it's and it's healthy to recognize that, right, it's 343 00:16:14.840 --> 00:16:18.000 healthy to understand that there are different person personalities. But 344 00:16:18.000 --> 00:16:20.200 I would say more people, and I would say the 345 00:16:20.320 --> 00:16:22.279 vast majority of almost. 346 00:16:21.919 --> 00:16:23.799 All people lean toward the ostrich. 347 00:16:23.879 --> 00:16:27.480 Would you agree, avoid avoidance, avoidan yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. 348 00:16:27.399 --> 00:16:27.840 Yeah yeah. 349 00:16:27.840 --> 00:16:29.879 And they you know, as if you know, listen, if 350 00:16:29.919 --> 00:16:31.840 you bury your head in the sand, you may not 351 00:16:31.879 --> 00:16:33.879 be able to see what's around you, but your jugular 352 00:16:33.919 --> 00:16:34.679 is still exposed. 353 00:16:34.840 --> 00:16:37.039 Yeah, that's the truth. And so and so you're gonna 354 00:16:37.039 --> 00:16:38.480 suffer a lot of pain. Yeah, You're gonna suffer a 355 00:16:38.480 --> 00:16:40.320 lot of pain because that crazy rhino can only it 356 00:16:40.399 --> 00:16:42.039 turns out it can only see thirty feet in front 357 00:16:42.039 --> 00:16:43.480 of it can run thirty five miles an hour. So 358 00:16:43.519 --> 00:16:44.000 I was close. 359 00:16:44.120 --> 00:16:44.720 Oh it's close. 360 00:16:44.840 --> 00:16:47.159 Yeah, that rhino you can't even see you, and it's 361 00:16:47.159 --> 00:16:49.679 about ready I'll blast you. Yeah, And because you're not 362 00:16:49.720 --> 00:16:51.919 paying attention, So it's definitely you're gonna get hurt. 363 00:16:51.960 --> 00:16:54.919 It's definitely unhealthy for a person who loves conflict. Right, 364 00:16:55.200 --> 00:16:58.120 then there's a person who doesn't mind conflict. Right, But 365 00:16:58.279 --> 00:17:00.559 most people lean toward the people who avoid. 366 00:17:00.679 --> 00:17:03.519 They avoid, and so when they're hiding, they're gonna get blasted, 367 00:17:03.559 --> 00:17:04.440 they're gonna get hurt. 368 00:17:04.640 --> 00:17:07.279 Yeah. Well, a lot of marriages, quite honestly, are that way. 369 00:17:07.559 --> 00:17:07.720 You know. 370 00:17:07.960 --> 00:17:09.880 There are people who just say it's not worth it, 371 00:17:09.880 --> 00:17:12.680 it's not worth it, so they just avoid conflict. They 372 00:17:12.720 --> 00:17:15.839 just they just pretend like it doesn't exist, and it 373 00:17:15.880 --> 00:17:18.799 builds up and it's terrible and there's gonna be pain coming, 374 00:17:19.279 --> 00:17:21.519 you know, or maybe the whole life is your whole 375 00:17:21.559 --> 00:17:23.680 life is pain because you avoid conflict. 376 00:17:23.960 --> 00:17:26.279 So that's that's not what Jesus is saying here. 377 00:17:26.720 --> 00:17:31.200 He's not saying, Blessed be the peacemakers, you know, avoid 378 00:17:31.359 --> 00:17:34.559 conflict that needs to be addressed and and just try 379 00:17:34.559 --> 00:17:35.359 to keep the peace. 380 00:17:35.720 --> 00:17:36.599 That is not it. 381 00:17:37.079 --> 00:17:39.559 And I and I guarantee you that there are people 382 00:17:39.559 --> 00:17:43.559 who probably uh, they'll say, hey, I've spent my whole life, 383 00:17:43.960 --> 00:17:46.160 I just let that person say or do what that 384 00:17:46.160 --> 00:17:49.119 person needs to say or do. I just I avoid 385 00:17:49.160 --> 00:17:50.759 it because I just want to keep the peace. Well, 386 00:17:50.759 --> 00:17:53.160 that is not that is not what Jesus is saying. 387 00:17:53.319 --> 00:17:56.440 So I believe that we have to address conflict when 388 00:17:56.480 --> 00:17:59.480 it needs to happen. Yes, but working for peace is 389 00:17:59.559 --> 00:18:01.880 much much different that avoiding conflict. 390 00:18:02.039 --> 00:18:06.200 Yeah. So I've spent in one of my roles with 391 00:18:06.279 --> 00:18:09.599 TTI as Chairman of the Board, I spent a significant 392 00:18:09.640 --> 00:18:12.480 amount of time which is called the Timothy Timothy Initiative. Yeah, 393 00:18:12.599 --> 00:18:17.240 we work with hundreds of thousands of church leaders around 394 00:18:17.279 --> 00:18:21.400 the world in fifty different countries and ex kins things. 395 00:18:21.680 --> 00:18:24.279 So just the scale of that means that you have 396 00:18:24.319 --> 00:18:27.799 to have some pretty strong infrastructure, and with that means 397 00:18:27.799 --> 00:18:30.480 you have strong leaders. And then now because we're in 398 00:18:30.480 --> 00:18:34.680 fifty different countries on every continent, that means that there's 399 00:18:35.960 --> 00:18:40.720 all kinds of different cultural issues. And then there's tribal 400 00:18:40.799 --> 00:18:44.000 issues because we're in developing nations and there's all these things, 401 00:18:44.200 --> 00:18:47.519