Do Not Love

The Bible is very clear that love is an essential part of God’s purpose, desires, and commands. After all, Jesus Christ stated, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this, everyone will know that you are my disciples; if you love one another” (John 13:34-35). John also writes in the famous passage, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). Matthew writes, “Jesus answered, ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.'” (Matthew 22:37-38). Love is an essential part of God’s goodness. However, there is something definite that we are commanded not to love.

Jesus commanded His disciples and followers to “Love one another.” Jesus also stated that the greatest act of love is to lay one’s life down for his friends. This statement, of course, was a future telling of what Jesus would do for the world. Either way, there is a great emphasis on loving one another. In my last post, I discussed the goal for humanity: “Live with love for God and one another and all creation” (Drimalla and The Bible Project). Love is at the center of everything, but the Bible is also clear that we should abstain from loving something very specific with every fiber of our being.

“Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father but is from the world. The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever” (1 John 2:15-17).

If you are like me, you just read that and thought, “But God loves the world, and He called us to be like Him. Why are we being told not to love the world?” Some might see this as a contradiction in the Bible. Let me assure you, there is no contradiction. We must understand what “World” John is talking about.

“World” in the New Testament is translated as kosmos. The Bible uses three definitions for “World .”First, “World” can refer to the physical world. This contains the Earth, creation, and the cosmos. This can be seen in verses such as Matthew 4:14, 13:38, and Acts 17:24. The second use for “World” refers to those who inhabit the Earth, humanity. John 1:10 shows how kosmos can be used in multiple ways. “He was in the world (Earth), and the world (Earth) was made through Him, and the world (humanity) did not know Him.” The third definition of “World” refers to abstract things that have spiritual and moral or immoral values. Paul uses this terminology in 1 Corinthians 1:20, 2:6, and 3:19. This terminology is also what John uses in 1 John 2:15-17.

We are called to love the world – humanity. Jesus said that the world would know we are His disciples by the love we share. There is, however, a love that we should never entertain. John wrote, “Do not love the world nor the things in the world.” There is an unseen war that is taking place all around us. This war is fought in the spiritual realm between the YHWH and the prince of this world, Satan. The earth is filled with deception, temptation, lust, and immorality. These are the things of this world. Satan uses these to entice humanity away from the goodness of God. The ways of the world are divisive, destructive, and deadly. As John stated, “For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life is not from the Father, but from the world” (1 John 2:16). All of those things are from the one who opposes YHWH. Those things are what place our wants and desires over the wants of God the Father.

Notice that John says three specific things that come from the world – the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the boastful pride of life. The first two deal with inner desires. The third one is all about outward desires. All of them are heart issues.

The lust of the flesh pertains to the sexual desires of humanity. Our society is overrun with sexual immorality, and sexual immorality is more than sex. Sexual immorality is anything outside the design and order that God intended. For example, “God created mankind in His own image, in the image of God He created them; male and female He created them” (Genesis 1:27). This is God’s original design and order. It was the ways of this world that perverted this design and made it something that it was never meant to be. The ways of the world have twisted, corrupted, and degraded the natural, God-given design for false ideologies and lies. Paul speaks to this in Romans 1:

“For since the creation of the world, God’s invisible qualities – His eternal power and divine nature – have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts became darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles. Therefore, God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. They exchanged the truth of God for a lie and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator – who is forever praised. Amen” (Romans 1:20-25).

Humanity rejected the ways of God for the ways of the world. We began to love the world’s ways, rather than to love God. It has become so perverse that humanity no longer sees gender as God intended. Instead, it is seen as a social construct in which people can identify as whatever they want. Paul explains what happened because of humanity’s love for the ways of the world: “Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones, In the same way, the men also abandoned natural relations with men and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed shameful acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their error” (Romans 1:26-27). The ways of the world says, “Do what you feel is right. Ignore the truth and create your truth. You get to decide what is true and what isn’t,” and most importantly, the ways of the world say, “You are god, and that is all you need.”

The second idea that John states for the ways of the world is the “lust of the eyes.” To lust after something is to want it with every fiber of your being. The lust of the eyes refers to wanting what we see. This could be material and monetary possessions and even personal physical desires. Sin comes when the desires of the eyes overtake us and make them our idols of worship. This doesn’t mean money or wanting to own a house is bad. It becomes a problem when all we think about and want to do is pursue the lust of the eyes. The prince of this world will use the world’s ways to turn our eyes and desires away from YHWH. This is why it is essential that we become spiritually aware of what becomes our main focus and desire.

The third idea that John states for the ways of the world is the “pride of life.” The first two are inner habits; the third idea is an outward habit. The pride of life can be summed up with one term – selfishness. In the Garden of Eden, the first humans lived peacefully with God. They served God and each other. It wasn’t until the Deceiver and Father of Lies convinced them that they were more important than each other and the God they served. This lie brought about the pride of life. 

Humanity has bought into the lie that the self is more important than anything else. This was never the intent of God’s design. When God made man and woman, He stated, “It is not good for man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him. Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and He brought her to the man. That is why a man leaves his Father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh” (Genesis 2:15, 22, 24). We are meant to serve and be helpers to each other. A husband and wife are to become one flesh. This means neither is more significant than the other. Jesus took this deeper when eating the Passover Festival with His disciples before his arrest and crucifixion. While eating, Jesus got up, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. He then went to each of His disciples and washed their feet. Jesus said, “I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them” (John 13:15-17).

We are told not to love the ways of the world. The world refers to abstract things with spiritual and moral or immoral values. The prince of this world uses the ways of the world to detract humanity from loving and believing in Jesus Christ and YHWH. The ways of this world make us think that what we want is better and more satisfying than the ways of God. Ultimately, we choose to be the god of our own life rather than allowing the Creator God to be the Lord of our life. The lies of the world subvert the truth. And what is truth? God gave us the answer in Isaiah, “I am the Lord, and there is no other; apart from me there is no God!” (Isaiah 45:5a). No matter how badly we want to be our own gods, the truth is that there is only one God. 

James said, “You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God” (James 4:4). Let us learn to love God and each other and despise the ways of this world. Let us make YHWH the Lord of our life and seek Him. Let us turn our ears to the voice of Truth and deny the lies from the prince of this world. Let us learn to love that which is good. 

Drimalla, S., & BibleProject Team. 2023. What Are Sin, Iniquity, and Transgression in the Bible?. https://bibleproject.com/blog/sin-iniquity-and-transgression-in-the-bible/

The War Unseen

There is a war taking place all around us. This war is unseen by human eyes. It is being fought in the spiritual realm between the gods of this world and the one true God. As the Apostle Paul wrote to the church in Ephesus, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (Ephesians 6:12). This war has been raging since the dawn of time. You and I are at the center of it. 

At the beginning of time, humanity was created to enjoy the wonders of this world. We were called to “be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground” (Genesis 1:28). The earth and all of its glory was made for humankind. We were created to be in relationship with YHWH, the God of gods. We were meant to walk and talk with God. We were meant to see God and basque in His glory. We were meant to be people who knew no sin and lived righteously in the presence of God for all time.

When God created the world, He called everything “Good.” When God made humanity, something very significant separated us from the rest of creation. God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground” (Genesis 1:26). We were made in the “Image of God.” Nothing on this earth has this same characteristic. However, this all changed when we allowed sin to rule our lives.

Before we can continue, we must ask, “What is sin?”. The Bible Project does an excellent job answering this question:

“The Hebrew word khata’ is most commonly translated as “sin.” Khata’ means “to fail” or “to miss the goal,” and the word is not always about morality. So if sin is missing the goal, what’s the goal? When God created humanity in his divine image, he set the goal. Genesis 1:26 captures an interesting statement from God, ‘Let us make humankind in our image, after our likeness,’ reminding us that this single God exists in three different yet undivided persons – Father, Word, and Spirit – inseparable but distinct, forever together in unbreakable love. To be created in the “image of God” like this suggests that humanity’s most essential nature is divine love. Living with love for God and one another and all creation is our primary human goal (emphasis mine). Choosing not to love invites corruption in the goodness of creation, so it is khata’ – sin” (Drimalla & BibleProject Team, 2023).

The first sin entered the “Good” world when the first humans chose to serve themselves rather than trust and follow God. You see, they were given a choice to disobey God and eat the fruit they were told not to eat, or eat the fruit and have their eyes opened and become like God – knowing good and evil (Genesis 3:1-5). Many people believe that the fruit caused sin to enter the world. In actuality, the choice to follow after temptation and disobey God’s command led to sin. From that point on, humanity’s soul would be in a constant state of war between good and evil.

After the fall of humanity from God’s glory, the image we were created in was broken. Think of it like looking at a broken mirror. The image is still there, but it is incomplete and shattered. This means that humanity still has the “good” we were created with but now must contend with the evil of sin. Remember, sin is when we “miss the mark” of doing good. We are born into sin, but it doesn’t mean we must choose to sin. That is where many get confused. We are still given the freedom to choose. As the Apostle Paul wrote, “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:21). 

The creation story is a visual representation of humanity as a whole. We are all given a choice to take the forbidden fruit and disobey God, or we can trust God, believe in his words, and choose righteousness. Here’s the kicker, we are fighting a war on the enemy’s turf. This means that making righteous choices is more challenging than it sounds. Jesus Christ knew this well. Before he proclaimed himself the Son of God and the world’s savior, he fasted for 40 days in the wilderness (Matthew 4:1-11). While he was in the wilderness, the devil came to tempt him. Jesus knew that the battle that was being fought was not in the physical realm. The battle was being fought in the spiritual realm. Notice that the devil, a god of this world, came to tempt him. It wasn’t another human. It wasn’t himself. A god of this world was trying to tempt Jesus into sin. Jesus overcame the god of this world by responding to every temptation with the precepts and commands of God. 

The wilderness was not the only place where the gods of this world tempted Jesus. When Jesus told his disciples that he would be killed and raised to life on the third day, “Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. ‘Never, Lord!’ he said. ‘This shall never happen to you!’ Jesus turned and said to Peter, ‘Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.'” (Matthew 16:22-23). Did you notice that Jesus saw through Peter and focused on the root of the problem? It wasn’t Peter; it was Satan. The god of this world used Peter to tempt Jesus away from being the savior of the world. That battle was an unseen battle between spiritual forces, not physical forces. When Jesus was with us some 2,000 years ago, he knew that the war had nothing to do with the people he was with. The battle was unseen to human eyes, but Jesus was very aware of the unseen.

After Jesus’s interaction with Peter, he turned to his disciples and said, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny himself and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?” (Matthew 16:24-26a). Jesus told us exactly what it took to win the unseen war – deny ourselves and follow Him!

You may think, “There is no way I can do all that perfectly!” You’re right. You can’t. Even though the choice is yours, you won’t. This is the power of the unseen war. We are tempted beyond measure by forces much greater than us. The gods of this world flex their power to make it near impossible to do what is good and holy. Their number one goal is to keep you “missing the mark.” Due to our inability to do “good” perfectly, we needed a savior to redeem us from the unseen war by doing what we could not. 

Remember, the goal is to live with love for God and one another and all creation. We fail at this when we place ourselves above God and live how we think is right. Jesus Christ came to be what we can’t and to save us from ourselves and the sin we choose to live in. His death on the cross was necessary to repair the broken relationship between God and humanity. Jesus’s death opened the door for us to live in the presence of God once again. You see, Christ’s death didn’t automatically provide salvation for everyone. It offered salvation if WE chose to accept Him as Lord and submit to His authority. Return to the beginning when the first humans were given a choice – surrender to YHWH and follow his precepts, or choose their selfish desires and be removed from God’s presence.

The world’s gods want nothing to do with the salvation that Christ Jesus gave through His sacrifice on the cross. They also want humanity to be blinded to the salvation that was offered by Jesus Christ’s sacrifice. This is why the world is filled with hatred, disease, gluttony, sexual immorality, selfishness, pride, and so much more. These are the powers of the gods of this world, and humanity chooses to focus on their powers rather than the saving grace of Jesus Christ and YHWH. There is a reason there is so much discord and division among humanity.

Here’s the clincher. Sin is a choice. It is a choice to lose the unseen war. It is a choice to fight for the gods of this world. We have been given the opportunity to stand up and fight for the King of kings who has already won the war. We are given a choice to be on the winning side or the losing side. Every time we choose to follow after our selfish desires rather than submit to the ways of YHWH, we choose to be on the losing side. As long as this world is still here, the unseen war will forever be fought. 

However, there will be a day when Christ will return and gather unto Himself all who have chosen to live for Him rather than the ways of this world. He will then establish His kingdom forever, and everyone who has chosen to live for the gods of this world will once again be cast out of His presence for eternity. However, there will be no more second chances. Christ’s death and resurrection are the only chance we have at reuniting with YHWH and being in his presence again. If we choose not to believe in Christ Jesus and submit to the authority of God in the time we have been given on this planet, there is no second chance. John, the disciple, quoted Jesus saying, “Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and come out – those who have done what is good will rise to live, and those who have done what is evil will rise to be condemned. By myself I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just, for I seek not to please myself but Him who sent me” (John 5:28-30). Remember, the “good” we are to do is to “Live with love for God and one another and all creation.”

We must wake up, see the forces at work in this world, and realize that you and I are at the center of this unseen war. If you are just starting to wake up to the deception that the gods of this world keep pushing, and you want to fight for the winning side, start by focusing on these two precepts – Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength; and love your neighbor as you love yourself. This is the starting point. Open your eyes and heart to the one true God, believe in Him, love Him, and remove yourself. 

If you have been struggling to stay on the winning side, I encourage you to open the Word of God and drink deeply from it. John wrote, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:1-2, 14). Jesus said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God'” (Matthew 4:4). Deny the gods of this world and submit to YHWH. 

Drimalla, S., & BibleProject Team. 2023. What Are Sin, Iniquity, and Transgression in the Bible?. https://bibleproject.com/blog/sin-iniquity-and-transgression-in-the-bible/

What’s Wrong With Society?

Videos are circulating on the internet of people promoting demoralizing and destructive ideologies. The people who try to stand for what is right are not getting the support of authorities and people in power. Instead, the people who are violent, divisive, and destructive are allowed to continue. Everything that was once abhorrent in society seems to be acceptable, and if one tries to stand for what is right, they are laughed at, jeered at, ridiculed, and abolished. What has happened to society to have it set on a course for destruction? The answer will not sit well with many of you, but time has proven what happens when we ignore the Truth.

“But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, concerted, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God – having a form of godliness but denying its power” (1 Timothy 3:1-5a).

Since the beginning of time, an unseen war has been fought for humanity’s soul. On one side, YHWH, the one true God, created humankind in His image and called all He made “very good.” On the other side, the Satan, the deceiver, the Father of Lies and Angel of Light, wanted nothing more than to destroy all that was good. The Satan wanted glory and honor for himself. He wanted to be God and be worshiped as God. Thus, he started down the path of absolute and complete destruction of all that was good. The Satan started by destroying the hearts, souls, and minds of humanity.

The Satan convinced humanity that they did not need God. He claimed that we could be our own gods. The first humans listened to the false narrative of the deceiver and freely chose to disobey YHWH. This disobedience to God led to a severed relationship between the physical and spiritual worlds. That disobedience made humanity carnal and shattered the image of God by which we were made. The greatest deception of all time led to the most significant destruction of society.

The disobedience of the first humans removed us from being in relationship with YHWH. We had chosen to disobey and go our own way. We decided to be our own gods rather than follow the one true God. It didn’t take long for the destruction of the Satan to take hold of humankind. The sons of the first man and woman were born into a life of sin and destruction. Both sons proved that sin and destruction were a choice and didn’t have to control the soul of man. One brother sought after YHWH. He worshiped him and wanted a relationship with him. He built altars for YHWH and gave YHWH the first and best of everything he had. YHWH saw him and blessed him. Because of this man’s diligence in seeking YHWH and honoring Him, YHWH found favor with the son.

However, the second son also built altars and gave YHWH what he had, but he didn’t give him the best of his crops. Instead, he only shared what was convenient. When the second son saw that YHWY found favor in his brother and not him, he became angry. YHWH then spoke to the son and said, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it” (Genesis 4:6-7). Sadly, the brother allowed sin to rule over him, and he eventually killed his brother over jealousy and anger. Destruction won again.

The story goes on throughout humanity’s history. Those who sought out a relationship with God and followed his commands, to them were given blessings and honor and glory. This did not mean they had an easy life. The more humankind sought after YHWH, the more the Satan sought to kill and destroy. There was a man by the name of Job who was “blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil” (Job 1:1b). He was considered “the greatest man among all the people of the East” (Job 1:3b). The Satan went and presented himself before God. He challenged God and claimed that if God removed everything he had, Job would surely turn and curse God. Remember, the Satan only wants to take what was good and destroy it. YHWH gave everything over to the Satan except Job’s life.

The Satan took full advantage of what he was given. He took all of his flocks and crops and even killed all his children. The Satan did what he does best; he destroyed everything good. He even cursed Job with painful sores that covered his body in hopes that Job would curse God for all that was happening to him. Even Job’s wife tempted him to curse God and die to escape his misery. Job’s reply is perfect, “Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?” (Job 2:10b).

Job had many questions. He cursed the day he was born due to the tragedy that had befallen him. Job’s friends came around him and shared their thoughts and insights. However, everything they shared was mortal words without actual knowledge. Eventually, God spoke with Job, and YHWH summed everything with – “Are you God? Can you do the things of the Almighty? Do you understand the ways of the Lord?” Job’s reply to YHWH was this:

“I know that you can do all things; no purpose of yours can be thwarted. You asked, ‘Who is this that obscures my plans without knowledge?’ Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know. You said, ‘Listen now, and I will speak; I will question you, and you shall answer me.’ My ears had heard of you, but now my eyes have seen you. Therefore, I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes” (Job 42:2-6). You see, what Job realized is that he was not God. He knew nothing of his plans and purposes. We are His creation, and who are we to call out to the Creator and question His actions? You see, when we think we are gods, we question the one true God. And don’t forget, our thinking that we are gods came from the greatest deception of all time that started us on the road of destruction.

YHWH even gave the people of Israel directions on how to be in relationship with Him, live holy lives, and be set apart from the sin of the world. YHWH laid it out in 10 easy-to-understand steps – these are called The Ten Commandments. Not only did He state what the people of Israel should do, but He also stated what would happen if they chose not to follow His commands. You guessed it; utter destruction would be upon them. However, this destruction was not brought on by YHWH but rather by the people for thinking that their ways were higher and better than God’s. God himself gave these commandments to the Israelites. The people of Israel were so terrified of God that they did not want God to speak directly to them. You would think that the people of Israel would remember the power of God and choose to follow His commands. Alas, the nation of Israel would be in a constant battle between following the ways of God and following their selfish desires. And just as God stated, the moment Israel chose to follow after their desires and leave the ways of God, destruction came upon them.

Fast forward a few millennia, and we were given yet another formula for how to live a life of purity, honesty, integrity, and righteousness. The new formula was not really a new one, but rather one that summed up the first set of commands given thousands of years before. During the life of Jesus Christ, he was asked by a Pharisee – a teacher of the religious Law – “What is the greatest commandment?” (Matthew 22:30) Jesus replied by saying, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as you love yourself.'” (Mathew 22:37-39). Do you see? The greatest commandment is to put God first in EVERYTHING! To make Him King and not ourselves. To submit to his authority rather than giving ourselves the power.

Jesus didn’t stop there. He gave us a picture of what was to come, and that picture was more of a mirror of the godless soul. Jesus said:

“You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains. You will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of Me. At that time, many will turn away from the faith and betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come” (Matthew 24:6-14).

Does any of this look familiar in today’s world? This happens when people choose to become their own gods rather than submit to the One True God. God leaves it open for us to decide. We have been warned of the destruction to come when we deny YHWH and live as if there is no God. Even this was stated in scripture:

“The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God.’ They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no one who does good. The Lord looks down from heaven on all mankind to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God. All have turned away, all have become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one. Do all these evildoers know nothing?” (Psalms 14:1-4).

Destruction is what the Satan wants. Destruction creates chaos, bloodshed, and division. It removes us farther from our relationship with God. There is nothing good in destruction. However, destruction is brought on by our choices, our actions, and our selfish intent. Destruction is the cause of us thinking we are gods rather than submitting to the true God. We are not at war with each other. As the Apostle Paul stated, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (Ephesians 6:12). We are just the players on the battlefield in the war between sin and death and the omnipotent Creator. But as the players on the battlefield, we get to decide for whom we fight. However, here is the beauty of it all – THE WAR HAS ALREADY BEEN WON!

This cosmic, spiritual war that started at the dawn of time has already been won. The Satan deceived humanity into turning away from God our Father and convinced us that we could become gods ourselves. It was then that YHWH put into motion Operation Redemptive Freedom. YHWH allowed humanity to choose whom they would serve – themselves or Him. However, there was a break in the relationship between humanity and YHWH, and that relationship needed to be repaired. There was nothing we could do to fix what we freely broke. The destruction was almost irreparable. There needed to be a perfect, blameless sacrifice that took on the sin and destruction of the world. That sacrifice, the death of one man, would bring life, salvation, and redemptive freedom to all those who would only choose to believe in Him and follow His commands. Here enters Jesus Christ the Messiah – God’s perfect Son!

Jesus came into this world to be that sacrifice for all humanity – past, present, and future. He chose to submit himself unto his Father – something God has asked us to do, but we continually fail. “Christ Jesus, who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death – even death on a cross!” (Philippians 2:6-8) You see, all God asked of us was for us to die to ourselves and submit to his authority, but the Satan knew what would happen if we did that. He did everything he could to keep us from all that was Good. This is why Jesus Christ did what we couldn’t do – ultimately opening the door to freedom from sin, death, and destruction.

What’s wrong with society? Society shows us a growing and ever-expanding belief that there is no God and that people would rather listen to the lie that was told ages ago and believe that they are their own gods. YHWH never has and never will force himself to be the King of your life. We get to decide if we want to submit ourselves to the one who hung on the cross and ultimately submit ourselves to God the Father, or if we continue to believe the lie that was started millennia ago and think that we are gods to ourselves and continue down the path of destruction. The greatest lie and false narrative set humanity on course for destruction.

But fear not. There is freedom, peace, and the ability to see through the lies, deceit, deception, and falsehood by turning back to God and submitting your life to the Creator of you and me by believing and following His Son, Jesus Christ. There is a battle for your soul, and what happens to it is entirely in your hands. You can continue to believe the lies and deception that the Satan has put in place since day one, or you can turn to the One who knows you better than anyone, the One who created you just the way you are, the One who loves you, accepts you, died for you, and wants nothing more than to spend eternity with you.

The choice is yours!

No More Lies!

Trigger warning – this blog may be offensive to some. You’ve been warned!

The United States has fallen even deeper into the pits of deception, lies, and depravity. The U.S. has been heading down the road of deception for decades, but recently it has taken a turn that has led to deeper misinformation, deceit, and treachery. This hard turn further into depravity is wreaking havoc on the country and society. No more lies. We must turn back to the truth and live for what is right. We must become a people who hold to and teach moral and ethical values. Enough with allowing feelings to dictate and determine truth. No more gaslighting and grandstanding on issues to encourage division and more deception. It is time to no longer be fooled by the angel of light and the father of lies. It is time to speak truth in the face of evil.

The idea that we are considering the idea that gender is fluid is beyond stupidity. The fact that there is a group that pushes an ignorant, foolish, and evil ideology – and winning in many aspects – is demoralizing. The fact that our society is even having a conversation about accepting philistine ideologies is befuddling. The lies that have been spread have been repeated enough times for people to consider them as true. A lie that is believed to be true is still a lie. When society pushes for lies to be accepted as truth, impending collapse of said society is soon to follow. When the voice of deception is louder than the voice of truth, destruction is imminent. 

Lies do only one thing – bring destruction. Our society claims that people need to be gender affirming by affirming the gender someone claims to be. This doesn’t affirm anything. Rather, it continues the deceitful lie and encourages the lie to be accepted as truth. There are a lot of truths that are now considered racist, bigoted, and hate speech. I’m sorry, but just because you don’t like to hear the truth doesn’t mean it isn’t true. Here are some truthful statements that are considered “hate speech” today:

Truth – gender is not fluid
Truth – the gender we were given at birth is no accident
Truth – the gender you were born with is exactly who you were meant to be
Truth – you do not get to choose your gender, you are born with it
Truth – you do not have the right to force others to accept your lies
Truth – to think you are something you are not is considered a mental disorder
Truth – evil disguises itself as false truths
Truth – just because you don’t agree with something that is true doesn’t make it less true
Truth – your inability to accept truth does not negate my right to speak truth
Truth – there is no such thing as “your truth”

Dostoevsky wrote, “Above all, don’t lie to yourself. The man who lies to himself and listens to his own lie comes to a point that he cannot distinguish the truth within him, or around him, and so loses all respect for himself and for others. And having no respect he ceases to love.” The more we accept and believe the lies that are regarded as truth, the less respect we have for ourselves and our fellow man. 

Many may try and argue that by not affirming someone’s desired gender is disrespectful. I would argue that by encouraging them to believe a lie is even more disrespectful. Let me ask you, do you feel respected when you are lied to? Probably not. Then why are we willfully lying to others who are obviously struggling in their mental health? Why are we encouraging dysphoria, rather than helping people in their mental struggles? Respect is being truthful no matter the cost. I would argue that we no longer respect each other, but instead are too cowardly to speak truth when it is desperately needed. How long will we water down the truth until truth is no more?

Ray Bardbury wrote in Fahrenheit 451, “But you can’t make people listen. They have to come round in their own time, wondering what happened and why the world blew up around them.” The reality is that the longer we allow this ideological dysphoria to continue, the world will “blow up” and by then, it will be too late. Our society, our country, will lose, and we will be left with nothing but destruction and ruin. I was asked the other day if I thought it was too late for our country. I want to hope that it is not, but when our country has chosen debauchery and depravity over moral and ethical living, nothing good can come of it. 

There is nothing new under the sun. History is on constant repeat. I have learned through my reading and observations that what we do today is no different than what has happened in the past. The only thing that changes is the time and people, but the actions of the past are on constant repeat. For example, the depravity of this country can be seen in the era of the Roman Empire. There was political corruption, economic corruption and decline, and immoral and unethical living that was accepted as normality. The Roman Empire eventually fell, but it is hard not to consider that the acts and way of life of the Roman Empire played a significant role in its decline. As I mentioned earlier, history is on repeat, and the only thing that changes is the time and the players.

Enough with affirming lies and accepting immorality and debauchery as a normal way of life. Enough with renaming mental dysphoria as a gender identity crisis. Enough with pushing philistine ideologies in the education system and through political agendas. Enough with forcing lies to be accepted as truth. It’s time that we return to what is morally and ethically right. It’s time that we stop the decline before we see the ultimate destruction of our country and our society. After all, it was the city of Sodom and Gomorrah that was burned to the ground because of the debauchery and immorality that ran rampant in the streets.

What’s Your Code?

Different military branches hold to a moral/ethical code, an ethos, or in the case of the Vikings, laws. These codes and laws dictate and determine decision making, actions of the individual, and overall quality of life. Most branches of the military require their cadets to learn and memorize their branch’s code of conduct. What fascinates me is that most codes have the same foundational qualities. Here are a few that I have found to be most influential to me:

Navy Seals:

  • Serve with honor and integrity on and off the battlefield
  • Read to lead, ready to follow, never quit
  • Take responsibility for your actions AND the actions of your teammates
  • Excel as warriors though discipline and innovation

Army Rangers:

  • Never shall I fail my comrades. I will always keep myself mentally alert, physically strong, and morally straight, and I will shoulder more than my share of the task
  • My courtesy to superior officers, neatness of dress, and care of equipment shall set the example for others to follow
  • I will never leave a fallen comrade to fall into the hands of the enemy

Marine Corps:

  • Honor is the bedrock of our character
  • Honor is the quality that empowers Marines to exemplify the ultimate in ethical and moral behavior:
    • To never lie
    • To never cheat
    • To never steal
    • To abide by an uncompromising code of integrity
    • To respect human dignity
    • To have respect and concern for each other
  • The heart of our core values is courage
  • It is the mental, moral, and physical strength ingrained in Marines to see them through:
    • The challenges of combat
    • The mastery of fear
    • To do what is right
    • To adhere to higher standards of personal conduct
    • To lead by example
    • To make tough decisions under stress and pressure
  • Commitment promotes the highest order of discipline for unit and self
  • It instills pride, concern for others, and an unrelenting determination to achieve a standard of excellence in every endeavor

There is a theme from these lists. Firstly, integrity and honor are of the utmost importance. This is then followed by moral and ethical behavior. Finally, self discipline and personal growth are essential. It’s about pushing yourself to be better every day. Another quality that is valued is the care for others and not just self. These codes of conduct provide a foundation for living. Imagine how our society, our world, might change if we taught these principles to our children and lived them out in our own life.

I never had people in my life express to me the importance and value of having a code of conduct with which to live by. In fact, I never knew the value of building and defining a personal set of rules and regulations on which I should build my life. As a child, I was told to do the right thing and respect other people. These are good principles; basic, but good. I was never told why I should do these things. It was as if I was supposed to just know the value and importance of doing these principles. Now that I have my own children, I am building on what I was taught, but instilling in my children the understanding and purpose of having a personal code of conduct.

It wasn’t until recently that I found value and meaning in living my life with a code of ethics and morals. I don’t mean to say that I didn’t have a set of morals and ethics in the past. It wasn’t until four or five years ago that living with a code meant something to me. I started reading books from former Navy Seals, Special Forces, and prominent leaders. I kept seeing the same theme throughout each of their stories – living life with a code of conduct brings direction and meaning to one’s life. It provides a lens by which actions are taken, decisions are made, and words are spoken. A personal code of conduct helps put the focus on our actions, our choices, and our words. It means we learn to take personal responsibility for ourselves.

My personal code of conduct is as follows:

  • Do the right thing no matter the cost
  • Take ownership for my actions, choices, and words
  • Respect everyone, even if they do not respect me (I struggle with this one)
  • Be disciplined in all areas of my life
  • Serve others
  • Above all, seek after the ways of God and live according to his Word (I struggle with this as well)

So what is your personal code? What principles do you build your life on? I would love to read your personal code of conduct, and if you are struggling with building a personal code of conduct, I would love to help you create one and encourage you in your journey of living it out.

As always, stay humble and serve well!

Watch The Company You Keep

“Bad company corrupts good character” (Menander and the Apostle Paul). “Tell me with whom you associate, and I will tell you who you are” (Johann Wolfgang von Goethe). “Some would argue that you’re as successful as the company you keep. Certainly, there is a connection between our friends and who we are” (Simon Sinek). “The key is to keep company only with people who uplift you, whose presence calls forth your best” (Epictetus). “A mirror reflects a man’s face, but what he is really like is shown by the kind of friends he chooses” (Colin Powell). I could keep going with quotes about the importance of watching with whom we keep our company. There is something to say about who we associate with, when writers, poets, and leaders throughout history are quoted giving warning and guidance about the company we keep.

When I was younger, I never believed that the company I kept would have an impact on who I became. Sadly, I also didn’t have people sharing wisdom about the importance of paying attention with whom I spent my time. Looking back, I can see the disastrous choices I made really were influenced by the people I hung around. Today, I keep a very close circle when it comes to the people with whom I associate. I know that influence happens whether or not I think I am strong enough to avoid negativity or poor behavior. My circle of friends must be people of character and integrity, as I want my friends to help me be a better version of myself. 

Colin Powell once said, “As you grow, your associates will change. Some of your friends will not want you to go on. They will want you to stay where they are. Friends that don’t help you climb will want you to crawl. Your friends will stretch your vision or choke your dream. Those that don’t increase you will eventually decrease you.” Colin Powell was a man of great wisdom. He took seriously the people he chose to let into his inner circle. He understood the power of influence and the consequences that happen when we don’t pay attention to the people we allow into our lives. “The simple but true fact of life is that you become like those with whom you closely associate – for the good and the bad” (Colin Powell).

In today’s world, friends are considered people who “follow” you on social media. Youth who live in a make-believe virtual world believe that friends are those found in their “friends” list on Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, etc. I have even seen some more mature individuals get caught up in the same fantasy of friendship. Social media is a false narrative when it comes to friendship. The reality is friends are people we spend most of our time with. The question we should be asking ourselves is, “Who am I giving up my time for, and how are they influencing me?” 

Let’s go back to Colin Powell. He once stated, “With some people you spend an evening: with others you invest it. Be careful where you stop to inquire for directions along the road of life. Wise is the person who fortifies his life with the right friendships. If you run with wolves, you will learn how to howl. But, if you associate with eagles, you will learn how to soar to great heights.” The people we allow in our lives have a significant influence on the overall success we have in life. My wife makes fun of me a lot for listening to certain motivational speeches or podcasts. She does it all in good fun. However, there is a reason why I watch what I do. I want positive motivation and encouragement in my life. I want to learn from others and listen to the lessons they have learned in life. I want to be influenced to be better. 

I have learned that the more I sit and waste time on social media, the worse my attitude and mindset becomes. However, when I listen to motivational speeches or watch podcasts of individuals who have gone through tough situations and share the lessons they have learned, I find myself wanting to be better. I also become more aware of people in my life that do not share the same sentiment. If I find myself associating with lazy, apathetic people, I start to see myself becoming more lazy, apathetic, and full of excuses; because that’s what most lazy and apathetic people do…they make excuses. When I see people who choose popularity and greatness over integrity and humility, I find that I become more arrogant and hot headed. If I want to live my life with high standards and expect to become a better version of me, then I need to be very cognizant of the people I allow into my life.

 “Never receive counsel from unproductive people. Never discuss your problems with someone incapable of contributing to the solution, because those who never succeed themselves are always first to tell you how. Not everyone has a right to speak into your life. You are certain to get the worst of the bargain when you exchange ideas with the wrong person. Don’t follow anyone who’s not going anywhere” (Colin Powell).

As always, stay humble and serve well! Oh, and be careful who you allow into your life.

Recognize Your People

Tom had a great idea to bring more community involvement to his organization. He researched and planned everything it would take to make his idea successful. He then brought his idea to his leadership, and they gave him the green light. He spent hours putting together materials, volunteers, and speaking with the right people to make his idea a reality. The day came, and it was a huge success. After the event, Tom was never congratulated, never thanked, and was never recognized for putting together a successful event for the organization. Leadership, however, saw the success that Tom’s hard work brought and decided to turn it into an annual event. The following year, leadership took control of the event and never once invited Tom into the planning or organization of the event. Tom felt defeated and discouraged for putting in all the hard work that he did and never getting any credit or recognition for the success he brought to the organization. The following year, he chose to stay out of the event.

Samantha works hard for her company. She is always bringing in the most revenue and putting up the biggest numbers for your company. Her way of doing business is a bit unconventional, but it works and brings in the most growth for her company. She is the top producer among her colleagues. She comes in early and stays late whenever she can. She also picks up extra work for her company. However, no matter how hard she works and no matter how much profit she brings in for the company, she has never once been recognized for her outstanding work and performance. After 10 years at the company, Samantha is wondering why she works so hard for her company when all of her hard work goes unrecognized. She struggles with not becoming disgruntled and detached from her work. 

Stories like these are numerous throughout companies, organizations, and industries. People who work hard, go above and beyond, and are at the top of their industry go unnoticed and unrecognized. They outperform their colleagues on a consistent basis, but are never recognized for their achievements and hard work. Why do we question our employees’ loyalty when we never recognize those who perform the best for our company or organization? If we want great people working for us, we must recognize those who work hard and make a positive difference in our companies. 

Recognition is essential in the workplace. As leaders, we may get caught up in the paperwork, bureaucracy, and other stresses that are put on us from those above us, but we must never neglect those we lead. We must make a conscious effort to recognize those in our company or organization that work hard and perform well. When we take the time to recognize those who outwork and outperform their colleagues, those individuals gain a sense of pride and ownership and are encouraged to keep going above and beyond. When others see that hard work is rewarded and recognized, they become more apt to putting in extra effort and taking pride in what they do. 

Please don’t get me wrong, I am not saying leadership should buy hard work. I am also not encouraging the overworking of our staff. I am simply suggesting that we start to take notice of those individuals in our companies and organizations that have been working their ass off without the recognition they deserve. When a leadership position opens in the company, instead of looking outside the company to fill that role, look inward and see the people who have shown leadership and management qualities through their hard work, performance, and results. Instead of a gift certificate to a fancy restaurant, recognize your people with paid time off or a weekend trip. Whatever you do, make it a point to recognize the people in your company and organization for their hard work and contributions.

When leadership takes the time to recognize their people, their people will, in turn, take pride and ownership in what they do. Recognition builds a sense of security and self-worth in one’s company. It also boosts morale and improves retention. It gives staff a sense of pride and positive reinforcement. It shows that they are cared about, and that their hard work and dedication is not going unrecognized. Recognition says, “Thank you for all you do, the hard work you put in, the accomplishments you have made for our company and organization, and we see you as an invaluable asset to our company and organization.” 

Be intentional in leadership. Recognize those who work hard and show dedication to what they do. Don’t get so caught up in the stressors of leadership that you neglect your people. Without them, your job means nothing.

As always, stay humble and serve well!

A Super Bowl Leader

If you were like me, and 280 million other people, Sunday was spent watching two football teams go head to head to see who was the best in the 2023 NFL season. Whether you were rooting for the Chiefs or the Eagles, one thing is for sure, they put on a fantastic show for their audience. I am a big fan of games that come down to the wire, and that is exactly what Super Bowl XLVII was all about. I didn’t have a preference as to who should win the Super Bowl, as I felt both teams were great competitors and earned their way to the center stage. Overall, the game was fantastic and both teams played their hearts out. 

There was a play that happened in the second quarter that forced a turnover for the Eagles and ultimately ended with the Chiefs getting a touchdown. Yes, the turnover was disappointing, but how the quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles, Jalen Hurts, handled the turnover was phenomenal. I have seen quarterbacks fumble the ball and get turnovers on many occasions. I have also seen quarterbacks yell at their offensive line and blame them for the turnover because of their lack of protection. Yesterday, however, Jalen Hurts did exactly what any good leader should do. He took ownership, blamed himself, and encouraged his offensive line. He didn’t point fingers, he didn’t yell at his men, he simply took ownership of his mistake and encouraged his team.

Phot Credit: AP Photo/Abbie Parr

There is something to be learned from Jalen’s interaction with his team. As the quarterback, he is seen as the leader, the guide, the one who controls the field. He depends on his offensive line, his running backs, and his receivers. However, they also depend on him to be aware, to be alert, to see the field and react accordingly. They rely on him to know the plays, throw on target passes, and be able to read the defense. As the leader, it is easy to point fingers and push blame when things do not go according to plan. It’s easy to point fingers at the offensive line when they allow the defense through. It’s easy to point fingers at the wide receiver who didn’t get into position in time. However, in reality, everything comes down to the quarterback. 

Hunter did something that is rarely seen in leadership these days. He took ownership. He pointed fingers at himself rather than at his team. He humbled himself in front of his team and his coach and took responsibility for the fumble and ultimate turnover that led to the opposite team putting points on the board. There is something to say about a young quarterback who would rather take ownership than push blame. His actions led to a more cohesive team. His team stepped it up and played their hearts out for him, and it showed, as the Eagles held possession of the ball for 20:32 throughout the game. 

Even though the Eagles didn’t go on to win the Super Bowl – blown by a cheap call in my opinion – they still rallied together as a team and played a great game. The team energy starts with the leadership, and Hurts showed that he was the best to lead that team. He took ownership of his faults, he rallied the team together, and his commitment to his team is what gave the Eagles the drive and confidence that they needed. There is much to learn from a young, 24 year old quarterback that found himself in the Super Bowl.

Ownership is essential in leadership. Heck, ownership is essential in life. It’s easy to point fingers and place blame, but in reality, it comes down to us. It comes down to our choices and actions. Ownership builds trust and relationships. It shows a commitment to taking responsibility and personal reflection. Being a leader who takes ownership empowers the rest of the team to be their best. It shows the team that leadership is willing to humble themselves. Taking ownership doesn’t always mean your team will win, but it does mean that your team becomes stronger, better equipped, and more driven. 

I applaud you, Jalen Hurts. You are a great example of what leadership should be. May we all take a minute to learn from your example. 

As always, stay humble and serve well!

Shut Up and Work! – Part 2

My last post had way more backlash than I was expecting. In fact, my last post was called “a revolting piece of garbage” by someone. I was told that my thinking was out of touch. There was even a comment about the words I used and the picture I chose for the article. You guessed it, someone had to make a race comment. I also received comments on how work is not work if you’re passionate about it. Honestly, I was quite amused by most of the negative comments to my post, and now, I’m going to double down on what I said previously.

Firstly, the statement, “Shut up and work!”, is about mindset and nothing more, which I mentioned in my previous post. People complain about having to put in work to get where they want to be. They make excuses for not doing what needs to be done. A perfect example of this is living a healthy lifestyle. Is this something everyone does? Absolutely not, seeing as how America’s obesity rate is extremely high. A Harvard study suggests that over 69% of America’s population is obese and, or overweight. Instead of seeing the importance and value of making better life choices and doing what is needed to become healthier, people make excuses and push blame for their lack of discipline and self-control. Does it take work to be healthy? YES! Will you enjoy it? Probably not! Instead of complaining and whining about having to exercise and give up garbage food, just shut up and work! Be disciplined in your lifestyle and you will see yourself become better.

Secondly, work is work; plain and simple. Everything takes work. It doesn’t matter if you love it or hate it, work is work. There is no new definition to work. Sure, you can throw out the line, ‘Well, if I love what I do then it’s not work.” Yes it is. You still have to work at what you are doing. Sure, you may enjoy it more, but you’re still working. You may not complain about it as much, but you’re still working. And you are still having to do the things that need to be done in your life even if you love it or not. Work is work. People complain they don’t have time to do things, or they have too much to do, but instead of getting up and getting after it, they sit on the couch or procrastinate and don’t get things done. If they would take on the mindset of, “Shut up and work!”, then what needs to be done, would be done. 

No one loves to do laundry, or the dishes, or clean the bathroom, and if you are a person who likes to do these things, you are awesome! I would say the majority of us do not enjoy these chores. So what happens? We wait to do them, things pile up, and then we have even more to do, all because we choose to complain about having to do them. Imagine what would happen if we became disciplined in our life, and we did what needed to be done in spite of how we feel about it. Instead of looking at the pile of dishes or clothes and rolling our eyes and getting frustrated that we have chores to do, we learn to shut up and get after it. We are really good at procrastinating, and as Alexander Graham Bell once said, “The only difference between success and failure is the ability to take action.”

Thirdly, the concept of “Shut up and work!” has nothing to do with government, politics, race, religion, gender, or whatever else you want to impose on it. It has everything to do with attitude and life choices. I don’t care what your skin color is, I don’t care what gender you want to affiliate yourself with, I don’t even care what political party you want to bow down to, what matters is what you do with your life and if you are becoming the best version of yourself on a daily basis. Are you willing to go the extra mile, be kind when you don’t want to be, be encouraging when you don’t want to be, be compassionate when you don’t want to be, be quiet when you don’t want to be? Instead of comparing yourself to me, my writing, or others, are you looking in the mirror and making the choices that better you and making yourself grow? Or, are you so caught up in your self-righteous ideology, that you can only see what you don’t like rather than what you can learn?  

Work is not bad. Never has been, never will be. Everything we do in life takes work, and the quality of our work will determine the quality of life we have. The harder we work the better we become. Instead of complaining about having to work, just shut up and do it! Make yourself better and stop comparing yourself to others. The only person you should compare yourself to is the person you were yesterday. Out work who you are on a daily basis. Yes, you will have garbage days. Yes, you will struggle with apathy and procrastination. This is why discipline is essential. Without discipline, we stop growing. We stop becoming better. We stop moving forward. 

So, for all you haters who don’t like that I said, “Shut up and work!”, or don’t like that I used the picture I did, I don’t care. It makes me happy to know that you are reading my posts. I hope that you find time to break away from your self-righteousness and seek to understand and learn from what I am writing, rather than judging it and getting offended by it. It’s okay that you don’t agree with what I am saying, but can you find things in it that you can agree with? If not, I might encourage you to not read my posts. Go find something or someone that fits your small, narrow scope of reality. Because as many of you have pointed out, I am an educator, and I always encourage my students to seek out multiple perspectives and find things you can learn from each one. It doesn’t mean they have to agree 100% with everything, they just need to stretch themselves to learn from things they might not agree with.

Shut Up and Work

There is a shirt that I absolutely love. All it says on it is, “Shut Up and Work!” I love that statement. People would rather talk, complain, waste time, make excuses, and waste energy instead of getting results, become better, push themselves, take ownership, and put in the hard work. Here’s the bottom line, instead of running your mouth and wasting time, just shut up and work.

The more we talk, the farther behind we get. The more excuses we make, the less progress we make. The more we complain, the weaker we become. American lawyer, Mel Robbins, said it best, “No one’s coming to push you. No one is coming to tell you to turn the TV off. No one’s coming to tell you to get out the door and exercise. Nobody is coming to tell you to apply for that job that you always dreamt about. No one’s coming to write the business plan for you. You got to parent yourself. You got to push yourself.”

Our society lacks discipline, focus, and purpose. Let me take that back, our society doesn’t lack any of those things, it’s just all in the wrong things. Society is disciplined in complaining and making excuses, society is focused on playing the victim, and society’s purpose is to be heard and cancel people who don’t agree with the mainstream agenda. When we allow social media, mainstream media, and the news to tell us what to think and what’s important, we lose sight of what really matters.

We have a generation of people who expect things to be given to them, and when they don’t get what they want, they throw a fit, complain, and claim that they are oppressed. Here’s the hard reality. You don’t get what you want. You get what you work for. So, shut up and work. We no longer teach the value and importance of hard work. Society sees work as a chore rather than an opportunity. Yes, work is hard and not fun at times, but work brings purpose and meaning to life. We were designed to be workers. At the dawn of time, mankind had to work for everything – food, shelter, fire, water. As technology has advanced, we haven’t needed to work as hard, and we have become lazier, more apathetic, and have slowly started losing purpose. It has also created a “here and now” mindset. Instead of understanding the value of earning something, society expects it to be given to them.

People want to complain that the top 1% of our society is what’s wrong with this world. They want to complain that people who make the most money make it hard for the rest of us. All I hear are a bunch of people whining and complaining that they don’t have what they want, because they aren’t willing to put in the time or work that it takes to get them what they want. Instead of working hard and earning what they want, people want the wealthy’s money, the money the wealthy worked hard for and were willing to put in the time, work, and energy to obtain, to be redistributed among society. Talk about a selfish, self-centered, and entitled society. If you want something, shut up and work for it.

We need to change the mindset of future generations. We need to teach and show the value and importance of hard work, discipline, and self-respect. We need to bring back the mindset of resilience, perseverance, and grit. Instead of giving our children everything they want, we need to be parents who teach these foundational values. Instead of giving them every electronic device known to man, turn off the screen and have them do some actual work. We need to show our children that work is something to cherish and enjoy. We need to show them that we don’t get what we want unless we are willing to work for it. Instead of being a society that is entitled, complains, and pushes blame, we need to be a society that values discipline, hard work, self-respect, and integrity.