Wisdom for Your Weekend is your regular installment of what we’ve been reading (and watching) around the web. Presented to you by Chris Pappalardo, with guidance from Pastor J.D., this is our attempt to reflect Proverbs 9:9: “Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser; teach a righteous man, and he will increase in learning.”
While we do not always agree with everything these authors post, we share these resources because we find them challenging and enriching. As we often say around the Summit, “Eat the fish and spit out the bones.”
Articles of the Week
We Know They Are Killing Children. All of Us Know. John Piper. “The point of this article is that, when it comes to abortion, we know what we are doing — all America knows. We are killing children. Pro-choice and pro-life people both know this.”
“It Is Not Good That the Man Should Be Alone,” David French. Throughout the United States, “deaths of despair” (suicide, alcoholism, drug overdoses, and reckless accidents) are on the rise. Often when these stories are brought up, well-meaning people respond by encouraging more personal responsibility—that is, the personal responsibility of those who are dying. French thinks personal responsibility is the right category, but he changes the target: Instead of blaming the hurting and vulnerable, he says, let’s look at the personal responsibility of the rich and powerful.
Turn Off Your Notifications, Elle Hunt. “Why do you keep telling us to turn our smartphone notifications off?” you ask in exasperation. To which we might reply, “Because you haven’t done it yet.” Your phone’s notifications ruin your ability to focus, think creatively, and empathize with others. They raise your anxiety levels and make you (objectively) less happy. You don’t have to kill your smartphone. But it’s time to kill most of those pings and buzzes.
Church Names: 10 Tips for Church Planters and Rebranding Churches, David Qaoud. Based on Qaoud’s advice, the worst possible church name would be something like, “Oxygen Presbyterian Ecclesia of Christ the King.” Love your people well by naming your church well. Listen to Qaoud.
Six Tips for Reading Your Bible—for the Weary Parents Out There, Jamie Ivey. With few exceptions, we all struggle to make time for reading Scripture. If you’ve got tiny ones bouncing around your home, though, you know this struggle in a palpable way. Why don’t these tiny ones enjoy sleeping in? Do they really need to eat breakfast 45 seconds after waking? Does it count as a quiet time if my 4-year-old is screaming Awana verses at me while drawing on the living room wall? If these questions resonate with you, Ivey’s excellent advice will, too.
On the Lighter Side
NFL 2019, Bad Lip Reading. The Super Bowl is about to begin! What better way to prepare for the big game than to watch what football players could have been saying all year long? (We know this one’s a year old, but Patrick Mahomes features at 3:00 and 3:39 and 5:37 and 6:39 … so it’s relevant!)
