Wisdom For Your (Thanksgiving) Weekend: your weekly installment of things we’ve been reading (and watching) around the web. Brought to you early this week because we’re outta here for Thanksgiving!
Video of the Week
You Need the Whole Bible (Even if You Don’t Know Why), Russell Moore. Wise words here from the president of the ERLC. It’s not merely enough for us to know how to answer Christianity’s accusers today. If we want to be truly prepared to address any challenge in our future, we need to get the Bible so into our blood that we have biblical intuitions. “You need Leviticus. You need Philemon. You need the entire Bible in ways you don’t even know … yet.”
Articles of the Week
When Complaining Tears Us Apart, Sharon Hodde Miller. There’s just something about complaining, isn’t there? It’s one of those social phenomena that draws you in, even if you otherwise wouldn’t much care. And while it might feel nice every now and then to simply kvetch (there’s your word-of-the-day), it can be a huge obstacle to true vulnerability and intimacy. The Christian life is grand enough to include lament, sorrow, and grief. But it won’t allow for complaints.
Five Mistakes Pastors Make on Social Media, Marty Duren. Confession time. At one point or another, each of the five of these was true of me (Chris). They were dark times. Learn from my errors, and don’t be a social media fool. While I might take small issue with Duren’s claim to social media’s inherent neutrality, this is a helpful primer on social media. Use the unwieldy tool of social media for good and not for ill.
21 Ways I Know You’re Financially Unstable, Jeff Rose. We could probably add one more: you’re too afraid to read Jeff Rose’s list. Don’t be skittish. If you’re having money troubles, it’s better to be aware of it than to keep your head in the sand. Rose offers some key red flags. Be on the lookout.
The Greatest Thing You Could Do Today, Francis Chan. This was rather convicting. As only Francis Chan can do, he probes into our spiritual disciples and asks, “Are we really any better off for our wealth of Christian resources?” Would it not be better for the church if we each simply protected our personal time with God? We can be thankful for all of the resources we have—this article included—but there really is no substitute for time alone before the Maker of time itself.
On The Lighter Side
Alanis Morissette Updates “Ironic” Lyrics, Late Late Show with James Corden. There are several merits to this little video, in which Alanis Morissette updates her lyrics for the digital age. First, you’ve got to hand it to any artist who takes herself so lightly. Second, it’s nice to get some official recognition that the song “Ironic” doesn’t actually mention ironic situations. Third, hey, remember the 90s?
Wisdom For Your Weekend is presented to you by Chris Pappalardo, with occasional guidance from J.D. Greear. 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.”
