Christians Face Daily Battle With Satan, Says Pope Francis

The Wired Word for the Week of January 29, 2017

In the News

If the statement had been made by any member of the clergy other than the pope, it likely wouldn't have been considered news. But when, on January 19, Pope Francis -- speaking at an early morning mass in Vatican City -- said that moving closer to Christ means facing daily struggles against temptation and battling Satan, it was duly reported in the Catholic press, and picked up by at least one ecumenical Christian news site (which is where The Wired Word saw it).

The reason the pontiff's statement was not more widely reported is likely because his many similar comments in the past have been thoroughly covered, including by the secular press. Most media outlets likely consider the pope's latest assertion about the persistence of temptation and the wiles of the devil as nothing new and thus not particularly newsworthy this time.

And, when you think about it, it's not a new discovery that temptation is a real threat to Christians -- and, in fact, a threat to humankind in general. There's a good chance yourpastor has said something along those lines sometime in the past year as well. And when he or she did, it likely didn't cause much of a stir in your congregation because the reality of temptation comes as no surprise to anyone who's been around the block of life a few times.

Initially, some observers viewed the pope's tendency to speak of Satan as an actual insidious enemy of humankind as newsworthy, as well as his refusal to reduce the devil to a metaphor for temptation. In 2015, for example, CNN ran an article titled "Why Is Pope Francis So Obsessed With the Devil?" (see links list below). But now, even that angle seems to have run its course in the media.

So Pope Francis' most recent pronouncement that Christians must resist the "evil one" (John 17:15) and battle temptation is, in one sense, no news at all. But in another sense, it's included in what it means to live in the light of the gospel, the Good News.

Still, battling temptation is not what makes the gospel Good News. The CNN article already mentioned concludes by saying "All of the temptations Francis speaks about so often are the realistic flip side to the heart of the ... pope's message about the world that is charged with the grandeur, mercy, presence and fidelity of God. Those powers are far greater than the devil's antics."

To which we say "Amen."

More on this story can be found at these links:

Pope Francis: Christians Face Daily Battle With Satan. Christian Today Christian Living Requires Constant Battle With Devil, Pope Says. CruxWhy Is Pope Francis So Obsessed With the Devil? CNN

The Big Questions

1. From your experience, is struggling against temptation a daily battle, only an occasional one or no battle at all? What do you think explains your answer?

2. What causes people who intend to be moral and ethical to yield to temptation and override those values?

3. How does rationalization help us to go astray? How can we know when we are rationalizing?

4. What measures can we take to help us live up to our highest ideals? What specifically does it mean to battle temptation? Give examples. When facing strong temptation, what help, if any, are external safeguards such as ethics codes and laws? What help, if any, are internal convictions? How can our Christian faith help us avoid yielding to enticements to do wrong?

5. When talking about temptation, there is an old saying to the effect that you can't keep a bird from flying over your head, but you can keep him from building a nest in your hair. What does that mean?

Confronting the News With Scripture and HopeHere are some Bible verses to guide your discussion:

Joshua 7:20-21
This is what I did: when I saw among the spoil a beautiful mantle from Shinar, and two hundred shekels of silver, and a bar of gold weighing fifty shekels, then I coveted them and took them. (For context, read 7:1-26.)

This is part of the confession of Achan, a man of Israel. During Israel's conquest of Jericho, the Israelites had been instructed by God to not take as booty certain items that had been devoted by the people of Jericho to the worship of other gods. Instead, these things were to be destroyed. Achan, however, was tempted by their value, and took several of these restricted items and secreted them in his tent.

Later, when Israel failed in its attempt to rout the people of Ai, God revealed to Joshua that someone among his people was harboring devoted items. An investigation eventually revealed Achan's sin, and only when he was confronted with his wrongdoing did he confess.

Question: Joshua 7:1 begins the story of Achan's sin by saying that the Israelites (as a whole) "broke faith in regard to the devoted things." How and to what degree can personal sins diminish the community of which the tempted person is a part?

2 Samuel 11:3
David sent someone to inquire about the woman. (For context, read 11:1-5.)

The verse comes from the story of King David's adultery with Bathsheba. The Bible account uses four verbs to describe what happened.

• The first verb is "saw." From the vantage point of his palace roof, the king spotted a beautiful woman.
• The second is "inquired." David sent someone to find out who she was.
• The third is "get." On learning that Bathsheba was the wife of one of David's loyal warriors, David sent messengers to summon her to his palace.
• The final verb is "lay," referring to the actual adultery.

Note the intervals between the actions represented by those verbs. David's seeing of the woman was no sin. That was by accident, and the fact that she was bathing when David spotted her was nothing against David. But between his seeing her and his inquiring about her, David must have ignored an internal early warning system.

We could give David the benefit of the doubt until the results of his inquiry came back, because, for all David knew, Bathsheba might have been single and available for courting. But when David learned that she was married, his early warning system should have been screaming at him. But David chose to ignore it and gave in to temptation.

Questions: Does God give each one of us an "early warning system"? What sorts of things let you know that your early warning system is sounding?

Matthew 6:13 (KJV)And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. (For context, read 6:9-13.)

Most Christians use what is known as the Lord's Prayer in their worship services, and so pray this often. But, for most of us, we really don't think of God as the source of temptation.

The word translated as "temptation" also has the implication of undergoing a test or a trial. In his Small Catechism, Martin Luther writes "God, indeed, tempts no one, but we pray in this petition that God would guard and keep us, so that the devil, the world, and our flesh may not deceive us, nor seduce us into misbelief, despair, and other great shame and vice; and though we be assailed by them, that still we may finally overcome and gain the victory."

In effect, we ask God to help us overcome temptation. However, the prayer does not stop there, but concludes with "deliver us from evil." Even when we do yield to temptation -- or even actively seek it -- God has provided for forgiveness and deliverance.

Question: What are some ways in which God might help us overcome temptation? How does knowledge that Jesus has overcome temptation for us and provided a final deliverance and victory affect our resistance to temptation?

2 Corinthians 11:14Even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. (For context, read 11:1-15.)

Here the apostle Paul is speaking of temptation of a different sort -- the allure of "a different gospel," that is, a teaching that leads one away from Christ. Paul is aware of the persuasive power of an intellectual argument that can sound so reasonable that the hearer is convinced to discard Christianity for the new idea.

Paul's comment about Satan disguising himself as an "angel of light," however, can apply to any kind of temptation. Sometimes, in the early stages of a temptation, there is a moment when we may be able to convince ourselves that the wrong thing we want to do is actually right. Examples: "Think of how much good I could do with this money if I took it." "Anything that feels this good can't be wrong." "I'll be a better spouse at home if only I can satisfy this other appetite."

Question: What defenses do we have against "angel of light" temptations?

James 1:12-14
Blessed is anyone who endures temptation. Such a one has stood the test and will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him. No one, when tempted, should say, "I am being tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil and he himself tempts no one. But one is tempted by one's own desire, being lured and enticed by it … (For context, read 1:2-16.)

In this very practical letter to Christians, the church elder James acknowledges that Christians are as likely to be tempted as is anyone else. James argues that God does not tempt us, but that we are tempted by our own desires.

TWW editorial team member Mary Sells comments, "I am most moved, personally, by the James quote that temptation is so insidious that we conjure desires … maybe with or without realizing the slippery slope of sin. In major things we may sense the devil's obvious presence and desire to move us away from God in word and deed. In the garden variety little white lie, it is easier to make normal parts of life customary and overlook the sinfulness we exhibit -- and how those moments move us from God!"

Yet James sees another option besides yielding when temptation comes, and that option is "enduring" the temptation as a test of faith.

Enduring sounds like a grim, heavy, cheerless task that we must slog through, but in fact, it can be a time of great enriching spiritual growth. It may be that we decide it's best to keep our struggle a private matter, seeking Christ's help directly. Spending time in prayer and asking for Christ's help is good for our souls, even if we lose a particular battle against temptation.

The devotional writer Henri Nouwen says that our most significant encounters with Christ often come not before or after or beyond the struggle with our tempting demons, but in the midst of the struggle.

Part of enduring can also be seeking the help of fellow Christians and the prayers of the church. Going to the faith community and saying, "I am being strongly tempted to do something wrong" (it can be okay not to give the specifics) and then asking for their counsel and their prayers, can help us to take spiritual giant steps forward. When we do that, we then have people who become an accountability group for us. (Just imagine how much differently things might have turned out if David had shared his temptation about Bathsheba with spiritual counselors and they'd held him accountable.)

But whether we share our struggle or keep it private, we should remember that James put it, "... the testing of your faith produces endurance; and let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking in nothing" (vv. 3-4).

Questions: How might you decide when to tell others of your struggles and seek their help and when to keep your struggle private? When has the faith community helped you to endure temptation rather than yield to it? How might Nouwen's statement about significant encounters with Christ in the midst of temptation be true?

Romans 12:21
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. (For context, read 12:9-21.)

Paul includes this statement along with several other brief summary remarks to encourage the Roman Christians to live their faith daily. While he refers to a number of aspects of Christian living in quick succession, the overall thrust of them is that Christianity ought to be lived in a positive, proactive way. This statement, coming at the end of that string of advice, is of the same tone. We can go beyond resisting temptation and even beyond enduring it, to using temptation as an indicator of a point at which we can take positive and helpful steps for someone else.

Question: Think of a temptation you have faced. What positive step could that tempting situation suggest?

For Further Discussion

1. "Don't worry about avoiding temptation -- as you grow older, it starts avoiding you," so someone has said. Is that really true or is it only that the nature of our temptations changes as we grow older?

2. Commentator J.R.P. Sclater said that most people do not start out going against the "red light" of life. But we are, he said, "constantly taking chances with the yellow light." When that happens, it gradually becomes a green light for our conscience, until at last, red and green are interchangeable in those areas where we are susceptible. What can we do to avoid such moral color blindness?

3. Comment on this cartoon we once saw: A man is praying, "And I want to thank you for finally delivering me from temptation." The man is shipwrecked alone on a tiny, barren island barely six feet in diameter.

4. Respond to this, from TWW team member Stan Purdum's sermon "The Maybe Moment": "David's sin began not when he happened to see Bathsheba, but when he ignored the alarm that sounded inside him and allowed the idea that occurred to him to take up residency in his head. As far as resisting temptation goes, that is a key moment, a point at which it is easier to say no than it is likely to be later. It is the 'maybe moment,' the point in time at which going down the wrong path is still only a possibility. That's the early warning moment, when the 'No, no, definitely not' bell is sounding. At that moment, we need to make a conscious decision to firmly close the door on that possibility. After that moment, we often have more invested in the idea, and closing the door becomes more difficult. ... The maybe moment is the time to think -- but even more, to pray. ...
            "We can thank God for the early warning systems he has placed within us, those internal sirens that alert us to danger, that tell us we are approaching a maybe moment with a dangerous undertow. And we can use those moments for fresh, meaningful encounters with our Lord, on whose strength we can call."

5. Discuss together 1 Peter 5:8-11, as worded in The Message: "Keep a cool head. Stay alert. The Devil is poised to pounce, and would like nothing better than to catch you napping. Keep your guard up. You're not the only ones plunged into these hard times. It's the same with Christians all over the world. So keep a firm grip on the faith. The suffering won't last forever. It won't be long before this generous God who has great plans for us in Christ -- eternal and glorious plans they are! -- will have you put together and on your feet for good. He gets the last word; yes, he does."

Responding to the News

If you are aware of susceptibility to a specific temptation, this is a good time to consider what helps you can put into place. For example, they might include avoiding certain companions, using your computer in only a shared area of the house, asking Christians friends to help you be accountable, praying for specific help in areas where we are weak, etc. The writer of Hebrews says, "Because [Jesus] himself was tested by what he suffered, he is able to help those who are being tested." (Hebrews 2:18)

Prayer

O God, deliver us from temptation. Be to us a bulwark and shield when temptations come. Help us to reach out to Christ and the community of faith for strength, guidance and endurance. And show us how to counter evil with good. In Jesus' name. Amen.

United States Inaugurates 45th President

The Wired Word for the Week of January 22, 2017

In the News

Barring anything unforeseen, by the time you use this lesson in class, Donald Trump will have been inaugurated as the 45th president of the United States of America.

Despite having a large number of supporters across the American populace who are glad he has been elected, Trump comes into office having won election in the electoral college but not in the popular vote. His rhetoric and stated positions on a number of matters have left many other Americans wishing he were not the president.

But whether you like or dislike Mr. Trump, he is now our national leader. Outgoing President Barack Obama, while being in many ways Trump's opposite and a member of the opposing political party, stated in his January 10 farewell speech in Chicago that Trump would be a "freely elected president."

"In 10 days," Obama said, "the world will witness a hallmark of our democracy … the peaceful transfer of power from one freely elected president to the next."

Obama went on to say, "I committed to President-elect Trump that my administration would ensure the smoothest possible transition, just as President Bush did for me."

Despite Trump's flair for showmanship and experience as a reality-TV star, his inauguration is slated to be a relatively low-key event, extending over barely three days, compared, for example, to the five devoted to Mr. Obama's first inaugural. President Trump plans appearances at only three official balls, unlike many newly elected presidents who hit several balls on the day they are sworn in. And, if Mr. Trump's inaugural parade down Pennsylvania Avenue stays to its expected 90 minutes, it will be the shortest on record.

Boris Epshteyn, communications director for the Presidential Inaugural Committee, said that ticket prices for the inaugural balls were being kept at $50 apiece so that ­working-class Americans who helped fuel Trump's victory could take part.

More on this story can be found at these links:

Presidential Inauguration 2017. USA.govThe 58th Presidential Inauguration. The 58th Presidential Inaugural Committee 
Surprisingly, Trump Inauguration Shapes Up to be a Relatively Low-Key Affair. Washington Post
McDonough: Obama Sees Trump as 'Freely Elected,' Defends Lewis. CNNDonald Trump Invites Critics to Pray at Inauguration. TIME

Applying the News Story

In our form of government, agreement and dissent regarding White House policies can be expressed in many ways, and it's likely that committed Christians will be found on various sides of those issues.

Our topic today is our Christian responsibility in times of national leadership change, whether we think the new leader is a step forward for America or a step backward.

We think that at least these four words apply: prayer, respect, advocacy, acceptance. You will find Bible verses below on all four of those topics. You may think of other appropriate words as well.

The Big Questions

1. As Christians and as citizens, what is our responsibility toward any freely elected national leader, regardless of our personal like or dislike for that person? What role, if any, should acceptance play? How and under what conditions should opposition come into play?

2. In times such as this, how important is it to differentiate between our responsibilities as followers of Jesus and our responsibilities as citizens of the United States? In what ways might those two be melded? When they seem to be in conflict, what helps you decide, which, if either, should take priority in a given situation? If possible, give examples.

3. In the political scene today, what means and methods can you use to best express and support your hopes for America?

4. What should be the content of your prayers regarding our new president?

5. As a Christian, how do you deal with media commentary and opinions regarding White House initiatives? In what ways do media commentary and opinion help you in deciding your response to those initiatives? In what ways do they hinder you in deciding your response? How does the concept of discernment become involved?

Confronting the News With Scripture and HopeHere are some Bible verses to guide your discussion:

1 Timothy 2:1-2 (regarding prayer) 
First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone, for kings and all who are in high positions, so that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and dignity. (For context, read 2:1-8.)

These verses from the apostle Paul urge Christians to pray for "all who are in high positions," including kings.

From A.D. 30 to A.D. 311, a period in which 54 emperors ruled the Roman Empire, only about a dozen harassed Christians. Not until Decius (249–251) did any deliberately attempt an Empire-wide persecution.

Nonetheless, in the earlier years of Paul's missionary work, some persecution of Christians happened under local politicians in some places. And, if Paul's letter to Timothy was written sometime after A.D. 60, as some Bible scholars think, then Paul made the above recommendation to pray for kings while Nero was on the throne. And Nero, one of the dozen harassers, was a madman and a terror to Christians.

There's no intention here to compare any U.S. president to Nero, but only to say that Paul's point seems to be that praying for our leaders is always the right thing for Christians to do, regardless of how we feel about those leaders. Prayer doesn't preclude other actions as well, but it does ground those actions in a search for God's will.

Questions: What reasons does Paul give to justify the universal scope of and priority of prayer? (Hint: See the context verses.) Regarding your prayer life, what hinders you?

Romans 13:1 (regarding acceptance)Let every person be subject to the governing authorities; for there is no authority except from God, and those authorities that exist have been instituted by God. (For context, read 13:1-7.)

This verse is also from Paul, and while it has some similarity in theme to the 1 Timothy passage above, it also suggests an acceptance of governing authorities. Note that without making exceptions for leaders one might not like, Paul says that all authority -- even civic authority -- ultimately comes from God.

Subjecting oneself to governing authorities, of course, does not imply agreement with those authorities.

Questions: Do you think Paul would have said these same things had he lived in Nazi Germany or in Idi Amin's Uganda? In what sense, if any, are civic leaders -- even those who might not acknowledge the authority of God -- God's servants?
How does the American concept of the purposes of government -- to preserve the rights to "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness" -- and the rights of the people to "abolish" a destructive government (see the Declaration of Independence) affect this?  

1 Peter 5:5 (regarding respect)
… And all of you must clothe yourselves with humility in your dealings with one another, for "God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble." (For context, read 5:1-6.)

The apostle Peter is here talking about how people in the church should relate to one another, and in doing so, he quotes Proverbs 3:34. His words can also apply more broadly to how we relate to others with whom we might not agree politically.

Questions: Why do you think humility and respect so often get lost in political discussion? What measures do you take to keep that from happening in your discussions with those who might not agree with your political persuasion?

Proverbs 31:8-9 (regarding advocacy)
Speak out for those who cannot speak, for the rights of all the destitute. Speak out, judge righteously, defend the rights of the poor and needy. (No context needed.)
Matthew 25:35-36
... for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me. (For context, read 25:31-46.)

Both of these verses are about helping those in need. The Proverbs verses seem to be talking about verbal advocacy, which certainly has an important place in our political lives. The Matthew verses can cover verbal advocacy but also more direct forms of help. Both have their place and all the more so when official policies may not deliver the help that's needed or even hinder the help that's needed.

Questions: Do you personally have a preference for one kind of help for others over another? Why?

For Further Discussion

1. Meditate together on these two verses:

• [Jesus said,] "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." --John 16:33(NIV)
• Great peace have those who love your law; nothing can make them stumble. --Psalm 119:165

2. Respond to this: TWW team member Liz Antonson suggests reading Psalm 2, which was probably written for the coronation of a king in Israel or Judah. Antonson comments, "Psalm 2 in its entirety has something to say about world leaders, and Christ's followers need to focus on the significance of loyalty to God's Messiah and his Kingdom rather than secular points of view in governments. [Ultimately] all of the world's governments are to be totally replaced because they are totally flawed. I think Christendom has lost sight of the exclusivity of Christ's kingdom and blurs the line between good citizenship and loyalty to a secular government. That is a scary thought for Americans due to the way we have been raised with patriotic fervor, even when our government was/is grossly out of line with Christ's plain teachings."

3. TWW team member Frank Ramirez points to Rudyard Kipling's poem "Recessional," written for Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee and published in 1897. The second stanza reads:

The tumult and the shouting dies;
 The Captains and the Kings depart:
Still stands Thine ancient sacrifice,
 An humble and a contrite heart.
Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet,
 Lest we forget -- lest we forget!

Given the occasion for which the poem was composed, what do you think is the point of this stanza? How might it apply, if at all, to our news story?

Responding to the News

Resolve to pray frequently for our national leaders.

Resolve to do God's work wherever he leads you, including into political arenas.

Prayer

O Lord, we pray for Donald Trump as he assumes the presidency, and for our legislatures as they decide on laws for our land, that they will each be strengthened to work not only to move America forward in the kinds of ways that can be measured toward the common good, but also, insofar as these matters are in their hands, in the kinds of ways that are less measurable, but critical nonetheless -- the ways of healing and reconciliation. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Chip and Joanna Gaines Aren't Taking the BuzzFeed Bait

The Wired Word for the Week of January 15, 2017

In the News

Back in November, BuzzFeed, an entertainment and social news website, reported that Chip and Joanna Gaines, the popular couple who are the stars of the HGTV series Fixer Upper, attend a church that does not support same-sex marriage and views homosexuality as a sin.

On the show, the Gaineses specialize in helping couples looking for homes find one that can be redesigned by Joanna and remodeled by Chip's crew to match the client couples' wishes and needs. The Gaineses have never commented on air about LGBT people, same-sex marriage or their religion. On the show, they appear to enjoy being husband and wife, as well as being parents to their four young children. One of the ways Chip and Joanna describe themselves is as best friends.

Many of the reader responses following the BuzzFeed article took issue with the media company's motives in reporting the story, some describing it as a "witch hunt." One respondent, Matt Holden, wrote, "You are inciting a wave of negative attention on this couple for something that indirectly links to them. That's not journalism, it's petty bull----."

HGTV responded to the BuzzFeed article by saying, "We don't discriminate against the LGBT community in any of our shows."

The Gaineses did not immediately make a statement. But on January 2, they released on Joanna's blog some comments by Chip, titled "Chip's New Year's Revelation." In it, Chip said that he and Joanna don't always "see eye to eye." He added, "If Joanna and I, who are best friends, don't see lots of things the same way -- how on earth do we expect a world of strangers to magically align? The reality is, we may not all get on the same page and I think that's okay."

Chip continued, saying, "This past year has been tough. In my lifetime, I can't recall humanity being more divided. Plenty of folks are sad and scared and angry and there are sound bites being fed to us that seem fueled by judgment, fear and even hatred. Jo and I refuse to be baited into using our influence in a way that will further harm an already hurting world.

"If there is any hope for all of us to move forward, to heal and to grow -- we have got to learn to engage people who are different from us with dignity and with love," Chip Gaines said. "Joanna and I have personal convictions. One of them is this: We care about you for the simple fact that you are a person, our neighbor on planet earth. It's not about what color your skin is, how much money you have in the bank, your political affiliation, sexual orientation, gender, nationality or faith. That's all fascinating, but it cannot add [to] or take away from the reality that we're already pulling for you. We are not about to get in the nasty business of throwing stones at each other, don't ask us to 'cause we won't play that way," Chip said.

"We have decided to change the conversation," Chip said. "You wanna talk about how to build bridges between people that disagree? We want to be a part of thatconversation. Do you want to talk about healing and compassion and kindness and restoration? We're in the restoration business, we can for sure make time for that."

Chip continued, "I think we are all here for a reason. I think we all have a call on our lives. Your role is not my role, and thank goodness, because there is so much unique and important work to be done. Jo and I feel called to be bridge builders. We want to help initiate conversations between people that don't think alike. Listen to me, we do not all have to agree with each other. Disagreement is not the same thing as hate[;] don't believe that lie."

After saying that his family "wants to fight for a world that knows how to lovingly disagree," Chip stated, "We believe it starts when we operate from a position of love in all things." He said, "We propose operating with a love so real and true that you are willing to roll up your sleeves and work alongside the very people that are most unlike you. Fear dissolves in close proximity. Our stereotypes and vain imaginations fall away when we labor side by side. This is how a house gets unified."

He concluded, "This could be one of the greatest restoration stories of all time."

The BuzzFeed article and Chip Gaines' full response can be found at these links:

Chip's New Year's Revelation. At HomeChip And Joanna Gaines' Church Is Firmly Against Same-Sex Marriage. BuzzFeed

Applying the News Story

The news topic we are addressing today was sparked not by anything the Gaineses had said or done, but by BuzzFeed's assertions about the teaching of the pastor of the church the Gaineses attend. The pastor maintains that, in his words, "homosexuality is a sin," and he and his church do not support same-sex marriage.

However, we want to say upfront that neither homosexuality nor same-sex marriage is the topic of this lesson. (TWW has had several other lessons on the latter topic. See our website.) Rather, we're pursuing a line Chip Gaines used in his new year's comments on their blog: "Jo and I refuse to be baited into using our influence in a way that will further harm an already hurting world.

At The Wired Word, we recognize that there are many social matters about which Christians disagree. There are sincere Christian believers on both sides of more than one issue of concern in our culture today. But we do think that the Gaineses are saying something helpful when Chip says they "refuse to baited" into deepening the hurt and divides in the world today. (And, if we may speak frankly, it does seem to us that "baiting" is precisely what the BuzzFeed article was attempting to do.)

We suspect that there are many circumstances in life in general and regarding social and political issues in particular where not "taking the bait" is the most helpful response.

By the way, when Jesus told his disciples they were going to "fish for people" (Matthew 4:19), we don't think he was talking about using this kind of bait.

The Big Questions

1. When have you responded to someone's "loaded" comment and afterward realized your response only deepened a division? What, if anything, did you do subsequently to bridge the divide? What are some responses you've received when you "baited" someone? What, if any, were the most effective calming responses?

2. In your opinion, what media practices seem to bait division? Where does baiting show up in political discussions? What personal practices tend to bait division? How can you avoid being baited by others or baiting others yourself? Where specifically do you need to stop taking the bait?

3. Are there circumstances where "baiting" others is the right thing -- even the Christian thing -- to do? If so, give an example.

4. What things do we do in church that deepen divides unnecessarily?

5. How do you deal with the conflict that comes when church teachings on social issues do not agree with your own beliefs? What should you do? Why?

Confronting the News With Scripture and HopeHere are some Bible verses to guide your discussion:

John 8:4-6[The Pharisees said to Jesus,] "Teacher, this woman was caught in the very act of committing adultery. Now in the law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?" ... Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. (For context, read 7:53--8:11.)
Luke 20:22-25Is it lawful for us to pay taxes to the emperor, or not?" But he perceived their craftiness and said to them, "Show me a denarius. Whose head and whose title does it bear?" They said, "The emperor's." He said to them, "Then give to the emperor the things that are the emperor's, and to God the things that are God's."(For context, read 20:20-26.)
Mark 14:60-61
Then the high priest stood up before them and asked Jesus, "Have you no answer? What is it that they testify against you?" But he was silent and did not answer. ... (For context read 14:53-65.)
John 18:37Pilate asked him, "So you are a king?" Jesus answered, "You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice." (For context, read 18:28-38.)

We don't usually clump four passages together like this, but we've done so here because all four are examples of Jesus not taking the bait that opponents were dangling in front of him. In fact, Jesus was a master at not taking the bait.

In the John 8 case, Jesus perceived that the Pharisees didn't really want his opinion about what to do with the woman caught in adultery, but were rather aiming to put him on the spot. He first just let their question go unanswered by writing in the dirt, and when he did reply, he cut to the heart of their two-faced actions.

Likewise with the question he was asked in Luke 20 about paying taxes. With his reply, Jesus effectively displayed the hypocrisy behind the controversial question.

Both of the remaining texts are about the period when Jesus was being questioned by the authorities before being sentenced to die by crucifixion.

In the verses right before Mark 14:60, some witnesses gave false testimony about Jesus, and Jesus did not respond to the bait. So, in verse 60, the high priest tried to set the bait again: "Have you no answer? What is it that they testify against you?" But again, Jesus did not rise to the bait: "he was silent and did not answer."

In the John 18 reading, Pilate tried to goad Jesus into claiming kingship, which would be a chargeable offense justifying crucifixion. Here Jesus answered, but by saying "You say that I am a king," he didn't take the bait.

Questions: Where specifically might the example of Jesus in these passages help you?
Have you ever responded honestly about your feelings in a social media post or at a social gathering and suddenly found yourself sucked into a one-sided conversation where you were on the other side? Did you try to extricate yourself? Did you continue to argue? What was the result of such conversations?

Proverbs 15:4
A gentle tongue is a tree of life, but perverseness in it breaks the spirit. (For context, read 15:1-7.)

It's telling that this verse contrasts a "gentle" tongue not with a "rough" one or an "angry" one but with a "perverse" one. Since perversity implies an intention to go contrary to what is acceptable or helpful, the verse appears to be saying that speaking out of such motivation is something God's people shouldn't do.

Questions: When is baiting a form of perverse behavior? When is it not?

Philippians 2:3
Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. (For context, read 2:1-11.)

This verse speaks about the motivation behind our actions and can also apply to our speech.

Questions: How might you apply this verse to your discussions with others with whom you disagree over political, social or religious matters? How would you apply this verse to how you seek to persuade others to change their ideas or attitudes?

Romans 15:17-19
In Christ Jesus, then, I have reason to boast of my work for God. For I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me to win obedience from the Gentiles, by word and deed, by the power of signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God, so that from Jerusalem and as far around as Illyricum I have fully proclaimed the good news of Christ. (For context, read 15:14-21.)

Here's the apostle Paul saying that he personally limits his pronouncements to things intended to move forward his work on behalf of God and Christ and the mission given him. In a sense, he's speaking of a kind of self-imposed "tunnel vision," but one illuminated by the Spirit of God.

Questions: Where might your interactions with others be more welcomed and healing by limiting the scope or the tone of your conversations? Where might that not be helpful?

For Further Discussion

1. Respond to this. On the taking the bait topic, TWW team member Mary Sells says, "Oh my, how many times I pray the Lord's Prayer -- lead me not into temptation -- and, wham: Every day I get a little or big bump on the head. 
            "Today it was via Facebook. A truly dear friend and I posting opposing views on a current event issue that had me thinking that maybe I just didn't know this person after all -- even though we have shared some intense life experiences as friends, -- illnesses, death of family members and other really significant stuff. As soon as that thought popped in, I had the voice in my head, surely God, saying 'Really? Is what you disagree on now really more revealing than the love and supporting friendship you have shared?' Well, that helped me to avoid the bait of the day … and realize I am blessed with a good friend with whom I do not need to always agree."

2. Discuss this: The BuzzFeed article says the pastor of the church the Gaineses attend "urges compassion" for homosexuals because, he says, "the statistics say that 90 percent of people who are in a full-blown homosexual lifestyle were abused in some way. Physically, sexually, mentally." TWW editorial team member Malia Miller who has been a high-school counselor and is now a counselor educator says there is reason to question the stats the pastor used about abuse. Miller says, "Of the homosexual students that I know well, that is not the case in any of their pasts, and many of the students I have counseled over time have come from loving and stable families. In my professional work, I have never read research that supports this statement."
            Miller goes on to say, "But I realize that is not the point of the articles. Somewhere along the way, Christ's message of love and acceptance can get lost and is replaced with judgment that leads to hatred and division when there is disagreement. Chip is right -- this past year has been a one of division, not restoration. We need to take steps in a positive direction."

3. TWW consultant James Gruetzner tells that the author of a blog he often follows wrote about her experiences at a party hosted by her friend, when the other guests just assumed that she'd agree with their bashing her own politics and others like her. The blogger wrote, "Although I was enjoying other aspects of the party and didn't want to leave, I became more and more uncomfortable and very weary. The exhaustion came from three things: the feeling of estrangement I felt, the realization of the overwhelming difficulty of ever trying to challenge their worldview and get them to actually listen to what I might have to say rather than merely reject what I had to say, and the awareness that it would be impolite of me to even try in that particular venue."
            Have you ever been guilty of assuming that everyone automatically agreed with you and therefore might have inadvertently insulted someone? What might you do to ensure that doesn't happen?
            Gruetzner suggests the following possibility: 1) Make a clear and countering -- but very civil -- claim from the other side. 2) Place it into the context of the situation: "But we both know that good people can differ about such things." 3) Then -- and very importantly -- offer a way out: "Let's talk about something else and avoid arguments and disagreements." How might that work and what modifications might you suggest?

4. What statements in Chip Gaines' remarks jump out at you? Why?

5. In each episode of Fixer Upper, Chip and Joanna show a client couple three available houses, all of which cost less than the amount the couple has budgeted, usually because the structures have various shortcomings or need significant repairs.
            Joanna, who is a designer, describes for the couple what can be done within the clients' remaining budget after purchase to make the house a home the couple will love. After the clients select one of the houses, Chip, who is a builder-contractor, sets out with his crew to remake the home to match Joanna's vision for it. When the client couple returns, they typically declare themselves more than happy with the results.
            Whose vision guides the spiritual house you are building?

Responding to the News

This is a good time to rethink how you handle your political, social and religious disagreements with others.

Prayer (based on Psalm 25:21)

O Lord, may integrity and uprightness preserve us, for we wait for you. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Daughter Carrie Fisher and Mother Debbie Reynolds Die One Day Apart

The Wired Word for the Week of January 8, 2017

In the News

One of the saddest things for a parent is when his or her child dies before the parent does. Such an occurrence seems like a disturbance in the natural order of things. It happens often enough that it's not really unnatural, but the loss can feel like a body blow to the survivors.

We saw that illustrated in the closing days of 2016 when actress, writer, producer and humorist Carrie Fisher, 60, most widely known for her role as Princess Leia in the Star Warsfilm series, died four days after a medical emergency -- later determined to be a heart attack -- while on board a flight from London to Los Angeles.

Fisher's mother Debbie Reynolds, 84, a singer and Oscar-nominated actress who shot to fame after starring in Singin' in the Rain at age 19, died the next day. She was in her son Todd Fisher's home to plan Carrie's funeral at the time of her passing. According to her son, Reynolds said, "I want to be with Carrie" shortly before she died.

Although officially, Reynolds' death was due to a stroke, many people hearing this news of her passing coming on the heels of her daughter's demise, suggested that Reynolds died of a broken heart.

Todd Fisher took a slightly different view, stating that his mother joined his sister in death because Reynolds "didn't want to leave Carrie and did not want her to be alone." He added, however, that "she didn't die of a broken heart" but rather that "She just left to be with Carrie."

In a strict sense, both explanations are speculative, though interpretations such as those have long had a place in common parlance when loved ones die within a short time span of each other. But there is also medical evidence that grief can contribute to a negative physical impact that can sometimes lead to death.

Doctors even have a name for the condition: broken-heart syndrome.

Benedict Carey, writing in The New York Times about the possibility of Reynolds dying of a broken heart, quoted Dr. Suzanne Steinbaum, director of women's heart health at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York, who said that the sudden loss of a loved one sets off "an overflow of stress hormones, and the heart can't take it." She added "It appears to be a massive heart attack," but "the heart is literally stunned." While most people so afflicted survive, a small percentage do not.

Carey also quoted Dr. Anne Curtis, chair of medicine at the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at the University at Buffalo, who said, "I've seen estimates that about 1 percent of perceived heart attacks" are because of broken-heart syndrome, "and that seems about right. I think every cardiologist has seen cases."

Such a stunning of the heart could also have contributed to the stroke that ended Reynolds' life, Carey said.

Todd Fisher said he's planning a joint funeral for his mother and sister, with burial side by side.

More on this story can be found at these links:

Debbie Reynolds and Carrie Fisher: Hollywood's Mother-Daughter Fable. The New York Times 
Did Debbie Reynolds Die of a Broken Heart? The New York Times 
It Was Debbie Reynolds' 'Destiny' to Be With Carrie Fisher, Todd Fisher Says. ABC News 
Billie Lourd Breaks Silence on Deaths of Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds. CBS News

Applying the News Story

Sooner or later, grief comes to us all because of the death of someone we love. Grief is a natural though painful response, and it can be even more painful if the death was untimely or if the relationship with the departed one was complicated.

The Bible has some things to say to us about grief that, while not diminishing the pain, can make a difference for us as we go on.

The Big Questions

1. If you have known someone who died, seemingly from a broken heart (regardless of the official cause of death), what characteristic of that person's relationship with the person they were grieving over led you to that conclusion?

2. When, if ever, have you been overwhelmed with grief? What, if anything, helped you eventually to be able to carry on with life? What role did your faith in Christ play?

3. In your experience with grief or with others who are mourning, it is true that "time heals all wounds" as the old saying goes? Have you found that people sometimes expect you to be "over" your grief after what they judge is sufficient time? How does that make you feel? Are they at times right? Some cultures have a traditional "period of mourning," when a bereft person is expected to grieve and put off decisions that might be affected by emotions. How can that be helpful?

4. When you are deeply in grief and ask God for directions, might God's message likely be, "Go on. Go on with this life you have been given. Feel the pain, grieve with all your heart, cherish the memory of your loved on, but live"? Why or why not?

5. We often hear of spouses dying together or within hours or days of each other, less so of a parent dying so close to the time their child dies -- and yet parents of deceased children surely claim it as the worst possible event to survive. Does God give us that much control over our spirit that we can "give up" and "let go"? Explain your answer.

Confronting the News With Scripture and HopeHere are some Bible verses to guide your discussion:

2 Samuel 18:33
The king was deeply moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept; and as he went, he said, "O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! Would I had died instead of you, O Absalom, my son, my son!" (For context, read 18:5-15, 31-33.)

King David's son Absalom had led a revolt against his father in an attempt to usurp the throne. Despite the fact that Absalom had become his father's enemy, David instructed that his army should "deal gently" with his son (v. 5). However, one of David's commanders led the slaying of Absalom (vv. 14-15).

The verse above describes David's reaction upon learning that his son was dead.

Biblical commentator Bruce C. Birch says about this verse, "There is no more poignant portrayal of human grief and desolation in all of Scripture than in this single verse. David, who had received the news of his infant son's death with stoic resignation ([2 Samuel]12:19-23) is undone by news of Absalom's death. The battle, the rebellion, the throne -- all of this is irrelevant in this moment. David is wracked with unrestrained grief and cries out in anguish. No longer is Absalom the 'young man' (18:5, 29, 32). He is 'my son' (five times in this verse), and 'Absalom' (three times in this verse). David has grieved with poetic eloquence over Saul and Jonathan (1:17-27), and with stoic resignation over his infant son (12:19-23). But this time there is no capacity for eloquence, and the king is not resigned to this ending of a father's hopes. This is the most elemental and deeply human moment in all of David's story" (The New Interpreter's Bible, Vol. 2).

This verse also bring to mind Job, having lost his many children (along with suffering other trials). His three friends came to him and, for the first seven days just sat with him saying nothing (Job 2:13). That seemed to be their best care; once they started speaking, they weren't nearly as helpful.

Questions: If you were one of King David's trusted counselors, what, if anything, would you say to him at this point? Is it possible that the best thing would be to just come and be present with him silence, without trying to find the "right thing" to say?
If you have experienced a devastating grief, what brought you the first glimmer of hope that you would survive? What words spoken by friends or loved ones were helpful? What words were not helpful, even if they meant well?
What might you do today with someone you know today who is brokenhearted and grieving?

Matthew 2:16-18When Herod saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, he was infuriated, and he sent and killed all the children in and around Bethlehem who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had learned from the wise men. Then was fulfilled what had been spoken through the prophet Jeremiah:

"A voice was heard in Ramah,
wailing and loud lamentation,
Rachel weeping for her children;
she refused to be consoled, because they are no more." 
(No context needed.)

This is the account of King Herod ordering the death of young Jewish children in a failed attempt to kill the baby Jesus, whom Herod perceived as a threat to his throne. The part of the passage within the quote marks is Matthew the gospel writer quoting Jeremiah 31:15, which he applies to the grief over the massacre of the infants.

In the original Jeremiah context, "Rachel," who was the favorite wife of Jacob the patriarch, is used symbolically to portray the inconsolable grief over the people of Judah being sent into exile in Babylon. The nation as such was "no more." In the very next verse in Jeremiah, however, God promises the restoration of the people "back from the land of the enemy."

But in the Matthew context, the image of inconsolable Rachel -- now representing the Jews of Bethlehem, and especially the parents of the slain infants, as well as Jews in general -- stands alone, without any promise of restoration. "Rachel" has lost her children, and she refuses to be comforted.

In the commentary above, under 2 Samuel 18:33, Bruce Birch says of that verse, "There is no more poignant portrayal of human grief and desolation in all of Scripture than in this single verse." But it seems to us that this description of "wailing and loud lamentation" from the parents in Bethlehem runs a close second.

Questions: What comfort is there for those who have lost loved ones, regardless of their age? At what point might the gospel message be some help? When might it seem only wishful thinking? Why?
It's sad enough when a parent loses a child through a fluke event or an illness, but when it is the deliberate result of malice it seems especially cruel. Why do you think a mass killing seems worse if it involves children? What comfort, if any, do memorials and remembrances bring?

Matthew 5:4
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. (For context, read 5:1-12.)

Though this verse from the Beatitudes is well known, its meaning is not easy to grasp. Jesus is here saying that there is a certain blessedness or even happiness for mourners because they can receive the comfort of God.

But if you've grieved deeply, that can be hard to affirm. Perhaps the best we can say is that God's comfort is something that cannot be fully understood and received apart from having need of it.

In this verse, Jesus is also alluding to the ultimate outcome of people who in faith cling to God, even through great grief. Things that seem to be diametrically opposed -- grief and comfort, for example -- become, under God's hand, the poles of creative tension in which we live out our faith and eventually arrive at the heavenly kingdom.

The verse also is an example of what we might call the curious dynamic of faith, which is that it's not all about cheerfulness and certainty.

That is to say that God's truth is not limited to what reason can grasp, but it's still real and effective.

Another contrast to faith as certainty is to note that faith means trusting God -- not that he will produce a specific outcome, but that he will be faithful and will work all things "together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose" (Romans 8:28).

Questions: In what ways have you experienced God's comfort? What need opened you to receive it? From where do you draw the strength to wait when God's timetable for healing is different from yours?

Ecclesiastes 3:4… a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance ... (For context, read 3:1-8.)
Romans 12:15Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. (For context, read 12:9-21.)

The Ecclesiastes verse reminds us that grief is a part of what it means to be alive on this earth. We may also hear in it that grief doesn't happen all at once and then it's over. Grief may ebb and flow.

In Romans, Paul reminds us that, in all these events, we are not alone, but have the fellowship of other Christians -- and that we are to provide fellowship to others in turn.

Question: How might you apply the verses to your prayers? Have you ever had to put off grief for yourself in order to aid others through a difficult time? Were you able to give yourself grieving time later?

Deuteronomy 33:27 (NIV)
The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms. (No context needed.)
1 Thessalonians 4:13-14
But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about those who have died, so that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For ... we believe that Jesus died and rose again … (For context, read 4:13-18.)

The verse from Deuteronomy is a reminder that God does not leave us to fall ever deeper and deeper into grief but has placed beneath us his "everlasting arms," which form a "floor" below which the faithful will not fall.

In the verses from 1 Thessalonians, Paul reminds us that Christians have grounds for not grieving "as others do who have no hope." And he goes on to point to the source of that hope: the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

That hope tells us that in the end, a lifetime of "going on" will take us to the kingdom where there is no more crying or mourning or dying any more (Revelation 21:4). When God's comfort meets our grief, something healing and restorative happens, and it leads us to the place where grief fades away at the dawn of a new and everlasting day.

Questions: When it comes to grief over the death of someone close to us, we Christians understand it not as a slammed door, but as an open portal into eternity with God. But if we're honest, we also have to recognize that the promise of heaven does not negate our pain, just as Jesus even felt pain at the death of his friend (John 11:35). How does it help? How would you explain the Christian hope to someone who didn't know what it is?

For Further Discussion

1. Respond to this, from TWW editorial team member Stan Purdum: "When I was in seminary, as part of our training in helping people deal with grief, I was sent along with some other students to a meeting of a grief support group. One of the attendees was a woman, 26 years old, who was the mother of two children. One evening, she and her husband went out for dinner, and in the course of the meal, a chicken bone had become lodged in her husband's throat. He choked to death right in front of her eyes, and she was suddenly a widow.
            "This tragedy had occurred a full year earlier, but the young woman was still reeling from the grief his death had caused. When she spoke in the session, she said something to the effect that although she was taking good care of her children, it felt pointless to her because someday they would die too."

2. TWW team member Frank Ramirez says that decades ago, a family he'd met at a rural congregation where he'd been summer pastor, lost their teenaged son when he was mangled to death inside a harvester. Their response was to donate land to their church, which led to their congregation choosing to move from a landlocked location to an open space where new homes were being built. Ramirez also tells of a person he know, whose daughter was killed in a car accident. That parent created a foundation that is funded by annual Thanksgiving four-mile runs in different locales. What other responses have you witness from people who have lost a child to death?

3. Debbie Reynolds and Carrie Fisher have been in the awareness of several generations. Movies like Singin' in the Rain and Star Wars made them part of our lives. Do you think some who grieve draw strength from knowing many people are sharing their loss? How have you experienced this? How?

Responding to the News

If you are grieving, you may find the information at this webpage helpful.

Prayer (from The Book of Common Prayer)

Almighty God, grant to all who mourn a sure confidence in thy fatherly care, that, casting all their grief on thee, they may know the consolation of thy love. Amen.