Helping preachers to proclaim, and all Christians to hear, the transforming Word of God
posted by Milton Stanley at 9:03 PM
Don't be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind so that you may be able to determine what God's will is -- what is proper, pleasing, and perfect. - Rom. 12:2
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4 Comments:
I agree. Down with optimism!
Thanks for visiting, Jeff. At the risk of sounding optimisitic, I'm always delighted to read your comments. Peace.
On further reflection, the song reminds me of James 2, "If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?"
That's a valid point, Jeff.
The song says a couple of things to me. In a specific sense, it reminds me how badly children suffer when their parents behave like children and allow their marriage to fall apart. In the U.S. there are now a couple of generations full of men and women wounded this way as children.
In a broader and more personal sense I'm reminded how our culture makes no allowances for emotional pain or mourning. Our boiler-plate greetings ("How are you?" "Fine.") are more than just the little rituals that smooth social interaction. They are the tip-end of a market-driven culture that demands we all be bubbly and happy all the time. Many people realize that such a standard is not attainable, and thus we have the explosion of depression and anti-depressive medications.
In an old movie from the 1940s Jimmy Stewart played a character whose mother or father died, and he wore a black armband on top of his grey suit for some period of time. I can think of no comparable acknowledgment of mourning in our culture today.
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