Over the weekend, I was at a relative’s house when she remarked humorously about my attire. I had arrived in a white Cardinals’ jersey, but because we were eating lunch with my boys, I had switched to a red Cardinals’ t-shirt. “We’re playing the Red Sox today,” I explained with impatience. She sensed that further probing was unwelcome, but it got me thinking about why I do this.
I guess it’s my way of expressing solidarity with my team. It’s what any real fan does. Imagine if someone told you that he was a big Cubs fan, but he never wore Cubs attire. What if he never listened to the games? What if he didn’t even make time to watch them or go to them live? What if he didn’t know the starting roster or where his team stood against the others? And what if he didn’t really seem to care whether his team won or lost. At some point, you’d say he wasn’t really a Cubs fan at all.
Being a fan means being invested, knowing some things, and participating regularly. So the only question for us is whether there are enough indicators that we are truly fans of Christ or not.
Thought of the Day 06.23.08
I’m becoming more and more aware of the value of parental propaganda. Here’s what I mean. It’s good for my sons to respect me. It’s good for them to appreciate all I do for them. And it’s obviously good for them to obey me. But how do I accomplish all this? By making them love me.
See, I’ve heard countless men say that they knew their dads loved them because they went to work and provided for the family, but they never felt loved by their dads. That’s bad government. It’s not enough to just do the tasks and hope your constituents will feel loyal in return. You must personally educate them and actively cultivate their love for you.
Mom’s love is never in doubt because her investment is obvious. But if dads really want their children to receive the blessings that come from respecting, appreciating, and obeying their fathers, they must win the hearts in addition to the minds of their children. Hugs, kisses, hair tussles, and saying, “I love you.” A lot. These are key elements of wise parental propaganda.
See, I’ve heard countless men say that they knew their dads loved them because they went to work and provided for the family, but they never felt loved by their dads. That’s bad government. It’s not enough to just do the tasks and hope your constituents will feel loyal in return. You must personally educate them and actively cultivate their love for you.
Mom’s love is never in doubt because her investment is obvious. But if dads really want their children to receive the blessings that come from respecting, appreciating, and obeying their fathers, they must win the hearts in addition to the minds of their children. Hugs, kisses, hair tussles, and saying, “I love you.” A lot. These are key elements of wise parental propaganda.
Thought of the Day 06.20.08
~“Andrew, my roommate’s driving me crazy. We’re having this ongoing feud about religion. He even emails me while I’m at work. He was raised Catholic, and now he’s an atheist. And you know me. I don’t mind a good fight, but I just don’t know what to say to him anymore.”
~“Quit arguing with him.”
~“What?”
~“What do you think is the most terrifying thing for your roommate to imagine?”
~“Well, I guess he’s frightened that Christianity might actually be right and he’s been wrong all these years.”
~“Which is why he’s so desperate to prove you wrong. The louder he yells, the more scared you know he is. And the only reason for being scared is being unsure, right?”
~“That makes sense.”
~“So when you fight, you let him use anger to dispel all his fears. But when you don’t fight, your calm will unnerve him even more. Besides, if he’s gone from being just opposed to acting afraid, then he’s actually making progress toward accepting the truth. So leave him alone and wait for the time when he’ll become open to your input. ”
~“That’s worth a shot. Besides, it’s devious, and I like that.”
~“Jesus called it being as crafty as serpents, but as harmless as doves.”
~“Quit arguing with him.”
~“What?”
~“What do you think is the most terrifying thing for your roommate to imagine?”
~“Well, I guess he’s frightened that Christianity might actually be right and he’s been wrong all these years.”
~“Which is why he’s so desperate to prove you wrong. The louder he yells, the more scared you know he is. And the only reason for being scared is being unsure, right?”
~“That makes sense.”
~“So when you fight, you let him use anger to dispel all his fears. But when you don’t fight, your calm will unnerve him even more. Besides, if he’s gone from being just opposed to acting afraid, then he’s actually making progress toward accepting the truth. So leave him alone and wait for the time when he’ll become open to your input. ”
~“That’s worth a shot. Besides, it’s devious, and I like that.”
~“Jesus called it being as crafty as serpents, but as harmless as doves.”
Thought of the Day 06.19.08
After my long hunt to find a place to buy them at non-exorbitant prices, I’ve recently been building model airplanes with my son. In fact, last week, I brought one home to do with him three times. But then a funny thing happened. He started asking me every day if I brought one home. That’s a reasonable question. What wasn’t reasonable was the angry fit he threw when I told him I hadn’t. Same thing the next day, which I again corrected him about.
On the third day, I actually had bought one because a coupon was expiring, but I told him I hadn’t. He wasn’t as upset this time. But for the few days since then, he has still been asking every day and expressed some degree of disappointment or anger. I’m waiting until we go a few days where he either doesn’t ask at all or, more ideally, asks and says something like, “That’s okay, daddy, thank you for the ones I already have.” At this point, I’ll surprise him with the new one.
Why? Because I want him to be grateful. Not for my sake, but for his own spiritual health. And if I think giving him what he keeps asking for wouldn’t be the best for his soul, what sort of father would I be if I gave it to him?
On the third day, I actually had bought one because a coupon was expiring, but I told him I hadn’t. He wasn’t as upset this time. But for the few days since then, he has still been asking every day and expressed some degree of disappointment or anger. I’m waiting until we go a few days where he either doesn’t ask at all or, more ideally, asks and says something like, “That’s okay, daddy, thank you for the ones I already have.” At this point, I’ll surprise him with the new one.
Why? Because I want him to be grateful. Not for my sake, but for his own spiritual health. And if I think giving him what he keeps asking for wouldn’t be the best for his soul, what sort of father would I be if I gave it to him?
Thought of the Day 06.18.08
The other day I had a chance to meet one of my coworkers’ kids, and I did what I always do. I praised him to them. Children need to hear from other adults that their parents are smart and good. This is the communal aspect of the 5th Commandment. Yes, we must honor our own parents, but we must also honor parents in general, especially in front of their own kids. In short, we should all try to be the friend of parents.
The question is: is television such a friend? See, we can complain that TV has violence, profanity, sexuality, and crudeness. All true. But the worst thing is that TV ignores parental authority by marketing products and programs directly to children of all ages. It’s not that parents can’t intervene and control what their children watch. It’s that they shouldn’t have to. In this way, television shows that it really doesn’t care about the family.
Anything other than actively honoring parents is dishonoring them. By which standard television is a very bad friend indeed.
The question is: is television such a friend? See, we can complain that TV has violence, profanity, sexuality, and crudeness. All true. But the worst thing is that TV ignores parental authority by marketing products and programs directly to children of all ages. It’s not that parents can’t intervene and control what their children watch. It’s that they shouldn’t have to. In this way, television shows that it really doesn’t care about the family.
Anything other than actively honoring parents is dishonoring them. By which standard television is a very bad friend indeed.
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