To Bee or Not to Bee?

Ari Fleischer

Samantha Bee has said that she is sorry for using vulgar and offensive language to describe the president’s daughter, Ivanka Trump. The apology apparently is enough for executives at TBS, who thus far have not issued any disciplinary action toward Bee, who has a television show on that network.

This is quite different from what happened when Roseanne Barr recently made a similarly offensive statement and then had her television show promptly cancelled by ABC.

All of this reinforces the long-held notion that there is a double standard in our culture. Conservatives are routinely held to higher standards than liberals. (I know that most conservatives do not consider Roseanne Barr to be their standard bearer, but she is perceived by the left to be conservative.)

Ari Fleischer, former White House press secretary under President George W. Bush, says, “There’s no uprising against Bee. Why? Because she is a liberal…The hypocrisy is sickening.”

Conservatives have long been perplexed by this double standard, but at least we can take heart in noting that the opposition is, unwittingly, admitting that conservatives routinely take the moral high road and are held to a different level of accountability.

“Even as fools walk along the road, they lack sense and show everyone how stupid they are.”—Ecclesiastes 10:3.

 

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Ireland’s Irony

Last week Ireland turned its back on their pro-life Catholic heritage and voted overwhelmingly to legalize abortion. 66 percent of the voters supported lifting the ban on abortion. The decision is mourned by pro-life people everywhere, but celebrated by those who have a distorted view of the value of human life.

Coverage of the controversial issue has revealed some irony exhibited by some people on the pro-abortion side. One still photo captured the image of a woman who was participating in a pro-abortion gathering. She was carrying a small baby. Really?! You are carrying a small baby at a pro-abortion rally? Really? I hope and pray that that baby grows up to recognize himself or herself in the picture, realizes the irony of the situation and becomes a part of the pro-life movement.

I also saw an interview of a young lady who had had an illegal abortion. She was happy for the outcome of the vote, and she was glad that if she ever has a daughter, that she won’t have to face the same situation that she did. What?! You may have killed the only daughter you will ever have! Can you really not hear yourself? You honestly can’t see the irony?

As long as evil exists, people’s thinking will be murky. When the truth is obscured, lies become more believable. And sometimes people don’t see the irony.

“Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.”—Isaiah 5:20.

 

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Be Careful Little Tongue What You Say!

Roseanne Barr

Roseanne Barr was enjoying a nice comeback in her career, with a successful reboot of her popular sitcom. Now it’s all gone. Gone in an instant, because of a racist tweet that she sent out.

Barr is apologetic, and she feels terrible about causing hundreds of people who worked on the show to be suddenly out of a job.

But the damage is done. The Bible warns us over and over about the dangers of the tongue. What we say—and tweet—has the potential to either bless or curse others. The tongue is difficult to control, but control it we must. Either that or face the consequences.

“With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be.”—James 3:9-10.

 

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Calm in the Storm

Ron Mehl shares a story about a woman who was once caught in a frightening storm as she sailed across the Atlantic Ocean. This lady kept all the little children on board from panicking by telling Bible stories. After finally reaching the dock safely, the ship’s captain approached the woman, whom he had observed in the midst of the storm.

“How were you able to maintain your calm when everyone feared the ship would sink in this storm?” the captain asked. As she looked up, he noted the same quiet peace in her eyes that she had maintained throughout the journey.

“I have two daughters,” explained the Christian woman. “One of them lives in New York. The other lives in heaven. I knew I would see one or the other of my daughters in a few hours. And it really didn’t matter to me which one.”

“And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”—Philippians 4:7.

 

 

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Break the Mold!

“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”—Romans 12:2.

The devil has a mold in mind for you. He would like to have you take the shape of the people in his control—the greedy, lustful, selfish people who either ignore God or live in outright rebellion against God. Don’t allow the devil to do this to you! Break the mold! Be transformed into what God wants you to be!

 

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Courageous Diagnosis

A married couple asked their family doctor to examine their young son. The boy was extremely hyperactive and continually did and said things that were highly inappropriate. His actions left them exhausted and exasperated. The parents were sure that their son had some sort of physical condition that could be treated with medication. They hoped that the doctor could prescribe something that would help them get their lives back to normal.

After running several tests and interviewing the boy, the doctor called the parents in for his diagnosis. He said, “I don’t think your son has any physical condition at all. I think he is just super annoying!”

That certainly was a brave diagnosis!

God wants us to be bold and courageous as we live out our faith. Let us always strive to be brave in every way as we live for Jesus.

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”—Joshua 1:9.

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Doing the Dirty Work

Winston Churchill

Don McCullough writes in Waking from the American Dream:

“During World War II, England needed to increase its production of coal. Winston Churchill called together labor leaders to enlist their support. At the end of his presentation he asked them to picture in their minds a parade which he knew would be held in Piccadilly Circus after the war. First, he said, would come the sailors who had kept the vital sea lanes open. Then would come the soldiers who had come home from Dunkirk and then gone on to defeat Rommel in Africa. Then would come the pilots who had driven the Luftwaffe from the sky.

Last of all, he said, would come a long line of sweat-stained, soot-streaked men in miner’s caps. Someone would cry from the crowd, “And where were you during the critical days of our struggle?”

And from ten thousand throats would come the answer, “We were deep in the earth with our faces to the coal.”

Not all the jobs in a church are prominent and glamorous. But the people with their “faces to the coal” play a vital role in helping the church accomplish its mission.

“Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, ‘Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.’”—Mark 9:35.

 

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Don’t Get Picked Off!

Terry Mulholland

Terry Mulholland, a left-handed pitcher for the Seattle Mariners in the 1990s, had one of the best pickoff moves in baseball. Over a period of 5 years, only 6 runners were successful in stealing a base off Mulholland. His pitching motion was so deceptive that he would often catch runners leaning in the wrong direction, at which point he would pick them off base.

Opposing player Bip Roberts once said, “Sometimes it seems as if he gives up a hit just so he can pick you off.”

This describes the devil’s strategy. The tempter will offer worldly pleasure to get you leaning in the wrong direction. He offers the pleasure of sin only to pick you off and inflict suffering later.

“Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.”—Ephesians 6:11.

 

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Face in a Crowd

A man who was wanted by police in China thought that he could hide in a crowd of 60,000 people who had gathered for a concert. He was wrong.

Cameras at the entrances of the venue had modern facial recognition technology. Someone monitoring the cameras identified him, and officers arrested him before the concert was over!

People often think that they can hide from God; that their sin will not be discovered. However, you can’t escape recognition from the Lord. Any unforgiven sin will be revealed. Any unrepentant heart will be discovered. You can’t run from God.

“Who can hide in secret places so that I cannot see them?” declares the Lord. “Do not I fill heaven and earth?” declares the Lord.”—Jeremiah 23:24.

 

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Good at What You Do

There are different levels of being good at something. For example, you might be good at math in that you can balance your checkbook. However, you probably aren’t good enough at math to be a rocket scientist who works for NASA.

This principle holds true in many ways. You may be a good enough teacher to convey some biblical truths to people in everyday conversations, but not good enough to teach a class in your church. You might be a good enough singer to blend your voice well with the congregation on Sunday morning, but not good enough to sing a solo. You might be good enough with babies to make a little one smile for a moment, but not good enough to be in charge of the church nursery for a full hour.

We need to be honest with ourselves as we assess what we do for the Lord.

“For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you.”—Romans 12:3.

 

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