Introduction Those unfamiliar with physicist Erwin Schrödinger’s famous 1935 thought experiment, Schrödinger’s Cat, may be wondering, “What in the world is the above image showing? Somebody please let that poor cat out of that box before it suffocates!” As a cat lover, I naturally felt sorry for the cat in this image, too, until I realized it was only a story meant to highlight the strangeness of modern physics. Schrödinger’s thought experiment wasn’t an actual experiment. [1] He used the illustration to demonstrate how ridiculous it is to apply the Copenhagen interpretation of quantum-mechanical superposition (something existing in two states simultaneously) to everyday objects. The following describes how he designed his illustration. He envisioned a cat placed in a sealed box with a radioactive atom, a Geiger counter, and poison gas. If the atom decays, the cat dies; if it does not, the cat lives. According to quantum mechanics, until the box is opened and observed, the cat, like the atom, exists in a superposition, meaning it is both alive and dead at the same time. By Author Schrödinger was not trying to prove that reality is ambiguous. He was trying to say that our theories about reality may be incomplete. I heartily agree with Steve Turgeon’s comments on this thought experiment. It’s ironic how Schrödinger is celebrated as a pioneer of quantum mechanics, when his most famous thought experiment was actually a critique of its absurdity. The cat wasn’t meant to illustrate a quantum mystery — it was meant to expose how ridiculous it is to treat superpositions as literal. He didn’t glorify the weirdness; he challenged it. Sometimes the sharpest contributions come from those who aren’t convinced by the “theory” at all. [2] How this illustration relates to Christianity One interpretation of Schrödinger’s cat is that reality doesn’t exist until it is observed. In this view, consciousness, or observation itself, is what creates truth. The “Relativists” love this idea. Christianity, however, firmly rejects this idea, holding that observation itself does not create reality. Scripture presents God as the ultimate observer who created the universe, which exists and operates independently of human awareness. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. (Colossians 1:17, NIV) Reality, like truth, exists whether we acknowledge it or not. We know that the theoretical cat in this illustration is either alive or dead, regardless of who observes it. Christian theology insists that God, not human observers, forms the basis of reality. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. (Hebrews 4:13, NIV) According to God’s Word, reality is always fully known, truth is never ambiguous or in superposition (in two states at once), and creation is sustained moment by moment. What may seem uncertain to us is never uncertain to God. Modern culture loves quantum mechanics Humanists in our modern culture often borrow quantum language (such as the term superposition) to justify their belief in moral relativism. They assume that the uncertainty of subatomic particles’ states and the observer issue justify the belief that truth is fluid, undefined, or depends on the situation or the individual’s perspective. Christianity rejects this ambiguity and the idea that both good and evil can be true at the same time. Scripture shows that Truth is not invented, it is not created by group consensus or individual observation, it is discovered. Woe to those who call evil good and good evil. (Isaiah 5:20, NIV) Many people today believe that faith is believing in something that isn’t true, and that people who live by it ignore reality. Christianity teaches the opposite, treating faith as something concrete and insisting that it doesn’t deny unseen reality; it trusts that unseen reality is real, ordered, and purposeful. Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. (Hebrews 11:1, NIV) Just as scientists trust that invisible particles exist based on scientific evidence, Christian’s trust God based on revelation, history, and reason. We all want clarity Schrödinger’s cat illustration highlights humanity’s discomfort with ambiguity. The unresolved states in the story unsettle us because we want clarity and certainty. Christianity grappled with the uncertainty principle as well. At the cross, death seemed victorious. At the resurrection, God resolved the deepest uncertainty of all: Is there life after death, or is death final? He didn’t leave that question in superposition but proclaimed that life wins! Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here but has risen. (Luke 24:5–6, ESV) Conclusion Christianity teaches that God and truth are knowable, even as Schrödinger’s cat illustrates the absurdity of applying the quantum principle of superposition to the state of a cat’s life. The universe is understandable because it was created by the One who created it and who wanted us to understand it. Truth is not waiting for us to define it. It is defined by and sustained by God, and that fact makes me and my cat O’Malley very happy. © Debra Hodges References: 1. What did Schrodinger’s Cat experiment prove? (2013, July 30). Science Questions With Surprising Answers. https://www.wtamu.edu/~cbaird/sq/2013/07/30/what-did-schrodingers-cat-experiment-prove/. 2. (4) 90 years ago this month, Erwin. . . — American Physical Society | Facebook. (n.d.). https://www.facebook.com/apsphysics/posts/90-years-ago-this-month-erwin-schr%C3%B6dinger-proposed-his-now-famous-thought-experi/1067658572072490/

There are truths so foundational to the Christian life that, once grasped, they quietly reshape how we see every sunrise, every hardship, and every breath we take. One of those truths is this: God is good, and His goodness is not fragile. It does not rise and fall with our circumstances, nor does it depend on our performance. It flows from His character, steady and unchanging, like the mercy described in Lamentations 3:22–23, renewed every morning before our feet ever touch the floor. Many believers can look back over their lives and trace the fingerprints of God’s goodness long before they recognized them. The psalmist reflected on this when he wrote of God’s hand holding him from the moment he awoke until he lay down again, a reminder echoed in Psalm 139:5 and Psalm 23:6. Whether we were aware of it or not, the Lord has been faithfully present — guiding, protecting, correcting, and sustaining. This is why the song “Goodness of God” (Bethel Music, 2019) resonates so deeply with so many. Its testimony mirrors the lived experience of countless believers: “All my life You have been faithful… all my life You have been so, so good.” Those words are not sentimental optimism; they are a confession rooted in Scripture. Psalm 100:5 declares that the Lord is good and His steadfast love endures forever. James 1:17 reminds us that every good and perfect gift comes from Him. And Romans 8:28 assures us that even the things we would never choose are being woven for our good by a God who cannot act outside His own goodness. Yet acknowledging God’s goodness is not always easy. Life brings seasons of fire, as 1 Peter 1:6–7 describes, and nights that feel darker than we imagined possible. But Scripture insists that God is near in those moments, not distant. The psalmist testified that the Lord is close to the brokenhearted in Psalm 34:18. Isaiah spoke of God walking with His people through the fire in Isaiah 43:2. And Paul wrote of a God who comforts us in all our afflictions in 2 Corinthians 1:3–4. These passages remind us that God’s goodness is not proven by the absence of trials but by His presence in them. Sometimes His goodness is protective: closing doors we wanted open or redirecting us when we were determined to go our own way. Other times His goodness is corrective, as Hebrews 12:6 explains, shaping us through discipline that ultimately yields peace and righteousness. And often His goodness is simply tender: the quiet assurance of His Spirit, the unexpected encouragement from a friend, the strength to take one more step when we feel empty. These are not coincidences; they are expressions of a Father who knows His children intimately, as Jesus described in Matthew 6:8. One of the most beautiful aspects of God’s goodness is that it pursues us. David wrote that goodness and mercy would follow him all the days of his life in Psalm 23:6. The Hebrew idea behind “follow” is not passive; it carries the sense of pursuit. God’s goodness does not trail behind us casually. It runs after us, as the song’s bridge proclaims. This pursuit is seen most clearly in Christ Himself. Jesus came “to seek and to save the lost,” as stated in Luke 19:10. He pursued us when we were far from Him, reconciled us through His sacrifice, and now leads us as a Shepherd who lays down His life for His sheep, as described in John 10:11. When we recognize this, pursuing goodness, surrender becomes a natural response. Scripture calls us to this same posture. Paul urges believers to present their bodies as living sacrifices in Romans 12:1. Jesus teaches that following Him requires denying ourselves and taking up our cross in Mark 8:34. Surrender is not loss; it is the doorway to freedom, peace, and purpose. It is trusting that the God who has been faithful in every season will continue to be faithful in the next. Living in the goodness of God also shapes how we relate to others. When we understand how deeply we have been loved, forgiven, and sustained, we become more patient, more gracious, and more generous. Paul wrote that believers are to imitate God as dearly loved children in Ephesians 5:1–2. The goodness we have received becomes the goodness we extend. As we reflect on God’s goodness, we are invited to do more than remember. It calls us to worship. Worship is not merely singing; it is the posture of a heart that recognizes the faithfulness of God across the landscape of life. It is the declaration that, regardless of what tomorrow holds, the God who has carried us this far will not fail us now. It is choosing to trust His character when we cannot trace His hand. So today, take a moment to look back. Trace the threads of God’s goodness in your story: the answered prayers, the unexpected provision, the strength in weakness, the peace in chaos, the forgiveness that restored you, the grace that held you. And then look forward with confidence, knowing that the same God who has been faithful in every chapter will be faithful in the ones still to come. Because all our lives, He has been faithful. And all our lives, He has been so, so good. © Randy DeVaul, MA

“How can anyone know what is best for a man in this short, useless life of his — a life that passes like a shadow?”- Ecclesiastes 6:12 (GNT). When I think about the above verse, the answer is God. Only He knows what’s best for us. King Hezekiah was one of the few kings of Judah who was loyal to the Lord. In fact, 2 Kings 18:5–6 says: "Hezekiah trusted in the Lord, the God of Israel; Judah never had another king like him either before or after his time. He was faithful to the Lord and never disobeyed Him…” That’s quite a resume. At one point, though, Hezekiah fell seriously ill. Almost died. And during that time, the prophet Isaiah came to him with a message straight from God: put everything in order, you’re not going to recover, get ready to die (2 Kings 20:1). That’s not a doctor’s opinion. That’s not a rumor. That’s God speaking through a prophet. If I were Hezekiah, I think I would have accepted it. Maybe I’d be sad, maybe very dejected, but I’d eventually come to terms with it. I’d start saying my goodbyes. Probably even go coffin-box shopping. Haha. But Hezekiah didn’t do that. Instead, the Bible says he turned his face to the wall and prayed. And he cried. Bitterly. Imagine that. A king. Crying like that before God. What’s interesting is this: when Hezekiah prayed, he didn’t directly ask God to heal him. He didn’t explicitly say, “Please give me more years.” Instead, he said this: “Remember, Lord, how I have served you faithfully and loyally and how I have always tried to do what you wanted me to do.” (2 Kings 20:3) Does God need reminding? Obviously not. So why did Hezekiah pray like that? I don’t think he had lost hope. I don’t think he had lost the will to live either. Sure, Proverbs 18:14 (GNT) is wisdom. Even after receiving a direct word from God, he still prayed. He still poured his heart out. There was something very child-like about it. Almost stubborn. Here’s a strange image that came to my mind. Imagine you have a pet golden retriever. Lovely dogs. Always ebullient. You take it for a morning walk in a big, green park. Sunny day. Kids playing. Birds chirping. It’s been an hour, and it’s time to go home. The dog doesn’t agree. Photo by Eric Ward It slows down. Resists. Maybe even sits down dramatically. Gives you that look that says, “Just five more minutes, human.” Not crying bitterly, but definitely whining. People around start watching. Someone might even record you both and upload it to the internet. America’s Funniest Videos, here we come. Haha. That’s kind of how Hezekiah looks to me in my imagination. And maybe, in God’s eyes too. His trust in God was deep. Whole-hearted. Almost naive. Like a child with a parent or a loyal dog with its owner. He wasn’t calculating outcomes. He just didn’t want to go yet. And God heard him. Hezekiah was given 15 more years to live. Most sermons stop there. Miracle. Prayer answered. God is good. Everyone claps. Yay! But was that really what God wanted? God originally wanted Hezekiah to leave this earth and come to Him. What happened in those extra 15 years matters a lot. During that time, Hezekiah fathered a son named Manasseh. Chapter 21 of 2 Kings begins by saying Manasseh was 12 years old when he became king. Which means he was born after Hezekiah’s life was extended. And Manasseh turned out to be one of the most wicked kings Judah ever had! He built altars for idols. Worshipped other gods, stars. Sacrificed his own son as a burnt offering. He filled Jerusalem with innocent blood. The Bible says the Lord’s anger burned intensely because of him. (2 Kings 21:3, 6, 16) It’s chilling. Perhaps God, in His wisdom, saw what was coming. Perhaps He knew what kind of destruction would follow. Perhaps He didn’t want Manasseh to be born at all. Hezekiah couldn’t have known that. He was just a faithful, obedient, golden retriever kind of man who loved God deeply. But love alone isn’t always the same as surrender. Jesus, in the Garden of Gethsemane, sounded a bit like Hezekiah when He prayed. He asked if the cup of suffering could pass from Him. But then came the words that changed everything: “Yet not what I want, but what you want…” (Mark 14:36, GNT). Those words matter. Immensely. Imagine if Jesus didn’t say them. Whoa! We’d be in very deep trouble. The cup had to be drunk. Hezekiah refused his cup. Jesus didn’t. One man’s refusal led to a nation slowly falling apart through Manasseh. One man’s surrender led to the salvation of humanity. C.S. Lewis put it painfully well: "There are only two kinds of people in the end: those who say to God, ‘Thy will be done,’ and those to whom God says, in the end, ‘Thy will be done.’” That quote deserves to sit right here. Let it linger. So what do we learn from this? If God says something, let it be final. Even if it costs you your life. Even if it doesn’t make sense. Even if it hurts. If Abraham had argued endlessly for Isaac instead of obeying, we probably wouldn’t be here. God’s wisdom runs far deeper than our timelines, emotions, and logic. Our mortal minds are puny. Short-sighted. May we remember that His thoughts are not our thoughts, and His ways are not our ways.” (Isaiah 55:8) It is humbling. And definitely uncomfortable. But maybe that’s the point. Writing is one of the ways I process faith and life, and this post is part of that journey. If you’d like to explore more of my writing, you can visit my Amazon Author Central page and check out my books. Thanks for reading! © Dr. Anudeep Manne

Recently, I read a quote stating that we don't see the world as it is; we see it as we are. I didn't pay much attention to it, so I can't remember where I read it or who said it, but it stuck with me. Prosperity promises Last night I watched a few podcasts, all saying the same thing: God is about to break through in my life and change my circumstances. He is going to restore me and heal me. It's wonderful. It's exciting. I needed these messages, and the effect seemed amplified as I saw many similar messages. But then I started thinking about it. It's possible that these podcasts will be viewed by millions of people. Is God saying this to all of us? Are all of us in desperate need of God's deliverance and intervention, or is it clickbait? Is it a matter of gaining viewership and generating revenue, or is it real? I guess we have to know the podcasters, and even then, we won't know what's really in their hearts. Did they hear from God, or are they trying to benefit from our pain? There are so many arguments for and against these messages. It’s good to encourage someone. It’s good to point them to God and give them hope in dire circumstances. It’s good to speak life and focus on God and His goodness. I know I need to hear positive words. I naturally gravitate toward these messages. However, it doesn’t benefit me if it’s a false hope and a deceitful message. How will I know the truth? Reading the Bible It made me wonder about how I read the Bible. Am I reading God’s Word through the lens of my circumstances, or do I see it as God intended? Do I blindly apply my favorite verses, taking them out of context, because I like what I read? It speaks to me in my circumstances. It gives me hope in the midst of my pain. I latch onto them as if they are a life raft in my ocean of problems. Am I giving myself false hope? Should I take every promise at face value, or should I develop a broader perspective? Certainly, when God gave a promise to an individual or a nation at a particular time, they could believe it, but is God saying the same to me in my time and situation? Is God giving me the future I hope for (Jeremiah 29:11), and is He working all things together for my good (Romans 8:28)? Are the angels protecting me so that I won’t stub my toe against a stone, or that I won’t break any bones? How do these promises stack up against my reality and my experience? Personal experience I don't know about you, but I have stubbed my toes many times. Bad things happen. Many Christians are persecuted, tortured, and killed. I'm sure many of them regularly declared Psalm 91 over themselves and their families. What am I missing? A few days ago, I read something in the Bible that has never registered with me before. I have read my Bible from Genesis to the maps numerous times, yet I haven't seen this before. God said that we treat Him like dirt when we don't trust Him. When Moses struck the rock (Numbers 20) instead of speaking to it, God told Moses that he wouldn't lead the people into the promised land because he didn't trust God. Trust. It's one little word. What does it mean? Stephen served God wholeheartedly. He was full of the Holy Spirit, yet he was stoned. Paul made a complete turnaround from persecuting the church to proclaiming the Gospel, yet he didn’t have an easy life. So many of the characters in the Bible struggled with the same questions, uncertainties, and problems I face. Some found relief and deliverance, but others died, still waiting for unfulfilled promises. Joseph received dreams from God, but he had to suffer dire circumstances for many years before he saw the results. Likewise, David was anointed as king, but he was on the run for many years, and even after he became king, he faced challenges regularly. Considering character after character in the Bible clearly demonstrates that there is no such thing as an easy life. We don't suffer for a short time and then experience utopia. We don't graduate to a better life here on earth after we've suffered and survived trying times. Paul shared that he learned to be content regardless of his circumstances (Philippians 4:11-13). He learned to be content. I'm sure these lessons weren't easy. He admonished us to focus on things above, not on things of the earth. Our focus should not be on us or our circumstances. Our focus should be on God. The things that can be seen will pass, but the things we can't see will last forever. What about these promises of breakthroughs, restoration, and healing? What do podcasters and preachers gain from giving us such messages? Can we believe these people? Our unique relationship with God I know that God created us uniquely, and our walk with Him is as unique and personal as our creation, and He can speak these promises to us personally in our circumstances. His Word is alive and active, and He speaks to us today. It could be that God is saying that I will experience breakthroughs in my life shortly. However, better than listening to these podcasts, I’d rather hold onto Jesus' words. He said that in this life we will have troubles (John 16:33). He also said that our Father knows what we need (Matthew 6:25-34). I have concluded that my God, my loving Father, will provide my needs. What He doesn’t provide, I don’t need. It’s as simple as that. It doesn’t mean that I don’t want it, or that I stop hoping for it. I have decided to trust God. He knows what I need, and He won’t give me a snake or a scorpion when I need sustenance. What I need most is the Holy Spirit (Luke 11:13), His wisdom, guidance, and intercessory prayers. God promised His Holy Spirit to anyone who asks Him. Grace I've accepted God's Word to Paul when he prayed for the deliverance he thought he needed. God didn't take away his thorn, but promised that His grace was sufficient for him (2 Corinthians 12:9). God will provide sufficient grace for each day. The days may be difficult, but I will receive grace to help me live victoriously despite my circumstances. My prayer is that God will use my circumstances to draw me closer to Him. What do you think? Should we cling to favorite verses and prosperity podcasts, or should we take Jesus at His Word, expect trouble, and rest in the assurance that our Father will take care of us? © Rina Schultz

© Jacob Berhoef I didn’t expect a wake-up call from God to come through a text message. Text Message: “Thank you so much for your prayers!” To my shame, I didn’t even remember what their prayer request was. I had to scroll back through my messages and look. It wasn’t a small request. I can’t even begin to tell you the shame I felt in that moment. In that moment, I felt convicted in a way I had never experienced before. It wasn’t gentle at all. It was that cast iron pan upside the head that left a migraine kinda pow. The weight of promises. When we tell someone, “I’ll be praying for you,” we’re making more than a polite gesture. We’re making a promise, one God Himself hears. To forget that promise is no different than telling a friend you’ll show up to help them move, and then never arriving. That day, I realized I had been beyond careless and thoughtless with my words. They reached out to me in need, and I didn’t come through when I said I would. I felt wrecked in that moment. I cried, and I asked God to forgive me and change me. It has been a journey in changing my habits. It is important to understand that when convicted, you still have to do the work that goes with it; conviction doesn’t mean instant change of behavior, it means God is calling you out on behavior that must change. That is why it took so long to write about this change in my life; it was a learning process and a mental/physical habit that I needed to fix because I was convicted. Ultimately, it is impossible to describe the profound impact this has had on my life in many areas, and I encourage everyone to reevaluate how they handle prayer requests. It will say a lot about your heart and relationship with Christ. I want to share a few things that I have learned along the way. This is akin to a covenant in a lot of ways. “a covenant is a promise between two or more parties to perform certain actions.” A prayer doesn’t have to be fancy words, just sincere and full of faith. I don’t care if I’m in the middle of doing something with people around me. I close my eyes and lift them up in prayer, and when someone asks what’s up, I tell them the truth. I was praying for someone. Be bold and courageous in your faith. Here’s a neat thing: once you pray, you remember their prayer request better. It’s like when you meet someone and say their name, so next time you have a better chance of remembering their name. Discovered the same happens for prayer requests. Some days are better than others regarding the request details, and you won’t remember every prayer request or every single detail for weeks on end. And that’s ok, you remember their name and their need, God will take care of the rest. We are not built to remember every prayer request for weeks on end. We get new data every day, but God will put it on your heart out of nowhere sometimes, so listen to that. You will fail at this sometimes; you will backslide and forget, but keep moving forward with this new chapter of your faith. God has taught me to keep pressing forward, to keep growing, and not let failure pull me back into old habits. Prayer is both a duty and a gift. It’s one of the most intimate promises we can make to one another, bringing a need before God. And if God has never once broken a promise to us, how can we treat our own promises so lightly? This journey has humbled me, convicted me, and reshaped me. And though I’m still learning, I can say with confidence: honoring the prayers we promise transforms more than our habits. It transforms our relationship with God and with others. So the next time you tell someone, “I’m praying for you,” stop and pray. Right there. Right then. Because prayer is not a courtesy, it’s a covenant. (This piece is a revision of an early work and has been rewritten to reflect how God continues to mold me, draw me to this topic, and with a lot better grammar.) © Jane Isley

I struggled to come out of the fog of sleep, searching for awakeness after a broken night’s rest. Lying still with my eyes closed, my brain sorted through its daily reality check. Sunday morning. Church. Lunch with friends. Evening to relax. Got it. But then the flood of anguishing memories from the previous week hit me. It would be an overcast day at best. I pictured myself walking into church, locking eyes with a smiling friend, and bursting into tears. The music would open the floodgates. The sermon would surely hit the bullseye. Should I just walk into church with a box of Kleenex? I quickly decided to tell Hubby we need to watch the livestream; I’m not in the mood to see smiling faces. But then I remembered the chopsticks, and I smiled. The chopstick’s smile study was conducted in 2009 by Daniel Wiswede and his colleagues at the Otto-von Guericke Universität Magdeburg, in Magdeburg, Germany. The researchers were trying to determine if the physical act of smiling had an effect on dopamine levels. Dopamine levels run parallel to mood. A person with low levels of dopamine may feel sad or depressed. A person with excessively high levels of dopamine may be more aggressive and have trouble sleeping. Maintaining a ‘normal’ level of this neurotransmitter helps with the regulation of a person’s generally happy mood. The Chopstick’s Study (as I will refer to it) had participants hold a chopstick horizontally between their teeth, thus forcing their face into a ‘smile’ position. Other participants held a chopstick vertically by their upper lip, thus forcing their face into a ‘frown’ position. These people sat with a chopstick either horizontally or vertically in their mouths for five minutes. The people with the horizontal chopstick between their teeth were found to have an elevated mood and higher dopamine levels. The mere act of smiling makes you feel happier! An alternate study involving the Mirror Neuron System (MNS) was also referenced in the Chopstick’s Study literature. “Mirror neurons in the brain fire not only when the action is performed, but also when the action is observed.” So if I am feeling blue, and someone smiles at me, happy neurological activity starts firing in my brain! As a believer in Jesus, I not only have an MNS, but I also have an MJS (Mirror Jesus System)! Of all the things God created, humans are the only ones created in His image. We were made to reflect His glory. If you are filled with the Holy Spirit, people see Jesus when they see you. When you smile at someone, it causes the other person to smile back, thus releasing dopamine in their brain. Be a mirror of Jesus! Hubby lovingly denied my request to watch the church livestream. I gave myself a mental pep talk on the 23-minute drive to church, my purse loaded with Kleenex, just in case. Stepping out of the car, a smile greeted me. I mirrored. Three more smiles were beamed in my direction. I reflected. By the time I sat down, I had been smiling nonstop for minutes. The dopamine in my brain was flowing. The dark cloud of the previous week had not gone away- But my church family was there holding my umbrella. Chopstick’s Study First published in Pursuing Perfection on Substack by © Tessa Lind, tessalind.substack.com

The number one reason gossip is completely unnecessary is because other people’s actions speak for themselves. In the spirit of honesty, I must confess I wanted to title this post “Why I Don’t Gossip” but knew that act would make me a dishonest hypocrite. Considering this topic-related streaming series I have admittedly been indulging in recently, and the information about a family member I shared with my kids this past weekend, I am not innocent. Wisdom from Proverbs About Gossip: “A gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy person keeps a secret.” (Proverbs 11:13) “A perverse person stirs up conflict, and a gossip separates close friends.” (Proverbs 16:28) “Whoever covers an offense seeks love, but he who repeats a matter separates close friends.” (Proverbs 17:9) “The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to the inmost parts.” (Proverbs 18:8) “For lack of wood the fire goes out, and where there is no whisperer, quarreling ceases.” (Proverbs 26:20) “A gossip goes around telling secrets, so don’t hang around with chatterers.” (Proverbs 20:19) So I know better. And I want to be better. With God’s help, I know I can. The number one reason gossip is completely unnecessary is because other people’s actions speak for themselves. The six verses from the Bible book of Proverbs quoted above are reasons enough to STOP! Plus, my own opinion about a person’s actions speaking loud enough that it renders any musings or murmurings from me completely superfluous. The entertainment provided by God’s Word is of significantly higher quality and worth than any tantalizing teasers I could stream online or drama I could choose to participate in related to family, friends, colleagues, or other community circles I frequent. So there you have it… my reasons for praying to my Heavenly Father to help me abstain from meditating on whatever things are not suggested in the fourth chapter of Philippians. Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable — if anything is excellent or praiseworthy — think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me — put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. Philippians 4:8–9 NIV May we be trustworthy friends, family members, co-workers, members of our fellowship groups, and disciples of Christ as we progress like the pilgrims we are on this temporary life journey into eternity. Want more of this positively peaceful energy? Your coffee helps me create it :) © Nora Gwen

Pexels If you flip through the Gospels, you’ll notice something Jesus never said: “Come back when you’ve got your act cleaned up.” He didn’t walk the shoreline of Galilee hunting for the holiest, most polished citizens. He went after fishermen who smelled of dead fish, tax collectors with sticky fingers, zealots with hot tempers, and women pushed to the margins. The truth is, Jesus never asked for perfect people. He picked messy ones on purpose. Jesus’ Track Record with Imperfect People When Jesus called Peter, James, and John, they were ordinary laborers. Nothing holy about cleaning nets all night (Luke 5:1–11). Matthew, the tax collector, was a social outcast and viewed as a sell-out to Rome (Matthew 9:9–13). Mary Magdalene carried deep wounds, and rumors trailed her name (Luke 8:2). If you were forming a movement to change the world, would you choose these people? Yet Jesus did. He built His kingdom out of cracked stones, not polished marble. As Paul later wrote, “God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise… the weak things… to shame the strong” (1 Corinthians 1:27). Messiness Is Not a Disqualification Some of us carry the quiet ache of believing we’ll never measure up. We think, if I could just be more faithful, more disciplined, more holy, then maybe God would use me. But Jesus flips that script. Nadia Bolz-Weber once said, “Never once did Jesus scan the room for the best example of holy living and send that person out to tell others about him. He always sent stumblers and sinners.” That’s the point: our messiness isn’t a barrier — it’s the very space where grace shines brightest. Why Did Jesus Do It This Way? Because perfection was never the requirement. Love was. When the Pharisees grumbled about Jesus eating with tax collectors and sinners, He said plainly: “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick” (Matthew 9:12). Brian Zahnd puts it like this: “Jesus doesn’t begin with the demand for perfection. He begins with the offer of mercy.” Jesus called broken people because broken people know they need help. They’re not pretending to have it all together. And when they encounter grace, it’s not theory. it’s lifeblood. What About Us? So where does that leave you and me? It means your doubts don’t disqualify you. Your anger doesn’t exclude you. Your rough edges don’t make you unusable. Think about Peter: he denied even knowing Jesus three times. Yet after the resurrection, Jesus didn’t discard him. He restored him (John 21:15–19). The story of the early church was carried on the back of a man who failed publicly. Rachel Held Evans once wrote, “The gospel doesn’t need a coalition devoted to keeping the wrong people out. It needs a family of sinners, saved by grace, committed to tearing down walls and throwing open doors.” That’s the kind of community Jesus started with, and that’s the one we’re still invited into. The Power of Grace in the Mess Now hear me on this: Grace isn’t a ticket to stay stuck. It’s fuel to grow. But growth doesn’t erase the fact that Jesus loved us first, while we were still messy. Romans 5:8 reminds us, “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Notice Paul doesn’t say “after we cleaned up” or “once we proved ourselves.” Grace met us in the dirt. And grace still does. Living Like This Matters Here’s the challenge: if Jesus picked the messy ones, maybe we need to stop trying to curate our image of perfection and start telling the truth about who we are. Because honesty breeds connection. Vulnerability breeds compassion. And the world doesn’t need more perfect Christians. It needs more honest ones. Now, somebody might be saying, “But what about the verse that says, “Be perfect as I am perfect '?” I’m glad you asked. Let me explain: If you look at the verses right before Matthew 5:48, Jesus is talking about love for enemies. He says God makes the sun rise on both the good and the evil, and sends rain on the just and unjust alike (Matthew 5:45). Then He pushes His disciples beyond tribal, transactional love. So when He says, “Be perfect, as your Father is perfect,” He’s calling them to grow up into God’s kind of love, complete, impartial, generous love. Barbara Brown Taylor once said, “Jesus hung out with all the wrong people. So if you’re trying to avoid the wrong people, you’re going to miss him.” That’ll preach. Take This with You Jesus never asked for perfect people. He asked for willing people. He called the messy, the doubting, the overlooked, and the broken — and He still does. So the next time you catch yourself thinking, I’m not good enough for God to use me, remember this: your story is exactly the kind of story Jesus builds His kingdom on. Not the polished one. Not the Instagram-ready one. The real one. And that’s very good news. © Gary L Ellis Gary L. Ellis (1944–2026) served as an editor and contributor to this publication. His work remains part of our archive in grateful remembrance.

Anyone who has some form of connection to the outside world knows that every day, there is more and more terrifying news. Car accidents, deaths from natural disasters, wars, school shootings, the list goes on and on. And recently, I’ve seen numerous posts and comments about how we are at the end of the world. Now, before you click off this article, I just want to let you know that I’m not writing about whether or not we are moments away from the tribulation, the rapture, or Jesus’ second coming. I don’t know the answer to those things, and honestly, I think we as Christians are focusing too much on whether or not these things are happening. I’m not trying to minimize the significance of these topics, but lately, I’ve seen Christians (myself included) get so focused on these topics that we are losing sight of what we are called to do. In Matthew 28:19, Jesus says, “Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations.” The truth is that we are so focused on the dark things happening in the world that we forget that we are children of God! We can be the lanterns in this dark world if we turn our attention to what truly matters most, which is how great and mighty our God is! God has made every one of us in His image, and we all are different! God wants to use the uniqueness of us as individuals to help glorify Him and His mission. As children of God, this should be the thing that we should be focusing on. How can we be the light in the darkness? How can we show God’s love today? I used to struggle with those questions until a few weeks ago. I was at a gas station and I held the door open for a man who was probably in his fifties. The man stopped walking for a split second, flabbergasted that some woman was holding the door open for him. Then the biggest smile came onto his face. I grew up holding doors for people; that’s what I was taught to do, but it made me realize that this world is a lot darker and desperate for help than I realized. God showed me that day that I don’t need to be perfect or great at something to be able to be a blessing to someone. Today, you can be a blessing to someone just by holding the door open for them. You can be a blessing by tipping your barista a little extra money or by buying a sandwich for that homeless person on the sidewalk. The possibilities are endless. And it’s not just strangers you can bless, it’s your family members and fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. Does someone you know need help cleaning their house? Do it even if that selfish part of you doesn’t want to. You never know how much of an impact that’s going to make on their day, month, year, or even life. I know that sounds a bit dramatic, and I love a good flare of drama, but it’s true. Blessing someone can plant a seed in their heart, and you never know what God might do with that seed that was planted. As the world continues to get darker, it’s easy to get scared, to want to stay confined to the safety of our bubbles, and to be selfish with our time, effort, and money. But that’s not what we are called to do. In fact, seeing all of these dark things should be a reminder that people are looking for something good, something bright. And we just happen to be tiny lanterns who have the opportunity to show them who the brightest light of the world is, our savior Jesus Christ. “And without question, the person who has the power to give a blessing is greater than the one who is blessed.” Hebrews 7:7 © Sierra Loew

Prologue Before criticizing Christian nationalism, it is important to represent it fairly. Serious Christian nationalists are not cartoon villains obsessed with domination. Most would argue something like this: Civil government is ordained by God. Nations are real and meaningful, not accidental. Law inevitably reflects moral convictions. If a people are Christian, their laws and institutions should reflect Christian moral order. Strength deters evil and protects the innocent. This position is not irrational. It is a form of political theology. It takes seriously that rulers answer to God. It takes seriously that moral neutrality is a myth. It takes seriously that power must be ordered toward justice. The problem is not that Christians care about order or strength. The problem emerges when strength becomes ultimate. “Raphael’s ‘The Vision of the Cross’ depicts Constantine seeing the cross before battle—a moment where Christian faith begins its uneasy alliance with worldly power.” A Clarifying Question So I ask a simple question. Do you want a truly Christian nation? A nation where: Most people genuinely believe in Jesus. Laws reflect biblical justice. Rulers are godly and restrained. The poor do not go to bed hungry. Corruption is rare. The vulnerable are protected. But here is the condition. It is not the strongest military in the world. It is not the largest economy. It is not a global superpower. Other nations do not fear it. Some even look down on it. Would that still count as success? The hesitation around that question reveals the real tension. The New Testament Problem The New Testament repeatedly warns Christians about “the world.” “Do not love the world or the things in the world” (1 John 2:15) “Friendship with the world is enmity with God” (James 4:4) Yet “God so loved the world” (John 3:16) What is being rejected is not people, creation, or nations. What is rejected is a system of pride, domination, self-exaltation, and the craving for recognition. “The world” is not geography. It is an order of desire. Here is the subtle loophole some Christian nationalists fall into: If the world is the problem, then make the world Christian. If the system is corrupt, take control of it. If culture is hostile, baptize it. Then we can love it without compromise. But this assumes the problem is the label. It is not. If the same instincts remain — if prestige is still ultimate, if dominance is still non-negotiable, if humiliation still feels like the worst evil — then nothing fundamental has changed. You have not rejected the world. You have renamed it. You cannot cure worldliness by giving it a cross. You either crucify the desire for dominance, or you sanctify it. The question is not whether Christians influence power. The question is whether power reshapes what Christians mean by faithfulness. Where the Tension Lives Christian nationalism often insists that strength is necessary to protect righteousness. That claim is not absurd. Weak governments can enable chaos. Defensive force can restrain evil. But at what point does protection become prestige? At what point does deterrence become a craving to be feared? When Christianity gained imperial favor under Constantine the Great, the persecuted church received stability and influence. Many believers saw it as providence. Yet Rome’s instinct for expansion and dominance did not vanish. It merged with Christian identity. The cross moved closer to the sword. From that point forward, Christians have faced the same question: Are we discipling power, or is power discipling us? The Kingdom Jesus Described Jesus did not reject authority, but he radically redefined greatness. “The meek shall inherit the earth” (Matthew 5:5)“Love your enemies” (Matthew 5:44)“The greatest among you shall be your servant” (Matthew 23:11)“My kingdom is not of this world” (John 18:36)“My power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9) The early church lived under the Rome of Nero. They had no cultural dominance and no political leverage. Yet they reshaped the moral imagination of the empire. They were spiritually powerful and politically unimpressive. The New Testament does not present global dominance as the mark of divine favor. It presents endurance, holiness, and love under pressure as maturity (James 1:2–4). The Question of Ultimacy This is not about whether a nation may defend itself. It is not about whether Christians should influence law. It is not about whether stability is good. The real question is about ultimacy. If obedience to Christ and national prestige ever conflict, which yields? If a nation became more just but less feared, would that feel like loss? If it became more merciful but less dominant, would that feel like decline? Scripture treats justice as sacred (Micah 6:8)Mercy as sacred (Matthew 9:13)Holiness as sacred (1 Peter 1:15–16) It never treats being feared as sacred. If the New Testament calls believers to reject the pride of life and the lust for status, then making the system Christian in name does not solve the problem if those desires remain intact. The world is not defeated by conquest. It is defeated by crucifixion. The Final Test If your country became more obedient to Christ but less dominant globally, would you call that decline or faithfulness? If righteousness increased but influence decreased, would you celebrate or panic? A genuinely Christian nation, if such a thing were possible, might look restrained, generous, morally serious, and even unimpressive. The cross was not intimidating (Philippians 2:6–8). It was obedient. If your Christianity requires your nation to be feared in order to feel secure, then strength has become more central than discipleship. And that is the question Christian nationalism must answer. © Joel Sarfraz References: Holy Bible, English Standard Version (ESV). 1 John 2:15; James 4:4; John 3:16; Matthew 5:5, 5:44, 23:11; John 18:36; 2 Corinthians 12:9; Micah 6:8; Matthew 9:13; 1 Peter 1:15–16; Philippians 2:6–8; Romans 13:1–7; Acts 17:26; Psalm 2; Psalm 82:3–4; Deuteronomy 15:4; Proverbs 29:4; James 1:2–4.Barnes, A. (1898). Notes on the New Testament. New York: Harper & Brothers. -Brown, P. (1989). The Rise of Western Christendom: Triumph and Diversity, A.D. 200–1000. Blackwell. -Chadwick, H. (1993). The Early Church. Penguin Books. -Stark, R. (1996). The Rise of Christianity: A Sociologist Reconsiders History. Princeton University Press. -Rolston, B. (2012). Christian Political Theology: A Historical and Systematic Introduction. Oxford University Press. -Ehrman, B. D. (2014). The Apostolic Fathers, Volume 1: I–II Clement, Ignatius, Polycarp, Didache. Harvard University Press. -Raphael. The Vision of the Cross (Sala di Costantino, Vatican). Wikimedia Commons. Public domain. Available at: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Raphael_Vision_Cross.jpg