Beyond Mediocrity Blog

(Image courtesy of https://www.goodtherapy.org.) "And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold" (Matthew 24:12). Raising a family is difficult. But why is it difficult?  In past generations, it may have been difficult because food was scarce, perhaps during a time period like the Great Depression. Or maybe it was difficult because dad was away in Europe during World War II. Or perhaps the greatest difficulty was that mom died during childbirth, leaving dad to take care of all the children. But today, I think the greatest difficulty facing families is inconvenience . I know this first-hand. We have four kids, and I find the messes, the noise, and the general distractions of children to be inconvenient to me. Even now, as I am trying to type this, my daughter is asking me question after question, distracting me  from what I want to do. She is sticking toys down the middle of our new couch cushions, crawling over our clean pillows, and knocking t

(Image courtesy of https://quickbooks.intuit.com.) We live in a culture that is increasingly political. Americans are very concerned with who our leaders are and what they are doing. Our citizenry has become obsessed with litigation. We are sue happy. Liberals, specifically, want everyone else to accept and affirm them. But a Big Brother is needed to enforce these lawsuits. So, whether on the side of the prosecution or the defendant, we are obsessed with the government. But no political candidate ought to be adored or lifted up above God. The one in government office simply ought to perform his God-given duty, and the one underneath him ought to obey. Furthermore, all Christians ought to stand behind conservative and traditional - words I believe are synonymous with true - values because God is truth. But is there ever a time when a Christian should or even must disobey the government?