Good afternoon, Samara.
Hope things are going well down your way. Did you see any snow in the course of today’s weather? We saw a little while in Silverton where both Mama Becki and I were scheduled for our annual physicals.
Becki showed me a funny cartoon where these two old guys from the Muppets are sitting and talking. One says, “I’m sure feeling my age! I ache all over!” The other old duffer responds, “Well I feel like a newborn—I don’t have any hair, I don’t have any teeth, and I just peed my pants.” I guess I’m on my way there too. But the doctor said I’m in pretty good shape for an old duffer. I don’t yet need any Depends—but that all depends how things go from here. Oh the adventure of it all!
Speaking of old guys, while Becki and I were in BiMart today picking up some prescriptions, an old guy walked by wearing a cap that said, “USS ALABAMA.” I was pretty sure he was of WWII vintage so engaged with him—asking if he spent time in the Pacific during the war. He had. We had a nice visit. He was amused that we had spent time on Guadalcanal, which, incidentally, is where your Aunt Katherine was born. Anyway, I like to talk to these old guys that are of that background partly because they are now so rare. Not many left these days. Not many live to his ripe old age of 95. I thanked him for his service. He seemed to genuinely enjoy our conversation.
Have a good rest of your day.
Love, Tua.
How did Solomon know that gang of people outside his window were a bunch of simpletons?—members of “the simple”? I would guess that he was engaging in a form of profiling or fruit inspection (“Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.” Matthew 7:16). They may have been engaged in some social behavior that Solomon recognized as not very smart—so it was easy to class the whole gang as not very smart—or “simple” (ignorant)—kind of like “guilty by association.” After all, perverse people do not normally socialize with straight people—they most enjoy fellowship with other perverse people. And straight people are most attracted to straight people. So what else is new? “Birds of a feather flock together.”
Do you suppose that this young man who Solomon features in his story was exceptionally “simple”? I think not. He may have been quite average—just a normal guy with very normal hormones—just a regular ignorant sinner. Let’s pause right here to make an important point based on our understanding of Biblical revelation: JUST BEING NORMAL IS NOT JUST DANGEROUS—IT’S FATAL! THAT CONDITION CAUSES PEOPLE TO PERISH! NORMAL PEOPLE CANNOT AND DO NOT LIVE TO PLEASE GOD OR MAKE HEAVEN THEIR ETERNAL HOME. I know—there’s a big part of the world out there that would argue and condemn these statements. But it’s pure and simple Biblical/Gospel truth. How else can we process Jesus’ disclosure to Nicodemus in John 3? “I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again” (John 3:3). Therefore, every person capable of thought is required to be changed or transformed. Normal isn’t going to make it. But changed how? Well, you already know Jesus’ famous words in John 3:16. This transformation must be initiated and offered by God’s love and grace, but must also be endorsed by the human will by means of heart-level belief in order to be effective. Believing in Him begins with a recognition of sin—personal sin and personal need of a Savior. That’s where the mystical power of God’s Spirit kicks in to impart and affect the required change. It’s a marvel! It’s a God thing! “Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God” (John 1:12-13). Wow!
Now for a special news report: Let me be quick to pick up on the above and express my firm opinion that even people born “of natural decent,” or of “human decision or a husband’s will” is still an incredible marvelous GOD THING!—that no human can take credit for inventing or fully controlling. It is that reality that we are celebrating in a special way right now. Our daughter/your aunt, Katherine, just birthed her 4th-born last night—a beautiful big/little boy—big in terms of 9 pounds and 11 ounces. So, praise the Lord!—we now have another grandchild and you have another cousin. Awesome! We’re supposed to marvel!