Deceptive Compassion

Last year, I read the book Toxic Empathy by Allie Beth Stuckey and reviewed it here. As I was reading it, there was something familiar in everything that she was talking about, but I couldn’t quite place it. Then I recently was re-reading some of the works of C.S. Lewis and came across this passage in the Screwtape Letters:

“The great thing is to direct the malice to his immediate neighbors whom he meets every day and to thrust his benevolence out to the remote circumference, to people he does not know. The malice thus becomes wholly real and the benevolence largely imaginary.”

For those unfamiliar with the book, the letters are from higher demons to lower demons and talk about how to lead humans away from God and down the path to their own destruction. The quote above is an illustration of what Lewis called in another essay, “Deceptive Compassion,” and it is not the same as Toxic Empathy, but they are at least related.

This isn’t about grand, sweeping acts of evil, but rather the slow, almost imperceptible erosion of love in our daily interactions. The goal is to divert genuine, sacrificial love – the kind that takes effort and humility – towards abstract causes or distant suffering, while allowing petty irritations and self-righteousness to fester in our immediate relationships.

Let me give a few examples:

  1. The Modern Global News Cycle – It allows us to feel a deep, visceral “empathy” for a tragedy 5,000 miles away while we ignore the cry of a lonely neighbor next door. We spend our limited emotional energy on events we have zero power to change. By the time we finish our “morning scroll,” we are so emotionally drained that we have nothing left for our spouse or children. Feeling “informed” or “outraged” about a global event feels like a good work. It creates a “vicarious virtue” that masks our failure to perform the quiet, unglamorous duties of local service.
  2. Social Media: The Digital Altar of Self-Righteousness – Social media is the ultimate tool for “distant compassion.” It allows us to curate a persona of deep concern through hashtags and black squares, while simultaneously engaging in “cancel culture” or vitriolic debates with people we actually know. We post about “Global Hunger” (the remote), but we snap at the waiter who gets our order wrong (the immediate). We find it easy to love “the marginalized” in our feed, but we find it impossible to offer a kind word to the “marginalized” person in our own community who happens to have annoying personality traits or different values.
  3. Loving “Public Health,” Loathing the Person – The pandemic provided a perfect laboratory for Screwtape’s experiment. We saw a massive surge in “compassion” for the abstract collective: the elderly as a demographic, the healthcare system as a concept, or the “vulnerable” as a category. People felt a sense of moral superiority by following mandates (or resisting them), using that “righteousness” as a license to treat neighbors, grocery clerks, or family members with utter contempt. We were encouraged to see our neighbor not as an image-bearer of God, but as a “vector of disease.”

The antidote is simple but painful: Prioritize the Proximity. God placed you in a specific home, on a specific street, in a specific church. Your primary spiritual obligation is to the people whose faces you can actually see and whose hands you can actually hold. These are the people we need to engage with our “good works” in tangible ways.

14 What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? 15 Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. 16 If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? 17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

James 2:14-17

When we move our benevolence to the “remote circumference,” we are essentially making our faith “dead” because we cannot actually act on that benevolence in a sacrificial, life-altering way. We can post a status or feel a pang of guilt, but we don’t have to do the hard work of:

  • Forgiving a debt.
  • Listening to a boring story.
  • Helping a neighbor move.
  • Showing patience to a crying child.

Think of the “Modern News Cycle” example we discussed. When we see a tragedy on our phone, we are thrust into the “remote circumference.” We feel a rush of “imaginary benevolence.” But if, in that same moment, our child asks for help with homework and we snap at them for “interrupting our important reading,” we have fulfilled Screwtape’s goal perfectly. The benevolence was a vapor; the malice was a reality.

This is another reminder that the future is local. If you want to show real compassion, build connections to people in your community. That is where you can make a meaningful contribution with your service and compassion, with real people who may or may not always appreciate it.

Enemies Into Brothers and Sisters

One of the most popular tropes in literature is the Enemies to Lovers trope. An example of this is in the movie You’ve Got Mail. The small bookshop owner learns to understand and care for the financier, who is opening the giant store that will ultimately run her out of business. Not a “meet-cute” but a situation where people shouldn’t like each other, but somehow ultimately get together.

In the book of Acts, we don’t have this kind of drama, but something even more unlikely. We see the greatest enemy of the church become its boldest advocate. Saul, who hated the Christian movement and was trying to stamp it out, would end up giving his life for it. Here’s how the story goes as we look at two men, one an early follower of Jesus and the next the most unlikely convert.

The first is Stephen. In Acts chapter 6, we see he is chosen to serve by the apostles. In 6:3, it says, “Therefore, brothers, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom”. Then in verse 5 it says, “they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit.” Philip and he were set apart for their duty, so that the apostles could focus on prayer and the ministry of the Word. In the limited account, it seems Stephen was faithful in his ministry, but he also was known for something else.

In verses 8-13, we read, “And Stephen, full of grace and power, was doing great wonders and signs among the people. 9 Then some of those…rose up and disputed with Stephen. 10 But they could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which he was speaking. 11 Then they secretly instigated men who said, “We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God.” 12 And they stirred up the people and the elders and the scribes, and they came upon him and seized him and brought him before the council, 13 and they set up false witnesses who said, “This man never ceases to speak words against this holy place and the law.”

Stephen’s ministry started off well, but almost immediately, he was opposed and they came hard against him. They lied and, because they couldn’t overcome his arguments, they set up false witnesses against him. They arranged a trial to convict him, but they gave him a chance to speak. This dear brother Stephen stands up in front of a hostile crowd and has a chance to defend himself, and he launches into a sermon in chapter 7. 

At first, you might think Stephen is very wise. He spends a long opening giving a history lesson about God and the people of God, connecting with them by documenting God’s relationship with His followers, things they would appreciate and agree with. Then he gets to his main point, the point of application in verse 51 of chapter 7.

“You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you. 52 Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who announced beforehand the coming of the Righteous One, whom you have now betrayed and murdered, 53 you who received the law as delivered by angels and did not keep it.”

This is the condemnation of God to a hostile crowd. He doesn’t even get to the point of naming Jesus, the whole thing Stephen was building up to, because he tells the truth about the response of the people to the Word of God delivered through the prophets. As you might expect, the response isn’t so warm. We read in verse 54: “Now when they heard these things they were enraged, and they ground their teeth at him”.

Stephen keeps right on going, declaring a vision of Jesus (the Son of Man, a title Jesus regularly used for Himself), standing at the right hand of God. This was the last straw for the crowd. 57 and 58 say, “But they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears and rushed together at him. Then they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul.”

As he is dying. As one stone after another is pounding against him, but before he passes into eternity, Stephen proclaims to Saul and all the others there, ““Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.”

He fell asleep into the arms of God, walking into eternity. His short, bright ministry brought to a violent end at the hands of those he was calling to repentance and belief in Jesus. 

As you might have caught at the end there, this story leads us to our second person of interest, Saul. As we turn the page and begin chapter 8, Luke wants us to know a bit more about this new character on the scene. Luke writes in chapter 8:1-3 – “And Saul approved of his execution. And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. 2 Devout men buried Stephen and made great lamentation over him. 3 But Saul was ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison.”

So the immediate outcome of Stephen’s martyrdom was negative. It emboldened the enemies of Christ, especially Saul. God used this angry, fierce man to push people out throughout the region. The Gospel was spreading by persecution. Not exactly the church planting or church growth strategy any of us want to come up with. 

In the next chapter, we see Saul again, continuing his zealous violence against the followers of Jesus in chapter 9:1-2 – “But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.”

Men and women, families who wanted to follow the Way, meaning the way of Jesus, brought to prison by a man with murderous intent. Saul approved of Stephen’s execution. Saul was ravaging the church. Saul was breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord. This is the man Jesus would choose to be his next faithful follower. 

I hope you know about Saul’s conversion. You find it in chapter 9 and if you continue to read the book of Acts, you will see Paul’s own testimony about it delivered to rulers and kings multiple times. 

Jesus Himself appears to Saul and asks him, “why are you persecuting me?” In Saul’s mind, everything he was doing was in service of God. His violence was an act of doctrinal worship to declare his zealous love for God as he sought to purify the land by stamping out these heretics. 

It is not uncommon to find the same thing in work among those who do not know God today. Christians are often martyred by those who think they are doing a service to God by bringing violence against them. 

Saul believed the direct revelation of Jesus to be true and God leads him to Ananias, who is terrified to meet such an opponent of the church, but the angel says of Saul in chapter 9:15-16, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.” 

As Saul believes, he boldly preaches in Damascus until he got a taste of his own medicine. In verse 23 – “the Jews plotted to kill him, 24 but their plot became known to Saul. They were watching the gates day and night in order to kill him, 25 but his disciples took him by night and let him down through an opening in the wall, lowering him in a basket.”

He escapes to Jerusalem, and the disciples are initially afraid of him there as well, but in the end, we read in the following, starting in verse 28, “So he went in and out among them at Jerusalem, preaching boldly in the name of the Lord. 29 And he spoke and disputed against the Hellenists. But they were seeking to kill him. 30 And when the brothers learned this, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus. 31 So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace and was being built up. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it multiplied.”

Did you hear that? This is what they wanted from the beginning. The church had peace, was built up and multiplied as they walked in the fear of the Lord and the comfort of the Holy Spirit.

The story of Paul will continue throughout the rest of Acts, as he is the central figure in carrying the message of Jesus to many people. What you won’t find is the record of his death, but church historians agree that Saul, also known as Paul, would be put to death in Rome, but not until he had written many letters to the churches, which makes up a big chunk of the New Testament. 

These two men, Stephen and Saul, both had their role to play in what God would do to spread His message around the world. One was murdered almost immediately after he began. The other would travel across many places, sharing with thousands of people, before his own life was taken from him and he was also martyred. Many of those names you read about in your New Testament were put to death for their message. 

They believed it with such conviction that they were willing to give everything for it. Here we see one who was a committed follower of Jesus from the beginning, the other perhaps the greatest enemy of the church.

This good Gospel that we preach is the only hope for all people. The only hope for Muslims. The only hope for all enemies of God. Sinners of all sorts. Sinners like us. Sinners like the despised among us. The people around us who, if we’re honest with ourselves, we wouldn’t know how to react if they walked through the doors of our church. The illegal immigrant. The cartel members. Radical Muslims.

So we go out to preach to them this Gospel, which Paul says in 1 Corinthians 1:18, “For the word of the cross is to them that are perishing foolishness; but unto us which are being saved it is the power of God.”

We preach it to all nations, not knowing who will find it foolish and who will receive it as the power of God to salvation. All people must hear and people like me and you are God’s chosen vehicle to deliver it to them. People like Stephen and people like Saul.

This is the Gospel, as we read in Romans 5:8-11 – by Paul’s own hand.

But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. 10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. 11 More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

The enemies of God are made right with God, gloriously saved by the life of Christ and we rejoice together in this unifying hope. It is because of this good Gospel that we rejoice. This good Gospel that allowed Stephen to forgive Saul even as he was passing from this earth and that same Stephen to welcome him into the Kingdom when his own life was taken for the cause of Christ.

These men and the early followers of Jesus believed it was worth it. It is worth it. For 25 years overseas, through everything, we’ve found it worth it. I hope you find it worth enough to seek the Sauls in your own community. There are enemies of God who have yet to be reconciled to Him in your community, just like there are around the world. Will you be a Stephen so those Sauls might hear the Good News of the Gospel and move from being enemies of God to brothers and sisters in Christ?

With by Skye Jethani – Book Review

In a year, I read and listen to a lot of books, usually over 100. These range from pure fiction to psychology, history, public affairs and books on theology and Christian living. Most Christian books are encouraging, but I rarely find one that provides a unique insight on our faith and walk with Christ. This book is such a book.

Skye Jethani’s framework in With: Reimagining the Way You Relate to God provides a remarkably helpful and Biblically-grounded diagnosis of the prevailing, yet ultimately deficient, postures we often adopt toward God.

Jethani argues that the primary relationship God desires is one of intimate communion—what he calls Life With God. The core of his work is contrasting this rich, covenantal reality with four alternative, performance- or consumer-driven postures, each represented by a preposition.

Here is a summary of the four deficient ways of relating to God and the singular, desired way of true Christian communion:

The Four Deficient Postures (The Prepositions of Misalignment)


These four ways of relating to God fail because they attempt to use God as a means to an end, rather than enjoying Him as the ultimate end Himself.

Life Under God (The Posture of Fear/Obedience for Blessing)

This posture views the relationship in simple, transactional, cause-and-effect terms: “If I obey, God must bless me; if I suffer, I must have sinned.” This is a legalistic framework, seeking to manipulate God’s hand through rigorous adherence to rules and rituals.

  • Flaw: It creates a system of works-righteousness, transforming the glorious New Covenant (cf. Jeremiah 31:31-34) into a burdensome Covenant of Works, resulting in either pride when things go well or deep discouragement and resentment when tragedy strikes (as it often does in a fallen world).
  • Biblical Critique: This posture neglects the truth of justification by grace through faith alone (Romans 3-5). Our hope is in Christ’s finished work, not in the perfection of our obedience.
Life Over God (The Posture of Control/Pragmatism)

This posture treats God not as a divine Person but as a collection of governing principles or formulas to be mastered and applied. The goal is to gain intellectual and pragmatic control over one’s life, career, or ministry. God is abandoned in favor of “proven formulas and controllable outcomes.”

  • Flaw: It replaces a personal relationship with a mechanical process. The believer focuses on managing their environment and outcomes (leadership principles, success blueprints) rather than surrendering to the sovereign will of God. This often leads to a practical atheism where success is credited to human acumen.
  • Biblical Critique: This errs against the Sovereignty of God and the need for humility. The proper knowledge of God is intertwined with the proper knowledge of self. When we seek to be over God by controlling our circumstances, we deny the mystery and ultimate power of His providence (Psalm 115:3).
Life From God (The Posture of Consumerism/Acquisition)

In this approach, God’s value is determined by His usefulness and the gifts He provides (health, wealth, personal comfort, fulfilling experiences). The Christian life becomes a quest for divine provision—a spiritual consumerism focused on “What has God done for me lately?”

  • Flaw: It confuses the gifts of God with the Giver. God becomes a means to satisfy our deep, self-centered longings. The focus is on personal comfort rather than Christ-like character, leading to perpetual disappointment when blessings are withheld.
  • Biblical Critique: The primary aim of redemption is communion with God, not material prosperity or immediate gratification. When we live from God, we are seeking our own treasure, not God Himself (Matthew 6:21).
Life For God (The Posture of Activism/Performance)

This posture makes the Mission or Service the center of the Christian life, believing the most significant life is the one spent accomplishing great things for God. The pursuit of personal communion or discipleship is often sidelined for ministry accomplishment and busyness.

  • Flaw: It often leads to burnout and defining self-worth by performance. The believer becomes a workaholic, driven by a task-master mentality, putting the agenda of God ahead of the Person of God, and substituting frenetic service for surrendered love.
  • Biblical Critique: While the Great Commission is central (Matthew 28:19-20), service must flow out of a relationship, not replace it. This involves the priority of worship and truth (doctrine) as the foundation for all effective ministry. We are called to abide in Christ first (John 15:5).
The Desired Posture: Life With God

The entire Biblical narrative—from Eden to the New Jerusalem—is a story of God’s desire to dwell WITH His people. This is the ultimate posture and the core of the Gospel promise: “Immanuel, God with us” (Matthew 1:23).

  • Goal: The goal is not to use God (Under, Over, From, For), but to enjoy God Himself.
  • Nature: This life is characterized by three key relational qualities derived from the New Testament (cf. 1 Corinthians 13:13):
  • Faith: The surrender of control—trusting God’s character regardless of circumstances.
  • Hope: The peace that anchors us in the future promise of God, freeing us from the need for immediate, earthly fixes.
  • Love: The intimate, relational communion that becomes the source and motivation for all service and obedience.

This Life With God is simply the life of a justified and redeemed sinner whose highest pleasure and duty is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever, resting in the finished work of Christ in every moment. It’s been five years since I released my first book, Seeing God: For Who He Really Is. While I didn’t address the pitfalls as directly as this author does, I think I did capture many of the same ideas. I appreciate the truth found in this book, and I recommend it for any pastor or Christian leader as a helpful tool not only in discipling believers but also in engaging a lost world that is filled with many of these misconceptions about relating to God..

The Future is Local

The Problem

If you haven’t read Jonathan Haidt’s excellent book, The Anxious Generation, I highly recommend it. I reviewed it last year, here. This book and the research behind it have helped lead the charge to make some significant changes in society to help with the growing mental health crisis in our world. The basic summary is we find widespread anxiety, loneliness and societal fragmentation, and the author looks at what contributed to this. To quote the book, “Despite being the most ‘connected’ generation in history, we are deeply isolated.”

We’re learning that not all connections are the same. A Zoom class is not the same as in-person learning. A “friend” on social media will interact with you in a way they would never treat a stranger to their face. Even physiologically, we don’t respond the same way to a screen as we do to a real person. Now we’re being handed imitation people in the form of Avatars, AI assistants and humanoid robots to fill the gaps that exist in society between actual relationships. People in your life are being replaced and it is often our own choice to move from actual to virtual.

We were created for genuine relationships and fellowship, but sin entered the world at the Fall, and relational brokenness lives on, expanding along whatever lines are available. Distance is dangerous. The solution isn’t found in disengaging from the digital realm, but in re-engaging locally and deeply. The future health for society and especially for followers of Christ is local. This is a solution a church, guided by the teachings of Jesus, should be well equipped to provide.

The Local Church: God’s Blueprint for Embodied Community

The Church is a local, visible, autonomous congregation of baptized believers. It’s not a global brand or an online platform; it is a specific assembly in a specific place. Hebrews 10:24-25 says, “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” A physical assembly of believers facilitates worship, teaching and fellowship. This cannot be fully done online. This spurring on of one another to love and good works is best done face to face.

We are called to be participants in the lives of one another, not spectators. Passive consumption of religious content, such as watching sermons online or reading books can build our knowledge base, but doesn’t give us the opportunity to sharpen one another, as iron sharpens iron (Proverbs 27:17). The one another passages, when practiced, provide the antidote for many modern ailments.

  • Mutual Love and Forgiveness – The antidote to online outrage and cancel culture. Galatians 6:2 – “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” Colossians 3:12-14 – “Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony”
  • Encouragement and Service – The antidote to digital comparison and isolation. Romans 12:10 – “Love one another with genuine affection and take delight in honoring one another.” 1. Peter 4:10 – “Based on the gift each one has received, use it to serve others, as good managers of the varied grace of God.” Not possible if we don’t know our neighbors’ needs through deep relationships.
  • Accountability and Truth – The antidote to personal hidden sin and deepfake reality. James 5:16 – “Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed.” Ephesians 4:25 – “Stop telling lies. Let us tell our neighbors the truth, for all of us are part of the same body.” This requires a trusted neighbor.

Practical, lived-out, local community

Don’t be consumed with distant issues, which will be ever more unverifiable and unchangeable by you as an individual. It’s easy to get upset by something happening around the world, or what you’ve been told about it, but it is difficult to bring about positive change in those situations, and it is often impossible to truly understand what is going on.

Instead, focus on local ministry with the real people around you. This is the principle of a sphere of influence. We have a local, tangible connection to the people in our church, on our street or in our workplace. Those are real people, struggling with real issues, and we are right there, close enough to provide genuine assistance.

Where do you start?

  • If you’ve lived your recent life with digital addiction, relational superficiality or riding the emotional waves of global drama, the best place to start is with repentance, a turning away and purposing to live differently in the future.
  • Commit to a local church. Find one that teaches God’s Word and attempts to practice Christ’ teachings and join it. Then, make it a priority to get involved.
  • Join a small group for deeper interaction. Make friends and invite them into your life. Gather together regularly. Plan parties, game nights and nature outings. Turn off virtual reality and live in the here and now with real people.
  • Find a place to serve and look for real, tangible needs around you that you can personally help with. Don’t complain about what is going on across the world. Find out what is going on next door and reach out to help.

The deep, lasting joy and peace that the anxious generation seeks is found not in endless scrolling, but in the sacrificial, gritty, and glorious fellowship of the local church. The greatest work you will ever do for the Kingdom is the work you do today, with the people right in front of you. The future is local. That’s where real life will be found. In your home, in your church and in your community. God’s people should be prepared to lead the way, offering the world the hope of the Gospel and the beauty of life lived in Christian community with other frail creatures of dust.

The Real American Gospel

Five years ago, I was stuck in the US for an extended time. I started the year receiving a permanent entry ban from the country I’d lived in for almost twenty years. Then came Covid, and being locked down with millions of others. In the midst of lockdowns and life changes, there was more time to reflect about things we don’t often consider.

After a lifetime abroad, I took the time to reconsider what it meant to be an American Christian and to think through my identity in that stream of Christianity. That led to this article and this sermon on which the article was based. With recent events, including the assassination of Charlie Kirk and after watching his memorial service, I wanted to revisit this topic, highlighting something I think I missed the first time around.

Watching the memorial service, it was astounding to see person after person come forward and speak boldly about Jesus, the Gospel and faith in God. In the midst of these proclamations, there were many other ideas as well. Some of these could be called theologically divergent, others nationalistic and patriotic, and some politically opportunistic. For me personally, they didn’t detract from the good that was there. The testimony that shone through was that this young man built his life around many things, but his faith in Jesus was at the center of all of it. That faith was honored at the memorial, maybe even by those who didn’t personally believe it.

America was founded by a complex assembly of brilliant men, which contained among them evangelical followers of Jesus, deists and some that might be called nominal Christians. A modern Christian in the reform tradition would find a lot to criticize in their orthodoxy. Yet they came together as people of faith to find common interests and beliefs that would unify them. The best resource I’ve found that examines this is a book called American Gospel by Jon Meacham. I read it years ago and it was very influential in the first article linked above.

America wasn’t founded to be a Christian nation, but a nation governed by a constitution “made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other,” to quote John Adams. In Adams view, “without morality and religion to curb human passions like avarice, ambition, and revenge, even the strongest constitutional frameworks would fail, as these passions unbridled by morality and religion would break the cords of the Constitution as a whale goes through a net.” Public virtue depends on private virtue and the success of the republic hinges on the moral character of its people.

That was the big picture that they were looking at. They were creating something that couldn’t survive without a moral people of faith intricately involved in upholding it. The idea was never Christian Nationalism, but a nation of Christians and other people of moral faith, who were also welcomed in.

Christian Nationalism is the boogeyman of the day for many people. Those without faith in God live their lives in fear that they will be coerced into a forced conscription of ideas. They fear a new Constantine who would declare Christianity the religion of the realm and label them “Christian” against their will. There may be some who would desire such an outcome, but that is a rare individual in my experience. It isn’t what was platformed by Charlie Kirk, and it isn’t the perspective I’ve heard in even the most patriotic of services in churches or the public square.

Watching the videos of Charlie Kirk over the last week, I was struck by how a young man who started out as a bold advocate for the conservative movement and the Republican Party became ever more concerned with Gospel proclamation in recent years. For the last five years, he asked apologist Frank Turek to mentor him on how to give better answers to questions of faith he received. They met monthly to hone Kirk’s skills in these responses. It is incredibly rare for a Christian to become more bold in proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ the more famous and more wealthy they become, but that is exactly what we saw with Charlie Kirk.

That’s why I’m writing this update. Not to dismiss the things I wrote before, but to expand them. What is the real American Gospel? It isn’t Christian Nationalism. It isn’t a perverse form of Christianity that is defined by the adjective American, more than the noun, Gospel. It isn’t a cross wrapped in an American flag. It is something much greater than any of those things.

An American Gospel is lived out faith by Americans. Someone who understands the amazing positive impact of transformed lives in Christ. American Christians should want everyone to believe. They should boldly proclaim the truth about Jesus to everyone and earnestly desire all who hear to come to repentance. An American Christian should understand that what makes life good and the world better is not the American identity, but Christianity lived out in families and communities.

We should want America and the world to believe because we know it is the only hope for this life and, more importantly, for eternity. Going into the lion’s den of fiercest opposition and proclaiming the truth is a Christian trait, more than an American trait. The real American Gospel is living out the Word of God in the realities of this world, knowing your eternity is sealed by Jesus’ sacrifice. That is the real American Gospel, just as it is the real Turkish Gospel, and European Gospel and Asian Gospel. It is the Gospel lived out for our good, the world’s good and God’s glory.

I hope we’ll all be challenged to do the same. Know the truth. Believe the truth. Live the truth today and for the future. We have the opportunity to change the world for the better and lives for eternity. Take that lesson from the example of a flawed human being like Charlie Kirk and of a sinner saved by the grace of this amazing Gospel like this author. Believe in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved.

Living in Divine Communion Amidst Digital Distractions

In an age where our attention is shattered by a ceaseless barrage of notifications, screens, and digital noise, the timeless message of Brother Lawrence’s The Practice of the Presence of God emerges as a refreshing and vital call. This 17th-century classic, centers on the simple yet profound discipline of living constantly aware of God’s intimate presence. Brother Lawrence, an unassuming monk, invites us to a transformative spirituality: finding God not just in church or prayer, but in every moment and task, no matter how mundane.

The heart of his teaching can be summed up in his own words: “The most important thing in the world is to know God.” And knowing God, for him, meant an ongoing conversation—an unbroken communion—where God’s presence saturates even the simplest activities like washing dishes or walking across the room.

What Does That Look Like in our Modern World?

Brother Lawrence’s spiritual practice is not about spectacular experiences or religious feats. Instead, it’s about cultivating an awareness, a mindset that God is with us always. He writes of “continual converse with God,” a habitual turning toward Him throughout the day. This is not mere mental assent but a lived reality—an ongoing fellowship with the Creator who never leaves or forsakes His children (Hebrews 13:5).

For believers today, especially in our fast-paced, digital-saturated culture, this discipline might seem almost revolutionary. We are accustomed to fragmented attention, shifting rapidly from one screen to another, our minds pulled by countless demands. Yet, here is a practical, accessible way to reclaim spiritual focus and peace.

Practicing God’s Presence in the Digital Age

What does the practice of the presence of God look like in our modern digital world? Here are a few examples drawn from everyday life:

  • During Simple Tasks: Consider Brother Lawrence’s washing of dishes. In our context, it might be waiting in a long line at a coffee shop or scrolling through emails. Instead of letting impatience or distraction rule, we intentionally invite God’s presence, offering up these moments as acts of love for Him (Colossians 3:23).
  • Mindful Tech Use: When picking up your phone, pause briefly to pray: “Lord, let me honor You in this moment.” Whether sending a text or browsing social media, keep awareness of His presence. This practice transforms even digital interactions into spiritual communion, keeping your heart tethered to Him amid noise.
  • Work and Productivity: In remote meetings or focused work hours, silently acknowledge God’s presence with you. When confronting challenges or successes, talk to Him inwardly. Brother Lawrence reminds us that no work is too trivial for God’s glory (Ecclesiastes 9:10). Your work computer can become a place where God is honored through diligence and integrity.
  • Digital Sabbath Moments: In an always-on culture, deliberately unplug for brief periods. Use those times to center your heart on God’s presence through prayer or reading Scripture. Brother Lawrence practiced presence not by withdrawing from duties but by meeting God continually. Similarly, we balance engagement with intentional rest and reflection. Every day, take planned time of digital sabbath, removed from distractions.
  • Prayer in Motion: Throughout the day, when walking or driving, turn these minutes into prayer walks. Invite God into your environment, thank Him for the gift of technology that connects us, but also pray for wisdom to use it well and not let it become a snare. Know what you need to make this possible and be willing to turn off the music or your phone if it interferes with this.

Why This Matters to the Modern Believer

The Practice of the Presence of God aligns deeply with Christian convictions about personal hunger for the Spirit’s fellowship and the priesthood of every believer. We do not rely on ritual or hierarchy but on the sustaining power of God’s Spirit dwelling within us (John 14:16-17). Brother Lawrence encourages an active faith, one that permeates ordinary life continually, reminding us that sanctification is not confined to Sundays but is a daily journey.

His example challenges us against the subtle temptation of compartmentalizing our spiritual lives—switching between “spiritual mode” and “worldly mode.” The Christian faith teaches that God is Lord of all, and practicing His presence cultivates a God-centered life that witnesses to His sovereignty even in the most common moments.

A Word on Trials and Distractions

Even with the best intentions, practicing God’s presence can be tough, especially when digital distractions are relentlessly engineered to capture our focus. Brother Lawrence’s struggle with distraction and discouragement reminds us it is normal to wrestle. He encourages perseverance, returning again and again to simplicity—just turning one’s heart back toward God.

This echoes the Apostle Paul’s exhortation to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17)—not as an impossible demand but as a lifestyle of dependence, grace, and immediacy in God’s presence.

Conclusion

The Practice of the Presence of God is an ever-relevant invitation: to live each moment in the awareness of God’s nearness, from high-tech workstations to everyday chores. It cultivates a spirit of ceaseless worship and reliance that quietly transforms hearts and daily routines. In our hyper-connected, distraction-heavy world, embracing this practice helps us cut through noise, anchoring our souls in the eternal, loving presence of Christ.

May we, like this example, find joy in the simple, constant communion with God, letting His presence shape our digital interactions, work, rest, and every step of the day. As Psalm 16:11 promises, “in Your presence there is fullness of joy.” This short Christian Classic is available for free online here and many other places.

Cracking the Relational Algorithm

In a recent movie, The Accountant 2, Ben Affleck plays the star, a socially awkward number-cruncher named Christian Wolff. I haven’t seen the whole movie, but I heard about the speed dating scene and wanted to check it out.

In this scene, our hero uses his hyper-analytical brain and his partner guiding him in his ear to try and hack the system. At first, it seems like he’s successful. His data analysis leaves him with all of the women initially lined up in his line first to meet him, leaving the other men’s lines empty.

In Christian’s mind, dating is a puzzle to solve and he mistakenly believes that by doing a deep dive into the data he will be able to manipulate the system and find a “love connection.” The problem is, he can take what he knows about the women and give anecdotes from information he’s determined they should find appealing, but fails to make a human connection.

He’s all about control, precision, and data. But as the women at the speed-dating event glaze over, we see the flaw: love isn’t a spreadsheet. His approach misses the messy, beautiful, human side of connection. It’s like trying to solve a sunset with a calculator. Ultimately, his goal is more about manipulating to get the desired outcome, and nobody likes to be manipulated.

Contrast that to what we know about humanity and relationships from God’s Word. We are created in God’s Image (Genesis 1:27). We have a soul and are not just biological machines, but thinking, breathing, feeling people, who are wired for connection. Relationships in God’s Word are covenantal, reflecting God’s love for his people (Hosea 2:19-20).

The Bible calls us to love sacrificially, like Christ loves the Church (Ephesians 5:25) and to approach one another with humility, patience and kindness (Colossians 3:12). These aren’t things you can plug into an algorithm, but they are things you can come to understand as you get to know someone personally.

Wolff’s method is about optimizing results, but biblical love is about giving without a guarantee of return. It’s Ruth pledging loyalty to Naomi, or Jonathan’s selfless friendship with David. It’s not about rigging the system but trusting God’s design, where love grows through mutual respect, shared faith, and commitment to His glory. Wolff’s approach, while clever, leaves no room for the mystery of God’s timing or the Spirit’s work in knitting hearts together.

This isn’t to bash science—God gave us minds to think and tools to use! But when we reduce human problems like love to mere data points, we miss the soul of what makes us human. The Bible shows us that relationships thrive on grace, forgiveness, and a shared pursuit of God, not just strategic moves. If you’re tempted to use AI or other technology to figure out relationships, I would encourage you to follow a Biblical model instead. Pray, seek God’s wisdom, and love others the way He loves you—messy, selfless, and all-in. It may be difficult, but it is much more likely to lead to lasting results.

What is Love? It Matters Who You Listen Too

Love is one of culture’s richest themes—the muse for poets, storytellers, and especially songwriters. From the vinyl-era crooners of the 1950s to the stadium anthems of the 1980s and the pop juggernauts of the 2000s and beyond, love songs have shaped our understanding of what it means to love and be loved. But how does the love celebrated in these chart-topping hits compare to the love described in Scripture, especially as revealed in the character of God?

Let’s explore the contrast through the lens of hit songs across the decades, alongside timeless Biblical truths.

Love in Popular Music: Passion, Longing, and Heartbreak

Popular music regularly expresses love in dramatic, deeply personal ways. It often emphasizes emotion, desire, and the hope—or heartbreak—of romantic connection.

1950s and 1960s: Idealized Romance

  • “Love Me Tender” by Elvis Presley (1956): This gentle ballad offers devotion—“Love me tender, love me sweet, never let me go”—with a promise of unwavering affection
  • “Earth Angel” by The Penguins (1955): The longing for pure, angelic love permeates the lyrics, mirroring the dreamy aspirations of young romance.

1980s: Love as Passion and Pain

  • “Endless Love” by Lionel Richie & Diana Ross (1981): “My first love, you’re every breath that I take…” speaks of consuming, exclusive devotion.
  • “Total Eclipse of the Heart” by Bonnie Tyler (1983): This power ballad weaves passion with heartbreak, portraying love as both exhilarating and overwhelming.
  • “Time After Time” by Cyndi Lauper (1983): Themes of steadfastness—”If you’re lost you can look and you will find me, time after time”—highlight love’s promise to endure trials.

2000s and Beyond: Love’s Modern Complexity

  • “I Will Always Love You” by Whitney Houston (1992): A soaring expression of farewell tinged with deep affection and self-sacrifice.
  • “Crazy in Love” by Beyoncé ft. Jay-Z (2003): Music portrays love as intoxicating, risky, and even addictive.
  • “Because of You” by Ne-Yo (2007): The lyric “you have become my addiction” reflects culture’s association of love with need and dependency.

Common Themes in Pop/Love Songs:

  • Intense passion or longing
  • Romantic exclusivity
  • Emotional highs and lows—often heartbreak or loss
  • Love as something that “happens to” a person, almost uncontrollably

Love in Scripture: Unconditional, Self-Sacrificing, Rooted in God’s Character

Contrast the emotional tides of pop songs with the Bible’s definition of love—rooted not in fleeting feeling but in the nature and action of God.

God’s Love: Agapē Over Emotion

  • Unconditional and Sacrificial:
    “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” — Romans 5:8
    God’s love is not based on our worthiness or our ability to love Him back, but on His own gracious character.
  • Steadfast and Never Failing:
    “Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good. His love endures forever.” — Psalm 136:1
    Biblical love persists through time, trial, and even human rejection.
  • Transformative and Selfless:
    “Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way… Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” — 1 Corinthians 13:4–7
    This picture of love is radical: enduring, humble, patient, always seeking the good of the other.
  • Seeking Reconciliation:
    “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” — John 3:16
    Divine love is not only feeling or attraction, but giving and sacrifice for the sake of another’s reconciliation to God.

Why the Contrast Matters

Love songs can stir nostalgia and emotion, but they often leave listeners looking for ultimate fulfillment in romance, passion, or a “perfect” person—an ideal that inevitably disappoints. The Biblical view reveals that true love flows from God, who alone is faithful and self-giving.

Table: Pop Music’s Love vs. God’s Love

AspectPopular Music LoveBiblical View of Love
SourceHuman desire, emotion, experienceGod’s unchanging character
FocusRomance, passion, personal fulfillmentSelf-sacrifice, others’ good, God’s glory
DurationOften fleeting, subject to changeEverlasting, steadfast, unbreakable
Response to failureHeartbreak, bitterness, moving onForgiveness, reconciliation
Scriptural Example“All Out of Love” (Air Supply)Romans 5:8, 1 Corinthians 13

Encouragement for the Church

As believers, our call is not to reject love songs—or to ignore the beauty of human romance—but to anchor our understanding of love in the love of God revealed in Christ. Because He first loved us (1 John 4:19), we can love others truly—husband, wife, neighbor, or friend—with a love that is patient, kind, and enduring.

Let the world sing its songs, but let us remember that the truest love song was written on a cross and sung by an empty tomb.

“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God.” — 1 John 4:7

Is Positive Thinking Enough?

James Allen’s As a Man Thinketh is a classic in the self-help genre, originally published in 1903. Drawing inspiration from Proverbs 23:7—“For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he”—Allen explores the profound connection between thought and character, arguing that the quality and direction of our inner thinking shapes our lives. The book’s enduring appeal lies in its simplicity and its promise: by mastering our thoughts, we can transform our character and our circumstances.

Main Ideas of As a Man Thinketh

The Power of Thought
Allen’s central thesis is that “man is the sum of his thoughts.” Just as seeds determine the plant that grows, our habitual thoughts shape our actions, habits, and, ultimately, our destiny. He asserts that by changing our thoughts, we can change our actions and, over time, our character.

Responsibility and Self-Mastery
Allen emphasizes personal responsibility, arguing that each person “holds the key to every condition, good or bad, that enters into his life”. He suggests external circumstances are largely the result of internal states, and that by working patiently and intelligently on our thoughts, we can remake our lives.

The Importance of Purpose
The book also highlights the necessity of having a clear aim or purpose. Allen warns against aimlessness, describing it as drifting through life without accomplishment. He encourages readers to set their minds on noble goals, believing that focused thought leads to achievement.

Thoughts and Health
Allen connects the state of one’s mind with physical health, suggesting that negative thoughts can lead to illness, while positive, wholesome thoughts promote well-being.

Alignment with Scripture

Scriptural Inspiration and Moral Emphasis
Scripture, particularly Proverbs 23:7 directly inspired Allen’s work, and he often echoes biblical principles such as the importance of guarding one’s heart and mind. The Bible teaches our thoughts matter: “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind” (Romans 12:2) and “take every thought captive to obey Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5). Allen’s call to cultivate virtuous thoughts aligns with passages like Philippians 4:8, which urges believers to dwell on what is true, noble, and lovely.

Moral Responsibility
The idea that our actions flow from our thoughts is consistent with biblical teaching on personal responsibility and the pursuit of holiness.

Departures from a Christian Worldview

Self-Reliance vs. Dependence on God
Where Allen’s philosophy departs from orthodox Christianity is in its implicit assertion that human beings, by the sheer force of will and thought, can shape their destiny. Christianity, while affirming the importance of thoughts and choices, insists that true transformation and success are ultimately found in God, not in self-mastery alone. The Christian worldview holds that apart from Christ, we can do nothing (John 15:5), and that God’s grace is essential for genuine life transformation.

Overemphasis on Control
Allen’s suggestion that humans have near-complete control over their thoughts and, by extension, their circumstances, overlooks the reality of sin, spiritual warfare, and the limitations imposed by a fallen world. The Bible acknowledges that believers will struggle with temptation and that perfection is unattainable in this life.

Misinterpretation of Scripture
Allen’s use of Proverbs 23:7 is often critiqued as a misreading; the verse, in context, warns against trusting the insincere generosity of others, rather than teaching the power of positive thinking. Christian interpreters caution against using this verse as a blanket endorsement of mind-over-matter philosophies.

Conclusion

As a Man Thinketh offers valuable insights into the power of thought and the importance of intentional living. Its emphasis on personal responsibility and the moral quality of our inner life resonates with Christian teaching. However, its self-reliant approach and overconfidence in the power of human thought depart from the biblical understanding of grace, dependence on God, and the reality of human limitation. For Christians, the book serves as a reminder to cultivate godly thoughts—not as an end in itself, but as part of a life surrendered to Christ and empowered by His Spirit.

Toxic Empathy by Allie Beth Stuckey – Book Review

I read this book earlier this year and found it very helpful for Christians looking to give a thoughtful response as they engage with the topics covered. Here is a short review to give you a peek inside to those considering reading it.

Allie Beth Stuckey’s Toxic Empathy: How Progressives Exploit Christian Compassion is a provocative and timely critique of what she terms “toxic empathy” —a form of compassion that, she argues, has been weaponized by progressive activists to manipulate Christians into supporting policies contrary to biblical truth. Stuckey’s central thesis is not that empathy itself is inherently bad, but that it must be “submissive to love” as defined by Scripture, rather than feelings or cultural trends.

Stuckey structures her book around five contentious issues: abortion, gender, sexuality, immigration, and social justice. In each, she contends that progressives deploy emotionally charged slogans—“abortion is healthcare,” “love is love,” “no human being is illegal”—to present their positions as the only compassionate options, while discouraging critical moral inquiry.

Abortion

Stuckey devotes significant attention to abortion, arguing that “toxic empathy” focuses exclusively on the pregnant woman’s distress while ignoring the moral weight of the unborn child’s life. She writes:

“If you are so in her feelings that you are blinded to the other side of that moral equation, which is the life of the unborn child, well, then you’ve just made a calculation to affirm her choice in the name of empathy at the expense of the child whose life is being lost in abortion.”

She describes abortion procedures in graphic detail to underscore her point, asserting that “toxic empathy is a cancer. It is used to pressure women to undergo abortions and to convince everyone else that abortion is okay. It leads to the murder of the smallest, weakest, and most vulnerable children in horrifically gruesome ways.” Stuckey calls Christians to support legislation that protects unborn life and to offer real alternatives to abortion.

Gender and Sexuality

On gender and sexuality, Stuckey critiques the “love is love” mantra, arguing that it “lacks defined terms” and is designed to “tug on heartstrings and evoke an emotional response, not to engage critical thinking”. She insists that true compassion does not mean affirming every desire or identity, but rather upholding biblical standards of truth and love. She warns that “toxic empathy” can blind Christians to the long-term harms of uncritically affirming progressive views on gender and sexuality.

Immigration

Stuckey addresses immigration through the lens of slogans like “no human being is illegal,” contending that such mantras oversimplify complex moral and legal realities. She acknowledges the pain of those who seek a better life but argues that “true love…insists that children’s rights supersede adults’ desires,” advocating for policies that balance compassion with justice and order.

Social Justice

Stuckey is critical of the way “social justice” is framed in contemporary discourse, arguing that Christians must discern between biblical justice and ideologies that, in her view, exploit compassion for political ends. She cautions against conflating biblical love with uncritical acceptance of every social justice cause, urging believers to pursue “clarity to combat confusion, courage to combat cowardice, and compassion to combat callousness.”

Empathy vs. Love

A recurring theme is Stuckey’s distinction between empathy and biblical love. She writes, “[Empathy] must be submissive to love,” warning that unchecked empathy can “blind us to reality or morality”. She calls Christians to seek “truth in love,” grounding their compassion in biblical principles rather than cultural pressures.

Conclusion

Toxic Empathy is a forceful call for discernment in an age where compassion is often conflated with moral relativism. Stuckey’s challenge to submit empathy to the standards of biblical love, and her critique of progressive slogans, will resonate with readers concerned about the intersection of faith, culture, and politics. As she urges, “We must get the word out that TOXIC EMPATHY HURTS PEOPLE, and we, as believers, are called to LOVE”. I would recommend this book for anyone who loves people and engages regularly with those who often get sucked into toxic empathy. It is filled with helpful logical and Biblical arguments and illustrations.