Live from the Pathway Studios in Johnston Proper. You are live from the path. And you're listening to Life in the Path. My name is Ben Poost. Hi, Ben. The repenting double minded man.

Self proclaimed. It's hey. It's good to have you on tonight. Lots of good stuff going on the show tonight. Here here's here's what we got happening. Boo Boo ran into some creepy 3AM evangelism at the Perkins, now I wanna hear about it. Yes. So we're gonna see what what's going on with that. We're gonna do some secular versus Solomon. I give you a a bit of wisdom, and you have to tell me whether it's a biblical bit of wisdom or whether it is of the world. Basically, can you tell the difference between pithy sayings from the world and genuine wisdom distributed by biblical figures? Yeah. Yeah. And if you know the so I'll give you the option and you either tell me it's a secular. And if if it's if it's not biblical, you gotta try to tell me the country of origin. Where did it come from? I've played the game before. Okay.

Alright. Secular Solomon. I have too. Well, I don't know why I don't why are you talking to me at Buva like we're nobodies? I I can't look at anybody else. You just happen to be in my in my peripheral vision. I'm sorry. Eric, learn the rules of the game. Hey. I've played this before. This is for the three audience members out there that are listening. That's fair. No. That's all. That's all. So we'll do secular versus Solomon. I've got some pope style advice on how to deal with your wife. Yikes. I'm gonna lay it on the line. Thank you. Here's how how your wife can be dealt with. Hey, Ben. Have you run this by Amanda? Hey. No. Hold on. Okay. What what if my wife is listening? Am I gonna be in trouble with you? This is gonna be straight up alright. I don't know how you conduct your affairs. It's probably not right, though. I'd I mean, I'd be on guard. I mean, that's another point. I think we can assume it's not right. Dang it. I mean, I know you know you're not at a sporting event, but some man protection might be applicable in this area. Man, I should've brought flowers today. I knew it was the day. Alright. So we'll so we'll do that on Pope style advice. Hopefully, we got some advice on deer live from the path. Times are tough, Mike. People still need help. Yeah. Here's the deal. People people look for a lot of answers, and here, I'll tell you where they where they find them. They knock on door number one. You know what's behind door number one? Lies. Yeah. Dirty lies. Back there. People always try to solve problems with lies, and it's it's always a gamble, and it always turns out to be in the house's favor. And I'm I'm not really sure. I haven't looked at the questions ahead of time, so we'll see what the what the establishment has come up with. But I'm fairly certain there's a lie involved or somebody's too chicken to talk to somebody else. Those are generally the problems. Yeah. Yeah. Fair enough. And we're gonna kick off the show with a with a little discussion that I caught on Facebook, I don't know, like three or four hours ago that people were having. And I thought this might be good, something for us to flesh out. So the the basic nature of the question was, is it okay for Christians to have hobbies?

Now just for a little bit of context, it's basically the guy the guy the guy that asked the question is a board game man. And he's he's he likes playing board games. He was testing some from a friend. He basically has played 10 board games within the last, I don't know, two days. That sounds like an addiction, What it's possible. Okay. It's possible. He might have a pretty compulsion. Okay. That's fair. So but the basic nature, I think, is is is it okay for for Christians to have have hobbies? Can you can you serve God

within those hobbies? Is is it okay for for Christians to be up to that stuff? What are you what's your general thoughts? Yeah. I think so. Yeah. I don't I'm not sure. There's a ton of discussion here. Actually, what I thought of, and maybe that's just coming from my perspective at the moment, it's it's totally fine for Christians to have hobbies. I feel like it's not probably fine for dads. Depending on the age of your kids, I'm just not okay with that. That's kind of my Like any hobbies? Or I mean, can you do that in a healthy way? No. Well, I'm I'm sure that you can.

But here's what here's what I guess what I know from personal experience. I had hobbies prior to getting married and prior to having kids. And like, my kids are six and three. And I literally look at them and look at my wife, and I think those are gonna be off the table for probably ten years. They just they just are. And and and maybe that's maybe that's unhealthy, you know, maybe maybe it is healthy. I don't know. But but I I I can look at it. I can look what the priorities of what I want to do, with my family and with with my kids. And I I just think I I just can't I can't slice you out the time, you know, repainting something. You know? Like, general upkeep's gotta keep itself going, but, like, you know, there's a million things that I've said I was gonna rebuild, and I was gonna do this, and it's gonna be a project of mine. And I thought, you know, I just can't I I I can't siphon out the time. I just feel like it's not important. I mean, it will be. I'll have some time on my hands eventually. My kids will, know, you be getting busy doing stuff in high school and whatever. I I I think that'll be fine. What if they I mean, what if they don't cross what if they cross over? I mean, does it seem like you could have a hobby that involves your children? Well, I think yeah. I I Take a board game, man. Yeah. But I I I feel like that's solid. I mean, it's spending quality time with the kids. I think that's okay. It's like and maybe it was just a personal conviction of mine, but I thought, I I don't see any reason that Christians can't have hobbies. I don't I mean, the lord gave you the the life as a gift. And, you know, as long as your hobby isn't, I don't know, egg in churches or something, I feel like you're probably alright. I mean, is isn't it potentially just wasting time, though? Couldn't you be doing other things for the kingdom? I don't know. It's between them and Jesus. What if Jesus said, hey, take a break, man?

Here's half your rest right now. I I think you really have three levels. I think you've got your you gotta make sure you're loving God instead. I'm sorry. What was what was level one? This is gonna be great. Really gonna write these down? Yeah. No. I'm ready. Level one. So I so here's your excuse me. Not levels. You got filters. You got make sure you're spending time loving God. Level one. Love God. In in your relationship with God, spending time What's that look like? That sounds pretty flowery to me. Fine. You've gotta make sure that you're spending time growing yourself, reading your bible, in prayer with God, in prayer with your family, reading your bible with your family. You've gotta make sure you're active in your community to make sure that you're out there spending time with the people who It's a whole day already. I don't have You're you're right. Two levels. You're right. But crap. The next here here's the deal. The next piece, you've gotta make sure you're loving on your family and spending the time you need with them. You should be spending time with your wife. You should be spending time, being the spiritual leader of your wife and your kids.

Those things come before anything you are doing. If you need to go do some carpentry in in the garage, guess what? You need to spending time with God. Judge me from your chair. You need to be spending time you need to be spending time with God. You need to be spending time with your family. I can pray Why why I put some carpet down? You sure can, and I'm not saying you can't. The third thing is you are called to make sure that you are a leader in the community as well, making sure that you're Wasn't that in level one? Yeah. No. Level one was Level one was your relationship. You were Oh, okay. Oh, okay. Right. This is specifically in the community going out and discipling to people, talking talking about God to people, spending time caring for other people, caring for the widows, caring for the orphans, actually doing things actively for your community and in your church. If you've passed all three of those things and you feel like you fulfilled all three of those things enough and you have extra time, go do carpentry. Go build a birdhouse. Go work on your car. Something like that. Fine. Make sure those first three things are not lacking in any way. And if you can intertwine those in any way, please do. Yeah. That's awesome to bring your kids into that. That's awesome to bring your wife into that. It's awesome to do that kind of stuff for your church. Those three things come first, then you. Man, I don't have time to potty after what you just said.

You gotta squeeze it in. But I mean wait. Wait. Wait. Wait. Can you not engage your community through that hobby? I mean, can't all those things be interacting You can do that. Those three those things can intermingle. You can have your hobbies fulfilling those three callings that you have, but those things should not be ever at a detriment to your life. Jesus rodeo. You know what I'm saying? People having the, you know, rodeo for Jesus and, hula hooping Jesus. If you're doing a rodeo to raise money for the kids in Haiti, whatever. If you're doing it with god's love, awesome. The whole thing is those three relationships should never be at a detriment for your hobby. Alright. Agreed. Hobby would be a fourth priority then. So so let's say you get those three things done. I I mean, is that that's the full gamut after that? You really ever get those three things done? I don't think so. So the answer is no, Bubba. You can't have hobbies. No. No. Well, he was also saying you could weave them into those other issues.

What if your hobby's playing solitaire? You can't do that with everybody. Yeah. You can play solitaire. Go to an old folks home. Play some solitaire with them. Talk to them about Jesus. I'm sure you can. So here was the example I was thinking of as we were dry as I was driving in. Was like like, what the what the fuck guy is like a wood a whittler? He whittles figurines, like, on his porch with a knife. Sure. Sure. That guy's unbiblical? No. No. Why not? Why is he not unbiblical? Why sitting on his porch whittling a man out of a piece of wood, how is he hitting either of these three things? I don't know. But do we know he's not? No. That's what I'm asking. He's by himself. He's not with his family. He's not in the community. Could he sitting there and thinking in relationship with God? Yeah. He could be praying wise. What if he's not praying? He's idling. I'm sorry. Is this taking up so much time that he's not spending time with God? He's not spending time with his family? Is that what he's trying Here's the here's the reason. It's like, it's kinda jokingly,

but here's the reason that it's important. It's like you have absolutely nothing concrete to say to a man who's looking to live a life for Christ and has no idea what to do next, has no idea how to divvy up his time. Like like, let's get down to the brass tacks. When you say stuff like, need to, you know, have a have a good relationship with Jesus Christ, spend time in prayer, and and worship and reading my bible and getting to know the god that I'm gonna spend eternity with. Okay. Check. Yep. I need to support my wife, love her, help raise my kids, and and have have an involved spiritual leadership in that home. Then I also need to disciple as I go. Okay. So as a guy, I look at that list and go, I have no idea how to do any of that stuff. Right? I don't have I because you spent let's say you spend so much time, say, with the kids, your wife suffers. You spend so much time with your wife. You don't have time with the kids. You have so much time trying to be going out and missioning to the world that your family's left back in the winds. Here's the deal. You can You're describing someone who hasn't got that first priority in order. Okay. I mean, all the other things are gonna fall out of balance if your priority with God is out of out of balance. Because how? Because otherwise, we've got nothing to go off of. I mean, essentially, God's the solid foundation that all the others have to rest upon. And so if all the others are falling out of balance, then there's a pretty good chance that there's something even more fundamental that's actually out of balance. Okay. So what you're what you're submitting then is the answer to, say, steps two and three as Boov has laid them out is basically prayer. Lord, I need to I I need you to help me figure out where my time needs to go. Mhmm. I think that sounds fair. Yep. Is there is there a nature of

I mean, are are there not things is there not not creation around us or even the concepts of, say, art and things like that that God has that God has given you to enjoy? I mean, it Absolutely. Be Absolutely. Okay. Father. Well, so I guess I'm like, again, take the take the Whittler Mhmm. And the painter. Mhmm. Don't shake off the that you have to deal with the example. You you you chose a man who's got a committed job and family and community around you. I'm presenting a man that doesn't necessarily fit into your sociological framework. You have to deal with him. Okay? Whittler Okay. Or guy painting.

Okay? Excellent. So it's an artist of some kind. Yeah. Yeah. It's a Okay. Art is his hobby. He's probably got some other job. He's maybe he's got a family He's retired. He paints. Okay. Well, anyways, you can pursue your hobby and also pursue God at the same time. Okay. But, I mean, but for this for a couple hours on this Saturday, he's painting, that's all he's doing. He's not praying. He's not shaking hands. He's not meeting, feeding the sick. Is it a problem?

I don't think so. I think you're never gonna reach a point where you're 100% at all points in time going to be doing those three things. Mhmm. I think you've got to spend some time for yourself. Do I think You didn't include that in your step list. Not in the steps. You're you're right. That is that is a perfect situation. Mhmm. If you are at all points in time spending time with God, discipling your family, and then taking care of the community, you're never going to have any time for anything if you're doing that 100% of the time. Is it possible to do that 100% of the time? I don't believe so. Obviously, you're gonna have to work some time in there for yourself. I

don't think that's a huge situation. I just want to make sure that if you can consciously say that what you're doing is a detriment to those three first relationships you should be having, then maybe you shouldn't be doing it. Does it Now if it's now if it's an hour or two, obviously, I'm not trying to put a specific number on it. Maybe it's not really a detriment to those first three relationships. Maybe the guy is is spending a lot of time in in his relationship with God and as he's he's discipling his his kids and making sure that they're they're growing up in in knowing God and spending time with his wife and making sure that he's the spiritual leader of the home and his outreach in his community, you know, spending time with his church, is spending time growing with his church and growing people in the church. Does that mean that there's no time in in his week for anything else? Not necessarily. I don't think that's always gonna be a problem if he spends two, three hours on a Saturday painting or whatever amount of time. All I need you to make sure is though is that those three relationships are not suffering for your gain. Mhmm. And that's not a that's not a tangible number just to say. I can't say spend fifteen minutes every Saturday whittling, and then the rest of the time, Jim John, you better be in the church. Why is he a why is he a Jim John? He's just a regular dude. Oh, Jim John was the name I came up He's a normal whittler. He has two names to Why is Jim John not a whittler's name? Sir, I won't sell sell you the whittling knife. Are you saying two names? People named Jim John can't whittle? No. No. They're well known whittlers. They open up. Then why are you arguing my Jim John? I just feel it wasn't necessary. Ridiculous.

I and there's no like you said, I don't have an amount just to throw on there saying, you know I didn't ask for an amount. Just prefer that I'm not putting an amount on there, though. Because I don't think that's catch one. I didn't, point I said, like, one to two hours. Scenario. Okay. So I just think that your main focus should be to make sure that you're spending time with those three relationships, and what you're doing by yourself is not a detriment to those three. If you're whittling and your kids are inside being yelled at by your wife and you're not spending time with them, guess what? And a murderer is happening across the street. Should probably be inside, Jim John. Seriously. Get off your butt, stop whittling, and go take care of your wife and kids. If you haven't been to church in ten years because you spend every Sunday morning on your rocking chair that you made whittle. Okay. Hold on. Now you're paying the straw, man. This is Yeah. But it's an addiction. You're making the outrageous. That's the I What was what was the answer? He asked, can a Christian man have a hobby? Yes. The answer is yes. Okay. Yeah. Alright. Yeah. It just didn't balance. As long as his name is Jim John, he's whittling. See, then there's not a murder happening. And there's not a murder happening. Your wife is gone. Your wife is on your own kids.

Man, there's there's certain things that you have to make sure of. I know you asked about this guy, but I'm gonna paint a completely different man and describe him some kind of outrageous horn of devil man who whittles in the night. I I care about Jim John. I just wanna make sure his whittling does not become excessive. Glow of burning bodies. Oh, jeez. Alright. You're listening to Live From The Path. Go do your hubby. It's fine. It's fine. Here's I I suppose here's what I would say. It's healthy it's healthy for the consideration. It's healthy to think, am I spending my time wisely? I I think we are remiss.

We are ignoring a certain part of God's character if if we look out on the landscape and on the world that he's created that he called good and said, we shall not enjoy those things because of the other like, the work that otherwise we feel called to do. Both are appropriate. And and I think we have to be careful about regulating

what God wants us to do by things that our society is willing to accept. For example, sometimes we consider Bible study to be a very I mean, it's a cognitive thing, but it's a I'm trying to think. In our culture and in our day, when we the the word study has a connotation to it. Right? That's not a conversation with people around you. It's a me in a in a dark room with a candle and my bible open, and that's the way that it gets done. I've never studied then. No. You don't. No. Not after that conversation. Your judgment upon Whittler.

It showed me that way. But but, like, there's connotations where if you bible study looks different even in other parts of the world, then it's not wrong. You know what I'm saying? And so, like, I think we we have to be careful how we look at that. I think I think Hobby Man's fine. I think go about your business. Enjoy the talents and the desires that God has given you. Look for opportunities. And frankly, here's what I think. I think God gives you those things, and you can use them for the first three things, for for the levels of the three. Think it's all I mean, it's it's a way your passion gets passed on to your kids, you get excited to teach some things, and you can teach things to other people, or you get introduced to other people that you can share Christ with. It it creates opportunity. I wouldn't tell sometimes we hitch too much on that. Sometimes I think, like, I'm just gonna commit to this thing and wait for the opportunity to rise when there's tangible work to be done around me. But, like, I've chosen the me centered way of doing it and hope that God would bless it. Mhmm. Dear Lord, I found this. Bless this so that I may keep doing it. That's foolish. But balance, it's actually I think it enhances the things that go on at levels one, three. No. I I think I agree with mister Herrick that I I think that's probably a continual prayer

in my life where I say, look. God I mean, because the lord knows what how I like to spend my time, you know, and I say, generally, I will pray and I say, look. I really like doing this, but, you know, don't let me get distracted by it. If it's if it's not something that you're about, then, you know, I'd I'd do something different, but I I I need you to convict me pretty hard Mhmm. Because I'm stubbornly I'm I'm entrenched here. I like it. So, you know, I need you to tell me where I need to be. And so I I think number one bounces out two and three. I agree. Yeah. Yeah. You're listening to Life From The Path. Hey. Just, before we get moving any further, just a quick shout out to our sponsors. Life From Path is brought to you by the Eisenhower team. And, Bob Eisenhower, you can go to eisenhowerteam.com, and they'll help you with all your real estate needs. Buying and selling a home does not have to be difficult and does not have to be stressful. You just have to have the right guy in your corner. That's Bob Eisenhower. So you go to eisenhowerteam.com. You can there's a phone number there. Can get ahold of Bob, or you can shoot him an email, set up an appointment. He's an awesome guy to deal with. I I just love that guy. And as a matter fact, he's payable maybe we'll have him in within the next couple months just so you can see his his face. He's a handsome devil. Who? Bob Eisenhower? Yeah. I think so. Yeah. Absolutely.

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Actually, I I just had my dog in there recently. They did an excellent job. The dog is feeling much better. And actually, I don't think they did this, but they they did they did something. The dog is not stealing the other dog's food. Before I took the dog to the vet, it was stealing the other dog's food. And when it came back, no problem. His demeanor was unhappy. I think it's now it's good. It could be coincidence. Maybe they fed it? Well, that's possible. Okay. That's possible. Yeah. Sometimes they'll take a tooth. Just As a souvenir? Yeah. They'll threaten the dog. They'll keep changing ways. Daisy? I'm gonna keep this tooth. You wanna keep this tooth? I can't argue with how they get things done. And now for America's fastest growing game show. Securian or

Sullivan? If you're checking out the live show, you're really getting some tasty graphics. If not, you're just sitting in your car thinking, how did I get to class rock station? You've landed on unproven America's fastest growing Internet game show, Secular versus Solomon. Here's the basic nature of the game. I will provide you a bit of wisdom, you need to tell me whether that's a biblical bit of wisdom or whether it is from the world. If it's from the world, I want a country of origin. You gotta know where your worldly wisdom is coming from. Ethiopians are pumping out false biblical wisdom left and right. You need to know about it.

Anyway, you can play along at home. You can play along with the chat if you're hanging out on the on the website, and we'll see how you do on Secular versus Solomon. Everybody ready to go? I'm ready. Let's do this. Alright. Here we go. Number one, Secular or Solomon. A man is not honest simply because he never had a chance to steal. A man is not honest simply because he never had a chance to steal. Secular or Solomon. Mike. That's a secular and Poland.

Poland. Dave Herrick. Secular or Persia? Persia. Secular, Taiwanese. I'm kinda they're trying debating as to whether I can accept Persia as an answer. Hit it one point in time. Modern day Iran. Iran. Okay. Go ahead. I already said secular Taiwanese. I know, but I I was listening to Dave Herrick. Secular Taiwanese? Alright. A man is not honest simply because he never had a chance to steal

secular Yiddish. Oh. Yiddish. Wow. I feel like you have to accept Persia then. Yeah. That's not a country. Yeah. I know. I I didn't notice that until after I just looked at my answers. You've never been to Yid? I'm going to give half points. Everyone gets a half point. I'll consider mine a full point.

Since I'm twice your size, I consider mine too. Alright. Here we go. Secular or Solomon, a rumor goes in one ear and out many mouths. A rumor goes in one ear and out many mouths. Secular or Solomon? Dave Herrick. Secular. China. China. John Moova. Secular. Ireland. Ireland, Mike. I think I might have to go secular as well. And probably Bolivia. The Bolivians.

I don't know if you have any Dirty dirty gossips. Business dealings with Bolivians, but something keep in mind. Rumor goes in one ear and out many mouths, secular China. Dave Herrick nailed Wow. Nailed it. Third time that's happened ever. Do you spend a lot of your time studying the Chinese proverb system? No. Well, that's just a gamble. Here. Harry gets a lot of fortune cookies is the problem. Yeah. He sits at home opening big boxes of fortune cookies. Heard many mouths and I thought of the country with the most mouths. I'm gonna give you a half a point for your arrogance.

I get a I'm sorry. You don't do You're rewarding my arrogance? Yeah. It's a half a point deduction. I'm gonna give myself Deduction. I get a full point for spotting your arrogance. Well, wait. You're the whole. I was gonna say, what do I get? Hey. Listen here. Mike does not honor the point system. He doesn't he's dealing out fake points. Everything's fine. I'll give you the tally at the end. Alright. Secular or Solomon, like a dog that returns to his vomit is a fool who repeats his folly. Like a dog that returns to his vomit is a fool who repeats his folly, secular or Solomon. John Buva. We got fool and we got folly. Solomon.

Potentially falling for the trap. Mike Foust. I'm gonna go with the secular and Guatemala. Guatemala. Vomiting dogs in Guatemala. That's totally Solomon. Dave Herrigan for Solomon. Like a dog that returns to his vomit is a Mike Foust who repeats his folly that is Solomon. Yes. Solomon. I'm gonna I'm gonna give myself a point for leadership. Booba, you get a negative one for bandwagoning.

I said something first. Yeah. That's a real classic mistake. And the Herrick gets a full point. Congratulations. Secular versus Solomon. Ridiculous.

Call on God, but row away from the rocks. Call on God, but row away from the rocks. Secular or Solomon. Mike, I wish Chris Tomlin was born somewhere else in here because that sounds like something he'd come up with. I'm gonna give that a secular and a Greenland. Greenland. Dave Herrick. Secular I'm gonna go Norway. I feel a full point coming on for me.

Call on god, but row away from the rocks, secular or Solomon. John Bovea? Row away from the fjords. I'm gonna go secular Iceland. Iceland. What's with Scandinavia? Seems right. Okay. Rowing. Okay. I I well, I don't even gotta wait. That's a negative one for a terrible description of your answer. I'm sorry. You're easily swayed, Boova. Yeah. Another man who also likely got a wrong answer has influenced you to change yours to what is almost also likely a wrong answer. No. I was thinking

I was thinking secular the entire time. I just wasn't thinking Iceland. You were you were torn between Greenland Okay. And Finland. Call on god, but roll away from the Secular India. India. That's right. India. That's that's close to Iceland. That's a plus one for me. Herrick, that's a zero. It's just right on the right on the edge of being right. I can't wait to hear what I got. Boo. That's a negative one.

Any specific reasoning for the negative one? I don't know. I just I feel like you didn't heard it. Just kinda felt like it. Yeah. Question five. Secular versus Solomon. I give you a a proverb. You tell me whether it's a biblical bit of wisdom or a secular bit of wisdom. Whoever digs a pit will fall into it, and a stone will come back on him who starts it rolling. Whoever digs a pit will fall into it, and a stone will come back on him who starts it rolling. Secular or Solomon? Dave Herrick. Let me go secular. Let me pick a country.

Sounds almost like Confucius. So I'm gonna go China again. Watch for falling rocks in China. John Buba. I'm gonna go secular. Brazil. Brazil, Mike, whoever digs a pit will fall into it, and a stone will come back on him who starts it rolling. I smelled Solomon when you opened the can. Whoever digs a pit will fall into it, and a stone will come back on him who starts it rolling. It is indeed Solomon. Proverbs twenty six twenty seven. That's a plus two points. Why? Why is that plus two points for you? A, the Lord's word is important.

And b, I nailed it. Wow. Alright. Eric, that's a zero. You almost had it, buddy. I mean, I was impressed. Boobah, that's a negative one. Reasoning? It's the bible. You have to open it every once in a while and take in the lord's word. What hobby do you have that's blocking your bible time? Whiddling. Yeah. That's a negative too for being snarky.

Secular or Solomon, give a man a fish and he'll eat for a day. Teach him to fish and he'll eat forever. Secular or Solomon, John Buva. I've heard that so many times. I I'm gonna go secular. Saudi Arabia. Buva has heard it so many times because it probably isn't in the bible. Knew you were gonna go there with that. Give a man a fish and a eat for a day. Teach him about a fish and a a

South America. South Africa. South Africa. It's a Please, you're either choosing a continent or a country. South Africa is a country located within the continent of South Africa. Yeah. That works. Alright. It's the continent of Africa. Dave Hare, I'm gonna stay in China. Secular China? Secular China. Give a man a fish and he'll eat for a day. Teach him how to fish and he'll eat forever. Boy, you've got to get some fortune cookies rolling to be like Dave Herrick who got it. Secular China. What? Wow. Nice job, Herrick. Yep. I'll give you a zero points on that one. I mean, it was I mean, it was really close to being impressive. Me and me and Moova both guessed countries with the initials S A, but mine was closer to China, so that's a plus one for me. Okay. Mike, in all the times that you've played this, has anyone ever guessed the country right twice? Okay. That's a that's a negative one. Self righteous. Herrick,

you wanna keep running? What did just say? Moving on self righteous. I'm just right. South Africa is closer to China than Saudi Arabia. That's negative two for questioning me. One two three four. Saudi Arabia's closer. I'm barely in the lead here. It's a close game. Go ahead, Vince. Sorry. Eric wear wears his humility like a crown of emeralds with a hired spotlight man. And you can't see how humble I am right now. Let me ask you this. In the history of this game, has anyone been as great as me as anyone? Name a man. Can you name one person that's better than me? No. I'm just asking you to justify the zero. Well, I I believe that I did. Feel like And if you have a problem with it, you can submit to our appeals count council. And Hey. Appeals counsel. Exactly. Appeals counsel's here. I have the only working pin at the table. He's

got a valid point? Good point. Negative points for you guys. Go ahead, Ben. Alright. Question seven. Secular or solars? Please return my notebook to If one turns away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer is an abomination. If one turns away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer is an abomination. Secular or Solomon by Foust?

I feel like it's a giveaway. If one turns away his his ear, that's gotta be South America. So Guatemala. De Faire, secular. I'm gonna go Solomon. Solomon. John Buba. Yeah. I'm in for Solomon. If one turns away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer is an abomination, that is indeed Solomon, Proverbs twenty eight nine. What? If one Okay. The big clue is Is it where J U A evans in the law.

There's law in Guatemala. That's a point for me. Obviously, you've never been to Guatemala in the evening hours. There is indeed no law in Guatemala. That's how those avocados get out of the country. Okay. I'll give you guys each a point. Alright. Secular or Solomon. Thanks, Mike. I'm a devil. Invading a mousetrap with cheese, always leave leave room for the mouse. Invading a mousetrap with cheese, always leave room for the mouse. Secular or Solomon? Dave Herrick. Secular France. France.

Nice. John Buha. Secular Italy. Sticking with the Western Europe. Mike. Secular and China. Invading a mousetrap with cheese always leave room for the mouse. It is indeed secular Greece for the win. Greece.

That's the point. You've been playing America's fastest growing Internet game show, secular versus solemn. We are on the last one. Please identify whether this bit of wisdom is of a secular nature or is a biblical bit of wisdom. Here we go. For pressing milk produces curds, pressing the nose produces blood, and pressing anger produces strife.

Wow. For pressing milk produces curds, pressing the nose produces blood, and pressing anger produces low voice strife. Secular or Solomon, John Bubba? We go secular Egypt. Egypt. Trouble in Egypt. Mike, secular Russia, curds and blood. Dave Herrick. Secular Germany.

For pressing milk produces Kurds, pressing the nose produces blood, and pressing anger produces strife. And if you press your bible long enough, you'll squeeze out Proverbs thirty thirty three with that bit of wisdom. Oh. The lack of biblical knowledge is thick in here. I'm having trouble breathing. Oh, man. I barely came out with a point on that one. Mike, what was the what were the sum totals? Final tally, I had 13. Herrick

Herrick had, seven, and Buva was negative four. Second, four, four, four. I just all of them. Alright. Buva, you're really sticking this game. Yeah. I'm really awful. Somehow I keep answering them so wrong it's in the negative. Yeah. Yeah. I don't can I explain it by irrational? Yeah. Yeah. It sure is. You're awful at this, boob. I don't know why you're just on. You should whittle yourself the, you know, book of Proverbs. Apparently so. Alright. That was second verse of Solomon. You can catch that and many more past games from Life in the Path by going to lifeinthepath.org

during the week. There's a special section for games. We played secular versus Solomon with the the likes of Chandrar Knutson, Righteous Vendetta, and and many others. You can also play the end of the world as we know it and things heard on Christian radio to raise money. All available on Life in the Path. Thousand dollars of the apostle level. Wait. What is that? Is that a picture of you being victorious? Yeah. I just wanted to keep it for the the annals of history. Okay. There it is. Yeah. Why are you wearing mittens? It's cold out. And it's Gold and lonely is the winner.

Your feet look like olives. Yeah. Alright. So here's a pope style advice. So the basic nature of pope style advice is someone's mistaken me for the pope. I I I go outside to fetch the morning paper, let the dog out, and I look out, and there are, I mean, hordes of people, hundreds of thousands out of the Hundreds of thousands. Wow. And they're I mean, they've been waiting all night at the Saint Ben's Basilica,

and they say, I need Stay. And they're waiting for me to come out onto my porch and give a bit of advice. Now I'm obviously not the pope, and I don't normally do this. But I have my robe on, and I got a hat, and I fashioned my hair in such a way that I could be I could they they'll mistake me for the pope. So I come out onto the balcony. Have to give them something. Which way did you fashion your hair? In a coffin. I've

I've coffin realize there was a specific pope hairstyle. I licked my palm, and I stroked for. I coffin the morning. So, anyway, I have to give them some sort of wisdom. It has to be applicable for my own life to get them to leave my lawn. Alright? So I I've been thinking a lot this week, and I don't know why all these thoughts kinda converged converged together. This may say say something either very poor about me or very good. I'm not sure which one it is, but it centered around

how I think about how I think about honoring my wife. And I I there's just been some things that I've been praying on, and I'm open to to over applying this verse. I'm not necessarily saying that that I know that this is the case, but it was something that was kind of been on my mind. But

reading through first Peter three seven says, likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel since they are heirs with you of the grace of life so that your prayers may not be hindered. And there's just been thing all the things that I've been praying about, and and I thought, I'm just I'm just not getting a good I'm not getting a good vibe here as to as as to which which direction to go on some things. And I thought, is it possible that my prayers are being hindered because I'm not honoring my wife in the way that I should? Now it could very well be that it simply it's not to, like, the fullest extent where I'm dishonoring my wife, but it it just got me it got me thinking about whether I honor my wife. And and one of the situations that I that I think that I I I

have seen incorrectly is when we met, I was a I was a follower of Christ, and and my wife was not. And then through our relationship, she was introduced to Jesus, became a became a follower of Christ,

then we obviously got married after that. And, but I think from that perspective, in leading my wife in her relationship with Christ, sometimes I lead without listening to my wife as if I am the qualified listener of Jesus because I was the in the leadership role there. I'm the one that kind of introduced her to Christ. Okay? And so I think that has been one way in in which perhaps I am not honoring my wife as a fellow Christ follower whose prayer life, to be honest with you, is is is probably stronger than mine. And so

these are just things that are kind of flying around in my head on, am I actually honoring my wife? And not just, like, am am I treating her okay, but, like, am I showing honor to my wife as an heir with me in the grace of life? Not just is she is my responsibility to point to Christ. Just like my kids. I think my kids fall in the same thing. Right? At at some point, as as the leader, as a spiritual leader in my home,

that doesn't mean that, like, I have to be make sure I'm listening to the people that I'm leading. Right? It doesn't disqualify them from hearing from Christ. It doesn't disqualify God using them or using their discernment and wisdom in the life of my family. And and I can't specifically point to something where I feel like I wasn't doing that, where I was ignoring things that they were saying. But but I I've just just something that's been kind of floating around in my head that I'm I'm wanting to run my interactions with my not only my wife, but my kids as well, my family through that filter of, like, am I am I showing honor to my wife? Am I am I respecting her prayer life as an example? Right? If I'm praying on something and she's praying on something and I got and I feel like I've got something and she's not committed, am I likely to wait?

Or am likely to be like, well, I feel like this is the way to do it. This is what's gonna happen. That's not that's not leadership. Because God has provided a a spiritual, committed, loving asset as in in a relationship with me, a beautiful blessing into my life, not to be ignored.

Not to just be always led, like, leash style. And, again, I, like, I I I don't wanna make myself sound really bad. I'm I'm not sure I'm actually doing all of that, but there's probably shades of it in my life and in my relationship with my wife. So I I think my pope style advice is is, you know, you can get the concept of where it says honor show honor to the woman,

But, like, are you actually doing that? And and and sometimes when we say show honor, we think the the manly thing, the masculine thing is protect, lead, guide. But those things involve things like listening and and being and being close to and respecting as other people,

as other worshipers and followers of Christ that God will use in unique ways perhaps to also lead me through those circumstances. And so maybe it's just it's just open your eyes and maybe expand your vision of what honoring your wife is. Maybe expand your vision of what leading your family looks like. It's not if you think of it primarily as a responsibility,

you will, you will enact it as primarily responsibility. And I think you'll lose the relationship aspect of not just people that you are leading and caring for, but other Christ followers that are in your family. And there is there is beautiful depth to that on what God can do to you as a leader of your house through the people that you otherwise spiritually leading.

And so I that that's my pope style advice. Expand your expand how you think about honor. Expand how you think about leadership and and spiritual direction and being a guide to your family. And just make sure that you're not running your family over to drag them to the place that you want them to go. Let's pop star five. Get off my line. You know, that's I don't know. That's a hard that's it's it's a it's not as easy as it sounds. You know what I'm saying? Like, there is a lot of, good Christian fellows I know that that run into that exact gray area. And usually, it's because it's like a, it's like an elastic cord. You know what I'm saying? Like, they will they will let go of the of the the spiritual leadership for so long that they've gotten so far away

that when they shoot back, they way overdo it. And, like, it's this perpetual, I'm I'm doing too much. I'm doing too little. I'm doing too much. I'm doing too little. And they and it's it's it's a it's a hard fight for them. And and I'm not gonna say that I'm not victim to that as well. And it's actually it's actually funny because, like, the stuff that you're saying, I don't I noticed it in the smallest ways, but but, like, it comes out most when I speak to the dogs. And and, like and here because here's the deal. Like, I have a I I have a sometimes I have a very unrighteous anger towards my animals. And not like in a violent, you know, terrible way, but, like, I have a very short temper with them. And and and the reason is is it gets it gets passed on a little bit to other members in my family because

I get into the mindset where I'm like, you don't realize what I'm responsible for. When I say something needs to happen, it needs to happen right now, and I don't know what you're doing and why it's taking so long. And it and it becomes like it it it starts to lose all of its patience and all of its love and all of its intent. And it and it starts to be a black and white, we're running an operation here. This place needs to look spiritually ship shape. When I say it's time to pray, I don't want to see you run around. I don't to see you do a somersault one more time. I said it's prayer time. Now let's do this thing. Yeah. You know what I'm saying? And like and, like, you know, God will convict me of the it was it's me every once in while. It just is. Right? Like, you know, if we're being honest, it is. It's just me. I tend to to to bail on that side, and it is really embarrassing, and it breaks my heart later when I think about it. And I'm so sorry that's the way it went down. But, like, the stuff that you're saying,

I don't know. It's it's it it resonates for some reason, you know, as as something to keep in mind of of, like you know, sometimes we get caught up in bible translations when we talk about, what was the original Greek? You know? What did that word mean? Blah blah blah. You know what I'm saying? And, like, a lot of the connotations that we get in, the Western world, we get from our use of that language as well. Right? Like, people argue over different translations of the bible. Well, that doesn't change the connotation of whatever word they choose to go with. You know? And so, like, some of the things some of that language in in in Peter is is is very is very strong, you know, leadership. I I can't put up with a whole lot of gruff. I'm responsible. The buck stops here. Here's the deal. And I don't want a whole lot of mingling and intertalking here because you know that I have to shoulder this, so let's just do it my way. Yeah. I'll take the lumps or I'll take the praises, whatever. And, like, that really is a really poor way to run your family. And I don't know. I don't know. I really appreciate that pope's tall advice. Dave Herrick? I just had a question about the tail end of that verse. Just

just had kind of, I don't know, mental disconnect between I I I see the the loving and the honoring of your wife and just submitting to her, but or

like a weaker vessel, it mentions, and that she's a co heir with you in in life of grace. But it's that last phrase that so that your prayers may not be hindered Mhmm. That really catches me off guard. It's like, how does how would that affect

my prayers? The the way in which I lead my wife, how how does that affect my prayers? And is God more receptive to my prayers if my marriage and my family are all, you know, trucking in on on a good track, or is he less I mean, I'm just wondering if you guys had any thoughts on that one. Just how does that connection about how, like, how tangibly or intangibly,

how does that how are the prayers actually hindered? Yeah. Apparently, in Peter's mind, there was a a very direct connection in in some way, shape, or form, and and I'm I guess I'm just not seeing that at the moment. I mean, is it is it more of well, see, and that I suppose that's the question. We talked a little bit about this last week. Like like, the verse can't say like, that portion of the bible can't say more to us than it did to him. Like because the first thing I would think of, would be, like, is is god just revealing something about his character in this? Not to say that it's not true Mhmm. But, like, is it revealing something about his character in the way that he looks at marriage and maybe the the intensity of which he looks at marriage and says, look, if, you know, if you you you you're you're making oaths. You're making you're making covenants here. You made a covenant with me. I made a covenant with you. You made a covenant with your wife. Your wife made a covenant with you, and you both made that covenant with me.

And and this is this is what I think. And if you're not gonna keep that covenant, then, you know, maybe you're not much a covenant keeper. I don't know. You don't say it? I'm I'm kinda on a limb here, but but I I feel like there's like, god puts a very kinda almost like Buva's stages of of whittling here. But, like, like, it it it he puts the funnel in. He says, I need your relationship with me, your and your your kingdom head and your kingdom lens to be top priority, followed by your wife, followed by your kids, followed by your job, followed by everything else. Right? But it I need it in that order. I need it succinct, and I need it to be to be working in that way. And, if you're not willing to do because God God asked we we talk about that a lot too is is that the the endgame is not the point. It's it's the details. It's the it's the ways. The it's the means that he's worried about. And part of the means is that you made a covenant with somebody, and and and he wants to see it kept because you made it in his name. And so if you're not even willing to do that, you know, maybe maybe that's not put your heart in the right place for your prayers to be receptive to him anyway. Yeah. And I wonder if it has a little bit of a flavor of, like, if you're you're talking about from Matthew six, for if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly father will also forgive you. Now it's not a sinful item, but, like, it's a Why would God listen to you if you're not listening to your wife? Yeah. Exactly. Exactly. And I think it's got a got a hint of that when you're you're almost mirroring a relationship there Mhmm. On how God is it's a submission to authority thing. That's kind of the context of of first Peter Mhmm. In the two in chapters two and three. And and I think that's what it is. I think it's it's giving you a flavor of that and say your your prayers are hindered Mhmm. Because look at what look at what you're doing on on that the submission to authority on your level, and it's a picture of basically what God's looking at with with you and him. If that if that's the case, then it makes it really interesting because he's kind of painting a picture of a husband who is is sitting down and listening to, and and he mentions understanding way.

Have a understanding way with your wife Yeah. And show honor to her. And if it mirrors our relationship to God, then it means that God is in the same way living with us in an understanding way. Uh-huh. The same way that the husband is supposed to approach his wife. Yeah. Kind of listening to her. Yeah. And if that's the case, then how much of God's will is he willing to kind of put on pause and and hold and say, alright. Let let's get on the same page of this instead of God just running roughshod over us. He's he's actually sitting down in our prayer lives and saying, let's get together on this. And and it seems like a pretty it seems like a pretty strict example, but, like, look at even even when the nation of Israel was rebelling when Moses was getting the 10 commandments, and he asked him to to relent. Right. I mean, that God could have just as easily just said this is done and wrote and, you know, and and exacted judgment. And

they they were kind of in that way. I that's what it's a little bit of a strict example, I think. But, like, I think I think similarly, it does have that picture of God. Yep. Yeah. There there have been guys who have been able to negotiate with God, and and God listened to them. Yeah. And they were these were leader guys. I mean, were like Abraham and and Moses and and God like that. God changed it changed his mind because of some kind of influence that they had. Right. So maybe it's because of the way that they were a leader and they listened to the people around them. Yeah. Which I think I think comes back to to kind of where I'm where I'm sitting is is sometimes I I I I I I my I have I look at my responsibility as a as a spiritual leader in my house, and I and I sometimes think of it differently from, honoring my wife and and treating her in an understanding way when those two things are the same. Mhmm. It's the same thing, and it's not intentional, but there are times when I will catch myself doing that. And and and to that extent,

I think sometimes my my prayers are indeed hindered because I've I'm not looking at the right relationship the relationships within my life in the correct way, and that is hindering my what I understand of God and how he interacts in my relationship with him. Mhmm. So Conversation is getting more and more convicting. What are you thinking, Mike? I feel like I got some stuff to talk about. That's fine. Alright. Bring it on. I I do I I I think the other thing I think I was thinking when they were talking about the the prayers being hindered is is it's not it's not necessarily clear that that god is hindering them like you're hindering them. You know what I'm saying? Like, it could actually be the way god could be like, hey. Hey. I don't wanna hear this. What's going on now? Or, you know, like, you literally cannot pray correctly. You literally cannot have that conversation with god if you when when you're acting opposite of of the way that he's asked. Like, you're just so full of yourself that god realizes you are just full of yourself. Not just, you know, you're you're literally not you're not talking to me right now. You're talking, you know, about yourself, for yourself. You're not talking about kingdom. You're not talking about love for your wife. You're not talking about that. And so your prayer life is hindered because of that. Right. And and maybe it's not even specifically what you're praying about, but it's how you're approaching the conversation. Right? Like, you see God as as one thing as opposed to what he really is. Right? Like, you're using him as it's it it'd be the the same as using him as a as a cosmic genie or, like, any other ways that someone can treat God or as a dumping ground when, like, that same relationship that you might have in conversing between a husband and wife, you know, that's a it's a picture of how you and God also can be interacting. Mhmm. And but your your your prayers are hindered because you're not seeing him that way. You're you've you've locked him in a bully bucket or you've locked him in the in the genie bucket. Mhmm. And either way, with those relationships not being right,

how you see God is also not is also incorrect, and ultimately, your prayers are hindered because of it. Yeah. I could see that. Yeah. I could see your I could see blockage too. Mhmm. I I don't I'm not sure that that the way it's written rules out just straight up blockage. I'm not listening to you. I'm not listening to you. I don't have time for this. Sir? Troy, do you have any single guy take on this? Yeah. I'm sitting here listening to this, and it scares me. It really does because I I

a lot of the stuff that I get from this show, to be a 100% honest, is is learning from people, from you guys that are in relationships and in in marriages with wives. I'm I'm trying to learn how a biblical man acts in in a marriage. And I don't have anything specifically when it comes to being being single, like, you know, maybe this is what we should do with it. Maybe this is what we should do with it. But I think the the ultimate thing is is it's really drawing the large importance of the honoring relationship.

Pushing pushing the concepts of of is it really blocking the prayer? Are you praying incorrectly at this point in time? I'm not so much drawing from that. I'm more drawing from the fact that that God is is making this such a big deal. It is such a large thing to be honoring and respectful in your relationship with your wife. And it is, like Mike said, this is it's it's a covenant that you've made with God for you and another person's relationship. And from a single guy, what I can take from that is is making sure that at all points in time when I do and if I ever do get into into a marriage relationship that this is my number one priority in that relationship is I am I'm the spiritual leader to that person, and I need to make sure at all points in time that our relationship points directly to God. But at the same point in time, our interpersonal relationship, the relationship that I should have with my wife should always be honoring and should always be completely god centered, but also

as much as I can centered on her as well. Alright. I agree. You you wasn't alive from the path, and that that was Pope style advice. And I hope hope you leave. But of a life Hundreds of thousands of people have left your lawn. It's gonna take a long time. The kibos go back at noon. It's time to get out. Bubba, we got, like, five minutes. You got do you have time for your I do. I do indeed. Hit me with it. So this weekend, I was hanging out with some friends, and we were having a bonfire, and we all decided about 02:00, 03:00 in the morning. We were gonna go to Perkins. We were all hungry and wanted pancakes.

Should we go there? And we're we're having a good time. We're obviously they were all loud and rowdy, and I'm just naturally loud and rowdy and stuff like that. So we were having a fun time. And the table behind us, there's there's two gals. And one gal comes up to our entire group, and I was laughing with the waiter, and I asked the waiter what the switch on the ceiling was for. There was a light switch on the ceiling. And she says, oh, that's for, it was a smoke eater when this used to be a smoking section. I said, okay. Perfect. The gal behind us says, yeah. That's for, the bomb to go off

and just kinda does a creepy laugh and then sits back down. No issue. Two minutes later after we've all completely forgotten about it, she stands up and says, so let's say that is a bomb. That bomb goes off. Are you going to heaven or are you going to hell? Oh, no. And I am just I'm speechless stunned. I am just I'm staring at my friends who are all completely uncomfortably quiet, and we're all looking at each other.

And I go, well, I think I'm going to heaven. And she goes, oh, yeah? How come? I'm like, wow, man. That that is harsh. I'm like, this is, completely unexpected. I said, well, because I I truly believe that Jesus Christ is my lord and savior, and and I have completely accepted that. I've been baptized, and I live my life, hopefully, and trying to be according to the way that that he wants as my god and I do everything I can to be following his will. And she goes that's a good answer. How about all you kids? Oh no. And then looks at the rest of them and I'm just like man

I'm creeped out. Yeah. Like I'm a Christ follower and I fully believe in what she's saying. Like I am fully on board with at least what she's saying at this point in time yeah obviously there's some we're gonna disagree with along the ways but I get where she's coming from and she ends up just having a conversation and everyone's uncomfortable well I'm not really religious and well I I don't know if I believe in God and all this stupid stuff. And she keeps looking back to me like, what are you doing? She's like, man. Like, don't know if I should be convicted right now or like what I'm feeling. And here's here's, you know, my biggest deal is is I felt like and by the way, of the creepy things she said was she asked one of my friends who said, well, I'm not really religious. She looks at her says, can we pray real quick? And I'm like, heck, yeah. I like your style. That's cool. Like, I'm all for that. Let's pray. Seriously. And then she, my friend goes no I'm not really a big prayer and she goes well can I pray for you then I'm like that's right you keep pushing that great job that's that's awesome and then she makes it creepy

and she goes well you're gonna go to the bathroom at some point in time aren't you let's just go pray in there And I'm just like woah woah disconnect? Yeah exactly we just went from heck yeah keep pushing that yeah pray keep doing it to woah you put that down now like that is not cool And it's it it really kind of convicted me in a couple ways because it made me think how am I being bold like that? How am I honestly standing up and not caring whatsoever what anyone's thinking about me and honestly looking at someone in the face no matter who they are and asking about the relationship with Christ?

How am I doing that in my life? I don't know if I'm gonna do it the same way. I think, asking to pray in the bathroom is a little creepy, but whatever. You know, I think sure her heart was in the right place, which was a good thing. I also took from it how can I stray away from being so not necessarily bold, but careless

about my my discipling and my my gospel that I make people uncomfortable and just drive them away? Not from the standpoint of I'm making them uncomfortable because they don't believe in God or they don't have a relationship, but making them uncomfortable to the point that I'm doing nothing to further the kingdom of god but throw words at them and creep them out with concepts. I think there's more to be said here. We're we're gonna have to pick it up after the break. Alright. If you're listening to, 99.3, we've got to let you go. You can listen to more at lifefromthepath.org.

Check out the podcast. If you're listening online, we'll be right back with you. Thank you for listening to Life from the Path. Hey. I'm gonna leave you with a little Jess Anderson. I told you she had a new CD coming out. This is one song that she recorded while Life from the Path. It's on her new CD. It's called hold. Go to jessieanderson.com, and we'll be right back with you. That's Jess Anderson. Caught me by surprise. You can find it on the album, a whole, available at justanderson.com. I really love this song, by way. That was very good. They did a great job with that. Alright. So just before the just before the break, Buba had a 3AM interaction with some evangelists, and,

they they were, they were bold on truth, but a little bit creepy. And, you left us with two questions. Two questions. The first one was, how can I be more bold? Mhmm. And two, how can I be more bold without creeping people out? Right. That sound like I got your questions correctly? That's the exactly right. Alright. So any thoughts on the basic nature of the story, fellas? Questions for Bubba? Well, alright.

You're one who you understood where she was coming from and where she was headed with this conversation and Yep. And even why she brought it up. You're you're one who you're following Jesus with all your heart, and you understand that her goal her basic goal there was to get them in touch with Jesus in in a way that actually saves and heals. Yeah. Absolutely. Alright. Did you sense any kind of I mean, I I don't mean to be judgmental or anything, but did you sense any kind of love from her for her target audience as I'll call it?

That's a really good question. I I don't think so. I think that that that she was loving on the people, and I think that she felt that she was portraying love. Mhmm. But I don't think anyone else did. Okay. So coming from I know where she's coming from, and she's saying this hopefully not just from a ritualistic standpoint of, oh, I need to invite more people to church, but from the standpoint of, you know, maybe these people don't know about Jesus Christ and they need to. It felt like she thought she was giving love. But from the standpoint of my friends, I knew they didn't feel that way. Okay. I I think that they felt like they were just being, you know, kind of just pinpointed at 03:00 in the morning in a Perkins. You It's kinda like, hey. What's your prayer life like? Well, you believe in Jesus? Well, if not, here come to church. I here's what I've what I would feel like in that situation. Of course, I wasn't there. But judging by your description, I would feel like my drunk uncle just walked in. Exactly. I know the guy. I love the guy. You're embarrassing me. Right. That's what it would feel like to me. Like, because it I've I've had this happen before where I, like, I've been I've been talking about the kingdom of god with a couple fellas. I mean, it's I mean, over months, years. You know what I'm saying? Mhmm. We're making headway. We're we're we're getting there. We can at least have the conversations

without eyes rolled and swearing. You know what I'm saying? We're making some gains. Yeah. And then they talk to some wing nut over the weekend. Yeah. Yeah. And all of a sudden, I'm not credible along with the wingnut. You know what saying? And I thought, why why did you have to talk to that crazy man? Mhmm. And I'm like, hey. Here's the deal. If I'm if I'm talking to God and I submit myself to prayer and it's time to put the gas down, I'll put the gas down. Right? And so it's I just I I feel like like God blooms you where you're planted. He puts you around people that need to hear about his kingdom, and and he gives you the ability and the insight. And, like, I pray for this all the time, Lord. Let me see what it is, not what I want it to be or what I think it is. Let me see it see it for what it is. And so I and then tell me what to do. Right? And so, like, if you're earnestly speaking that, I feel like when it's time to to go a little bolder and start stepping into their life, I feel like he's gonna tell you when that is. Absolutely. To do it. And then you find out that some nut job showed up and, like, waxed the whole thing, And it would really irritate me. I've had that happen to me a couple times, and I'm like, why did you have to open your mouth, crazy man? You don't even know these people. She told me that, that my aura was was really glowing

and was really bright. Aura. That don't sound right. Right. Exactly. That don't sound right at all. So it's just like you just you just got this this this kind of aura kind of deal like that. Like, the holy spirit's really there. Secular Haiti. Yeah. Exactly. So and that's exactly how I felt is is I'm not looking for credibility with my friends. I'm really not. I I I I don't think that that's gonna happen to be a 100% honest. I I just wanna be a light for them. And and I wanna be you know, this is what it's like to have an honest faith with Christ. Like, you don't have to be that. You don't have to be creepy televangelist.

You can you can have an honest faith and and still not necessarily creep them out or be a normal person, but just not, like, completely throw them away. But the way this gal came at us, it was it really felt like it was kind of a, what are you doing? Like, I get away. Here's the deal. It's it's it's it kinda I think to Dave's point, truth on its own doesn't love.

It just doesn't. Like, it is not a loving thing. Like, just because it's true doesn't mean it's love. However, you can love someone through truth. Mhmm. You know what saying? Like, it could be true that I can say, hey, I'm concerned about where you're gonna end up in eternity. I can say that. And generally, from a black and white perspective, I'd much rather see you go to heaven, but that does not mean that I love you. It does not mean that I care about you really. It just means that I'm being obedient. Right. And there is there is a difference. It's hard to introduce someone to the love of God doing it through a completely unloving means. Say, because the question would be, would did would she have the exact same conversation whether it was you guys sitting there or not?

If it was someone completely different that had no no relevance to you whatsoever, that didn't didn't betray the fact that she could see you Mhmm. Would it would have been the exact same interaction. And that that's that's why the tracks are not loving. That's why the pamphlets are no good. Right. Right? That it doesn't it's it's a you're completely devoid of God's character of love. Now there I mean, I'm not saying the truth should not be communicated. That's the nature of love. Like, you cannot have love without Mhmm. Speaking truth. But truth on its own is not love and should not be treated as such. And I and I think that's that's the issue we run into is you get get this hardcore thought that, like, I will do this to as many people as I hate like, I can. And so they start handing out the pamphlets. So they say the same thing. They use yeah. Maybe that's a bomb. If it was a bomb, would you go to heaven or hell? Like, oh, yeah. Smooth. Yep. Yeah. You're a real

smoothie. Thinking about 3AM and Perkins. Total conversationalist. I think this is one of the things that we miss, and I'm I'm talking about Christians in general and Christ followers in general is I don't think and I agree. Truth in itself is not loving. I think that we we bombard people with facts. We bombard people with the, you know, god is real and here's why conversation. You know, the have you ever looked at a giraffe, blah blah, that kind of stuff. I mean, it's just it's it's it's fighting something and and trying to have an argument with someone where no argument is needed. You shouldn't be starting from a standpoint of, well, evolution can't exist because of this, and now you believe in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. No. You start from a relationship standpoint. I think you can go and talk to a stranger about God, and God can definitely work through that. And God can work through all circumstances.

However, I think that blatant blindly attacking somebody at 03:00 in the morning is not the right way to do it. I think that coming at someone and starting a relationship with them, getting to know who they are, serving them, and showing the them the love of Christ is is a thousand times better and more effective than anything you're gonna do with a bible track or anything you're gonna do with a fact that you have that might dazzle someone for two seconds. Here's the deal. I'm to my dying day, I'm gonna wonder what that woman would have prayed about in the bathroom. Right. She would she would have walked him through the sinner's prayer.

What's that? What is that? It's not a clean relationship with God. And it's basically just repeat after me sort of a thing. And it it It's like a hostage situation. Pretty much. Yeah. That's exactly what it is. That is exactly how my friend felt. Hospital. That is exactly how my friend felt. Yeah. She felt so uncomfortable because it went from, I've got a direct line connection with the god of this universe, and I would like for you to join with me in that and have a relationship with him. It went from that to, guess what? I've got some fancy words that you might like. That is pointless, that is meaningless, and that is cheapening the relationship you have with Christ. Yeah. Well, it's not even words that you'd like because they've not shown any interest in that. Yeah. I mean, I I've heard it explained one time that it's it's like showing up at somebody's doorstep with a gun and pointing at their head and saying, you're gonna date me. You're gonna date me or I'm gonna shoot you with a head. That's your option. That's the if you're gonna die, you're gonna go to heaven or hell. That's mean, that's basically it. Yeah. Sure. They might say yes. I mean, does that is that the the fruit? Does that does that start bearing the fruit of a positive interaction, a growing relationship of love? Well, they will eventually love me, gun to head still.

They'll come around, but at least I got them to go out with me because that's what really needed to happen. Yeah. We're And that's the nature of our events. We're hoping for Florence Nightingale. Right? We're hoping to get you under duress. And then after a while, you just begin to, you know, find some affection there. Yeah. Yeah. Because that's how persuasive the lord is. It's called Stockholm syndrome in everyone. Alright. Listen. An impersonal approach is no replacement for a personal relationship, And you need to be displaying your personal relationship that you have with God, the ways in which you are trusting in God. And that's what's on display is your faith. It is your faith. And so if you're talking about impersonal facts,

I mean, that's good as long as it's supporting your faith, as long as they're seeing how it's lived out. I mean, that's that's really what's gonna speak to people is how is this actually impacting your life Yeah. And how is Jesus real in your life? I mean, we could debate evolution versus creation for I don't know how long, and that's not gonna convict anyone. I mean, you can do you can fully convince someone that Jesus was raised from the dead, and you've you have established the facts of that. And so what?

Yeah. You know, where does the rubber meet the road? Yeah. But even as I say all that, and we get this great example of, I guess, what not to do, what's really awesome is it's not about the messenger. It's about Jesus. It's about what he did. And that's why,

Oh, what's the verse? We hold these treasures in jars of clay. This the treasure, this faith that we have is Jesus. Ourselves, we're just a very cheap clay vessels compared to that. And so we're imperfect messengers no matter what. I know we're gonna make mistakes. But ultimately, it's Jesus who is perfect, not us. So

Yeah, BUVA. Yeah. Why didn't you hug the woman? That but that that does make it that does bring an interesting point, though, because, like, you know, they very well could have seen their position as a as a modern day Paul. You know what I'm saying? Like Sure. Like, we like to see a lot of a personal relationship, and and maybe that's Western culture a little bit. I you know, I mean, I agree that tends to be more genuine, more authentic. Mhmm. When when when people can ask the question,

okay. Even if all this is true, how does that affect your life? Right? And if I can answer that honestly, that makes it a lot more true and a lot more authentic. Right? But on the other hand, I mean, you read most of the Pauline epistle. I mean, which he's pretty bold. He's out there rocking it. Now, mate, is that something that just god has called Paul and people like him or her to do and and and has set us a a fire for lovey dovey relationship building. Here's the deal. Look look where he's talking. Right? Where he even when he's engaging with large group of people, he's doing it in a form in which people are there to be engaged. Right? He's he's in temples. Mhmm. Even when he's interacting, ed like on Mars Hill, there's people of the day standing around debating. Like, that's he he just got in on the conversation. What he didn't do, he didn't go door to door and, like, start popping his head in the thatch and saying, hey, guess what? Give, you know, give me the give me your Artemis. I wanna speak. Right. You know? And so, like, his letters of encouragement are letters to churches. I guess what I'm saying is that when he speaks, it is it has some relevance to what's going on around him. Mhmm. What you don't see is Paul Paul on the soapbox. And that a lot of times, like, the guys that are doing the soapbox stuff, they're looking at Paul, like, on Mars Hill as if he just sat up there and just decided to to start a rant. But, like, those guys, I mean, they're they're debating

Mhmm. Like, the the thoughts of the day. He just got in on the conversation. Mhmm. And so, like, there there's there's a relevance to being part of that. You have people that are already impassioned to be talking about stuff like that, and he's jumping in. And he's not even, like he's not necessarily he's not fighting with an agenda. He's he's in on a conversation, and that information is relevant to him because he's a follower of Christ. Yeah. But it's also it's a cultural norm for him. I mean, that's how they passed information is they would Yeah. Go into the city center, and they would broadcast it as as loudly as they could and just announce it. And then, you know, it gets around. Yeah. And if someone wants to respond to that, then they're free to respond. And they they live in a I mean, that's just the culture that he's in. Yeah. He's following more established cultural norms of how you would broadcast information. Yeah. So how would we do that in our culture? I guess we get on a radio or something.

Facebook. Listen to life on the path. But wait wait wait. Wild stuff goes I I wanna go to the Perkins at 3AM. I don't remember getting a phone call saying, hey. We're going to cake, man. Here's the deal. If knock Perkins could deliver my breakfast within an hour and a half, I'd probably go I didn't call this lady. They're opening a Perkins in the in the Altoona. Just something to think about. You sure oh, we'll talk about that. Maybe we'll see if she'll come on. Okay. Here we go. Ready? Go ahead. Yep. Dear life from the path. My father passed away recently. Flowers and plants were sent to the funeral home. After the funeral mass, the flowers were sent to the cemetery for the graveside services. Afterward, I was asked to go to the funeral home to pick them up. When I arrived, I saw my sister-in-law taking the plant her employer had sent into her car. She said it was her plant. The next day, my other sister-in-law went to my mother's house to retrieve the plant her company had sent.

Life from the Path, I have never heard of this. I thought the plant that the that because the flowers and plants had been sent to my mother, it should be up to her to decide whether or not she wants to distribute them. After all, she's the one suffering of the greatest loss. What is the proper procedure for plants to be distributed after a funeral? What do you think, boys? Plant distribution. I I can't imagine the thing on a widow's mind is where the plants go. Yeah. Where's the plant for my daughter's employer? It's a nice gesture. It's great to be there, and it's it's nice that you sent it. But to be a 100% honest, no one cares where it's divvied up. The people who care where it's divvied up is the people who sent them. Yeah. Dear life from the past. I'm petty and small. What should I do?

Yeah. It's your mother. Let her deal with it. If she decides to get up on the soapbox and say, hey. Those flowers were for blah blah blah blah blah. I want them back. Fine. I do find it odd Leave it alone. I do find it odd that they would retrieve them. It is odd. I find it to be socially odd that you would do that. I mean, people sent flowers. They're not to be regifted from the funeral. But I I guess I don't even It's so their dad it was in front of their dad's funeral. Right? I mean, it's it's not like it's their mother is not the only impact to the death. It's not like all flowers upon my decease are for my wife. I think daughter is upset because it's in laws, sister in laws, brothers, wives that are taking the plants out. More flowers there because their work provided some. I don't have a problem with this at all. Yeah. There's no issue. It seems very odd to be upset about it. I'm sorry. You're you're making a yeah. Exactly. You're making an issue out of nothing. Secular says, the plants should be shared. Your mother is not the only person who is grieving. Hello. Your sisters in with secular. Mhmm. Your sisters in law are married to the sons of the deceased, so they should have the plants their employer sent to the funeral. I I still find that to be a weird hard line to draw. I feel like it's a free for all. Yeah. Every plant for himself. Hey. You wanna plant? Well, when there are more flowers and plants than the family can enjoy, people often have them delivered to nursing homes or homes for the elderly or disabled where they can lend a burst of color and good cheer. PS. Thank yous to the sender should be sent by your sisters in law for the plants that they took.

Oh, really? That's interesting. I didn't see that coming. That's like a that's a whole twist to the neck right there. Oh. Because, I mean, that's a that's a straight out admittance that I stole the flowers. Yeah. It is. Yeah. Why are you sending us a thank you, Patty? Would you feel shafted if you're the flower provider that you got it from the in law? No.

I don't know about that. What? Are you expecting a a card from the deceased? I would well, of course, I would expect nothing at all. Okay. The widow maybe. This doesn't have any legs. Ready? No. Dear life from the path. Students subject to being quizzed on his grades. Dear life from the path, I know it's rude to ask workers how much money they make, but does that also apply to asking a student what his what his or her grades are? Aside from parents and teachers, I don't think it's anybody business how I'm doing academically. In my opinion, asking how are your grades is as rude as asking how much money do you make.

What are your thoughts on that? I think they're both irrelevant. I ask people how much money they make all the time. I don't give a rip. Yeah. I do it all the time. I think it's foolish to measure someone by that standard. I'm interested. If we're going to lunch, you Why? Yeah. I mean $150,000 a year, I want you to pick it up. That's what I want. Yeah.

What's the deal? So so I I suppose that people are asking that just to make conversation. Right? They don't want us to say, hey. I don't know anything. How are you doing in school? Yeah. Yeah. Well, it's I think they don't oh, go ahead. Oh, I was just thinking. In school, they might be looking to see, did we all collectively do really poorly on the test, or did we all do I guess, a quiz. Steve did well. Boo. I'm sorry. Oh, yeah. That's true. There's always one guy that oh, yeah. I got the vibe that it was like a like a family friend saying, hey, man. How are you doing in school? I imagine more misery loves company. Yeah. I don't know. I I don't have problems anyway. Don't share. Hey. I'd I'd rather not say. Here's the deal. Better grades so you don't have to worry about this. If you're getting a's, you're totally saying, yeah. I'm getting a's. He's getting awesome grades. He just doesn't wanna be harassed about it. Yeah. Whatever. He he might be the one breaking the curve, and he doesn't want everyone to know that. That happened to me all the time. No. It didn't. Yeah. It did. No. It didn't. People were like, hey, blah blah blah. That test was brutal. And I'd be like, that's alright. I think.

You gotta throw a little, maybe it wasn't in there. Yeah. But the truth is I rocked it. That's what happened. That's how you gotta live humbly. You know what I'm saying? You don't wanna be like, hey. Yeah. Yeah. So you could talk about it. Thirty years later? Yeah. Yeah. Okay. I was very humble about my grades in high school. You weren't gonna remember that. There's what here's the here's the deal. Like, you you can't tell a lie like you like you failed it. Like, they're gonna say, hey. That test was terrible. I did I think everybody did terrible. And so you can sit there and not say anything and look very suspicious. You say, I I think I did okay. I don't know. That's it. That way you put a little doubt in there, but you told the truth. I think that's what it lived right there. You humbly said, I don't know. I think everybody failed it. And then you didn't tell a lie. I I think that's how you do it.

I don't have a problem with it. I think it's fine. I mean, here's the deal. It's like, what is he looking for advice from? People are gonna ask questions whether you want to or not. Right. We have this all the time. Like like, we at work, they they always prepare, like, a certain set of questions. How much money do make, man? I make big money. Yeah. I knew it. Big money. We're swimming in it. We're going to Burger King. So but, you know, like, the corporations are always doing this. They produce a certain set of question and answers. Right? Mhmm. And they say stick to these. Like, what if a guy asks a question that's not on your sheet? Like, just because you don't like it, doesn't mean that people aren't gonna ask you the question. So you're just gonna have to learn to deal with that. I mean, you can't just turn and walk away and act like, hey hey, how'd you do how are you doing in school? Well, I'm gonna get a Snickers. Yeah. I'm a head to the Snickers. I'm out. Snickers area. Potty break. I mean, just answer the question. I'd rather not say or I do pretty well. Thanks, man. Yeah. I do alright. Yeah. Yeah. Very good. Just figure out something to say. It's irrelevant whether it's good tact or not. People are gonna ask it. Yeah. Secular says, I'm with you. How about coming back with, I'll forgive you for asking if you'll forgive me for not answering. Yes. That's gonna that's gonna calm water. Yeah. Gonna think say god and then run away.

Anyone says that to me, I'm I'm hitting that jerk. Man. Hey, man. I asked you a simple question. Don't give me a snarky answer. Yeah. Oh, man. That's way snide. Yeah. I don't think so. Oh, I forgive you for asking me that question if you forgive me for not answering. You must have done so well because you're so clever with your response. Yeah. Exactly. There's no way that guy got bad grades. Do you hear that response? Yeah. Awesome. I mean, he's got a golden tongue. Seriously. Man, I got you. Was I was School is hard enough without that dribble gravel. Man, I I like to tell people to get out of school directly, but it's wrong for their future careers. I'm just saying it's rough times.

What? What do mean? Whatever. They're not rough times. High school. Yeah. It's it's it ruins people. No. It does not. Ben, it does ruin people. No. It doesn't. No. No. Shouldn't. It shouldn't ruin people. Ridiculous.

Hey. Now listen here, Buva. Just because you didn't seem to struggle with it, if perhaps you didn't, doesn't mean that other people don't. It's a reality for them. Whether it's a reality for some people thrive in those situations. Some people get crushed by them. That's the that's who they are. It ruins people. They they carry stigmas from those years on. Now they shouldn't. I'm not saying they should. It's not healthy. That's fair. But it certainly happens. It okay. I will agree with that. Yes. It does happen. That's the big parameter under which they all live, and and it's it's sometimes is a crushing parameter. Okay. Now tell me your grades. Oh, how did

Ron, I did awful in high school. How did you do? Okay. I don't even remember my GPA was so low. Dear life from the past. Last one. I come from a troubled family. I'm just now realizing that there's more to life than posting bond for family members and getting people out of jail at 3AM. I got my GED and started college this year. Although I try to keep them at bay, they call me with one family crisis or another, and it's putting stress on everyone around me. I'd love to have a positive relationship with my family, but drama seems to follow them everywhere. Should I just let them go and move on with my life or continue doing the same as always? Must I drop everything I'm I'm doing to jump and run every time the phone rings? Oh.

There's a lot going on in that one. Yeah. You need boundaries. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. You gotta set them and you gotta stick to them, and they're gonna be tough. So give me some examples. Like, what type of boundaries? Like, shut off the phone at it after certain hours. And if they got themselves into prison or, I guess, jail for the night Mhmm. Let them sleep it off. Yeah. You know? You can come post them, bail them out tomorrow. Family emergencies are gonna happen. I mean, that's the drama is going to happen to family. That's that's bound to happen. Mhmm. Your reaction is completely what you control. I think that that you need to you can't eliminate your family and you can't just run away from them entirely, but that doesn't mean you have to be an enabler to make sure that they they have a safety net every time something bad happens. Mhmm. That's not your job.

Actually, so the safety net is is it's it it causes a perpetual issue. Mhmm. And and I I think Dave's right. You you have to draw boundaries. And, like and you don't have to, like, sit down and have a family meeting and tell you, say, okay, fellas. These are my boundaries from now on. You just have to personally know what your boundaries are. Mhmm. Like, you know, if they call asking for money, you don't have money, the answer is no. You can't have any money. You know what saying? If they they put themselves in jail because they was drinking and got busted, that's where they're gonna stay. Mhmm. And you gotta be able to say that, and you gotta you gotta be okay with that, and you gotta not let it drag you down because, I mean, I know, you know, there's there's families out there that that there's there's bits and pockets in that family that you think you're trying to help them, and really what they're doing is dragging

you with them. And you're and and you you let that keep on, you will no longer be in a position to help them do anything. And and and frankly, in a more in a more, you know, spiritual sense, if you spend all your time concerned with someone who who refuses to to fall into the kingdom of God and accept relationship with Christ and they spend all their time rebelling and you spend all your time worrying about that fact, then you have basically taken yourself out of the game as a witness or disciple to anyone else. You know what I'm saying? And so, like, people like to paint the devil as some kind of comic book man that comes up with weird ways to flatten your tire on the way to the mission field. But, you know, they'll he'll take sole advantage of the fact that one of your family members is lost and not accepting Christ and and and will continually steer you right back in it where you are not talking to anyone else about the kingdom because of that one person. That is a win for him and not a win for anybody else. And so, like, that's that's the stuff that that I think is more is probably more of the issue. You know, the the money and the time and and and that stuff, it's it's important. But just it's just it goes back to that that that number one thing is that God will help you discern these things out. Prayer will help you discern these out and and some good counsel. You know what I'm saying? Like, you stick your nose in your bible. You get yourself some good biblical people around you that you can run some situations by that aren't gossips. And and and you'll you'll flush it out. You'll figure out where the where the lines need to be and hold hold fast to them. Don't let them go because because you'll want to. You'll want to dump them. You'll wanna go pick up your mom from jail again. You you just want to. You love them, and that's not gonna leave.

But but going down take being taken down with them is not beneficial for you. Well, how so how do you, in the context to what you're saying, looking at something like first Timothy five eight where it says, but if anyone does not provide for his relatives and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. How do we how do we understand a verse like that in the terms of what it is that you're talking about? Well, I think it's very much that provisions were made, they chose to either sworn to them or not take them. Yeah. I was gonna say providing for your family does not necessarily mean that you're there at every single moment getting them out of everything. I think that that is a wrong assumption. I think that sometimes providing for them is allowing them to deal with the consequences that they have have have gotten themselves into.

Why? Because they need the consequences are there for a reason. Something has happened. They're paying for that. You do not have to be their knight in shining armor at all points in time for you to be giving them provisions and and to be taking care of them and to and to be family for them. Part of being family is loving them. And sometimes loving does not necessarily mean getting them out of everything.

Okay. I don't know if that that verse backs that up with what you just said, though. Like, I mean, I I I think Ben's overall point was is that is that how do you how do you tackle a problem with this from from a biblical perspective? Like, it's not like I don't agree with what you're saying, but I feel like you don't have a ton of biblical backup from what you're saying. We're the we're Okay. Let's say you've got someone who is on a downward spiral. They just haven't hit rock bottom yet.

And if you're just there enabling them, slowing them down, allowing them just to continue indulging in whatever the thing is that they're doing, you know, you're you're not helping them. On the other hand, there are things that you can do to help them once they hit rock bottom, and they're actually ready for recovery in some form or or another. But you've got to actually be wise about what you're doing. So the way that you interact with the person, even though it may seem very loving and very helpful, it could actually be the exact opposite because, you know, just wisdom is not there.

It's just a it's a it's a it's a fickle seesaw, man, because, like, the time will come where you're exacting punishments of your own. Like, the punishment is I'm not coming because you didn't learn your lesson and you're not getting any better. Mhmm. And maybe that's the time that you were supposed to extend a hand and a heart and say, okay. You need some respite. You need some peace. Mhmm. You need some influence apart from the influence that you're getting. Mhmm. And and and that's the time. And that goes back to the number one thing of letting god flush that out. Like, that's some stuff that I would I I mean, there's there's been situation where that ex been exactly

what has happened. It takes a it takes a lot of prayer to make sure that you're not exacting god's justice or god's heart into helping them change their ways, and and you're fitting into the way that that that god needs it to be done. You yeah. But you can't step in and be the savior. That only Jesus can do that. Well, that's that's exactly what I'm saying. Like like, there's there's times when, you know let's say, for example, that that, you know, your sister's gotten popped for for for possession five times. Right? And the sixth time she calls. Mhmm. Like, your instinct is, I love my sister. I wanna go pick her up. I don't want her hanging around those creepy dudes. Mhmm. Like, we gotta go get her. The other flip side of that coin is is, she you know, how many times I'm gonna bail her out of this? She's never gonna learn her lesson. Both are valid arguments, and both could be true in either way. Right? It just depends on on what that situation merits. And I I frankly, I struggle with ones to pick some of the time. I don't know. You know, sometimes I think, you know, they just need to be out of what they're in, be around some influences that aren't the ones that they have, and and maybe they'll they'll they'll see Christ in it. And then on the other hand, it's like, you know, maybe they're not even willing to open their eyes to it until they've had everything taken away. I don't know the answer to that. God knows the answer to that. Mhmm. And so, you know, that I I think it's it's very much a prayer,

you know, a prayer and bible thing. Yeah. I mean, the cutting off for rock bottom seems pretty difficult because what you're saying is is, like, absence of an influence of someone who loves Jesus, good luck. Tell me when you're sick of it. No. I'm not saying remove yourself entirely from the situation. I mean, the keep communication over open so that you know when they do hit rock bottom that you can actually be there. But be aware enough of what's going on and what you're actually doing. I mean, if you're just handing them money, you know what they're gonna end up turning around and doing with that money. So, yeah, keep close communication, but be wise about how you do it. Yeah. I mean, and I I think the what you run into is they're often not that distinct. Right? Mhmm. If you got someone who's a ne'er do well in your family, they're not likely to come and ask you for money to buy drugs, But they might say, hey, can I stay at your place for a night? Mhmm. And they're not gonna do drugs while they're there. They just simply wanna stay at your place. Mhmm. Are you contributing? Or are you helping? I mean, they they'll they'll figure out limits eventually. The question is is like, what I mean, what are you doing? I don't know. I think that's a I think that's a that's a tough role. This is one of these things where people say, how do, you know, how does how does all those facts you just explained to me, how does Jesus actually interact in your life? This is one of the things. This is the one of the things that I that that I have to pray about because I you know, I I make snap judgments on the wrong every time. Every time I think it's time for them to sit and wallow in it, it turns out getting worse. Every time I think it's time to extend the, you know, the the hand to get them out, I just enable them to do it again. And so, like, it's it's a very tough decision, and it's it's hard to to, you know, to look at it with with wisdom because it gets clouded emotionally. It just does. Yeah. And so, I it it really is a Jesus thing and and, you know, and I I I he'll answer you. I know he will. What's the secular advice? Secular says, every time you come to the rescue, you further enable your relatives to do whatever it is that has gotten them in hot water. That you have managed to separate yourself to the extent you have and achieve to the level you have reached is admirable.

But if you're going to continue to accomplish your goals, you cannot allow your family to distract you from your studies. Set limits, let them know when you can't be disturbed, and turn your phone off. They'll survive, and you'll thrive. You've been listening to Life From The Path coming at you every Monday night here of ten to roughly 11:20 central time at lifefromthepath.org. Also, Saturdays at 7PM on ninety nine point three KTA. Thank you so much for listening to the show. If you have any questions or comments for us, you can always get ahold of us during the week at [email protected] or check out the website lifefromthepath.org

for past clips. Artists that have been on plenty of cool musical content, including some from Jess Anderson who I'm gonna send you out with. Her new album Hole was out two weeks ago. Go to jessanderson.com, and you can pick it up. Thank you for listening to live from the path.