Live from the Pathway Studios in Johnston proper. You are live from the path. Hey. If you're listening to live from the Pathway from the Pathway Studios here in Johnston proper. Then we gotta put out a middle album. That's what has to happen. You have a whole album with a metal tune? No. We we got basically ten seconds of a song right now, but I feel like it's it's it's brewing. It's coming through the stew and it's wafting into the rafters.

Bread and butter. Yeah. Deco deco mini pozzettes. It's I think it's pronounced Manay. I don't. Yeah. I took some artistic liberty based on the tune. The emphasis is on the ale. Tech ale. No. You're you're saying it like a real Englishman.

Okay. Hey, listen. Okay. Real quick. Dan, did you did you hand out candy for the the Halloween just passed? I I did at the church. Did you that what was the best joke you heard? Do you put at the truck or treat? Maybe one or two. We just kinda like, here, do you want some candy, little child? And they take it. It's kinda creepy. There was a guy driving around town in a hearse handing out candy. Oh, I I kinda wanna own a hearse. Yeah. Here's the thing is the kids That's an old school one. I didn't I didn't see that coming down, what you just said there. Yeah. That's true. I kinda wanna own a hearse.

I mean He he was real he was real creepy actually. And we had to have a talk with children because they were almost a half a block ahead of us, and he pulls up with a bag holding a thing of candy out the side of his window. And he's going, hey, you kids want any candy? I'm like, this is classic. This is a classic. No. You don't do it. And there they go, walking up there taking candy. Yeah. It's Halloween. Everything's gonna be fine. He had a he had a legit coffin in the back of this hearse. Was wearing a mask, and his license plate was he dead. Oh. He dead. I mean, he should at least have like really

white powder on or something on his face rather than mask. Yeah. This seemed real unsafe. That would've seemed Anyway The whole thing was creepy. Okay. So no no. Not many joke tellers at the Trump tree. Not really. Okay. There were I mean, there were a few, but I wasn't paying attention. Oh, They weren't good enough to remember at least. Yeah. Right. Nathaniel, did you either take the kids out or give away candy and pick up any good jokes? Yeah. I took the kids out. What what was the what was the best joke? What did you what joke did your kids tell? They I told Eleanor to say, what did the cow say to the farmer?

You're outstanding in your field. But she kept forgetting. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, she she might be a little young to pull that one off. Yeah. Too many syllables. And Finn was wearing a Spider Man outfit. So instead of instead of doing a joke, he did some Spider Man moves as his Oh, he just did it. He did the trick. Yeah. He did. He said, I'm gonna pull off the moves. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. Okay. Mike, best best best joke you heard? Mine was the butt cheek one. Where he said he said, what did one one butt cheek say to the other butt cheek?

We can stop this crap together. No. No. That's a negative. And then and then Ben goes, that's not how butt cheek works. You're not using them right. Yeah.

It's not like the last defense. I think that's how how it goes. And the the kid was not open to correction. No. No. Yeah. He wouldn't take it again. I had a I had a Hamilton when I had the girl's tail. Hey, Nathaniel. How do we know Hamilton died in the winter? How's that? Because it was Burr. Is Aaron Burr on?

Dang it. I haven't seen it. That it's not a movie. It's it's it's history. Isn't it a movie? Also, I haven't seen it. Yeah. Don't don't really watch the news, you know? It's not the news. Happened years. Okay.

Anyway, here we go. Here we go. So stuff we're gonna cover. So how how much what percentage of, Christians do you think are, tithing? Seven. Dan says seven. Mike, high or low?

Oh, man. I don't know. That seems low. You wanna give a little bit of a boost? 20. 20. Nathaniel. I'll give it a tithe and say 10. Okay. 10. We'll go what's not in the middle? No. Tithe. 10%. Okay. Oh, you're gonna say the tithe is the tithe. Yeah. Okay. Okay. Here we go. Only 13%

of evangelicals tithe. Half give away less than 1% of income annually. Colon study. Okay. I'll listen to the deets. While the majority of evangelicals say tithing, giving 10% of one's income to the church is a biblical commandment, only an estimated 13% engage in the practice, while half give away less than one percent of their income annually, a new study shows. To the church, like through the offering plate? Let me check here. Let's see. The study, The Generosity Factor Evangelicals in Giving, will be formally released on November 1, it reveals significant

differences in giving among age groups. The research that inspired blah blah blah. I don't care about this. We calculate average giving for all evangelicals including those who give nothing. This is a more complete picture of American evangelicals. Among all of them, the average is 2.4% of income to church and point 8% to charity for a total of 3.2% of household income going to church or charity. When the data was broken down beyond averages, which researchers noted are usually inflated by a few people providing large numbers, the picture was even more grim. The median for church giving is point 57%. Yes. That's just over one half of 1%,

while for charitable giving, it is point 1%. Total giving to church and charity combined shows a medium figure of exactly 1%. Think about that figure for a moment. Half of all American evangelical protestants give less than 1% of their household income to church or charity. Is that surprising? Yeah. I guess it is. I I don't know. I mean, does that count like giving to missions or supporting Yo. Yeah. That includes that's the charity part. Yeah. That's that yeah. Wait a minute. That counts as a charity even if it's a a Jesus Jesus centered organization? Yeah. Yeah.

Of course, these figures include the many evangelicals who give nothing at all. If we just consider those who donate to church, the average church giving is $2,600 with a median of 800. And if we just consider charitable donors, the average is 1,067 to charities with a median of 300. So of people who are giving, it's obviously higher. But if you include the people who don't give anything at all, it drags the whole average. Are there a lot of younger evangelicals? Yeah. Hold on. Let's see here. They're gonna they're gonna break it down. The study found that people who were more engaged with their church and faith tended to give more to their church. Okay. Yes. The higher the household income, the more they were also found to give. Among evangelicals

with the household income below 30,000, the median total giving was to be was around 300. I always heard that was the opposite. That the lower givers were giving a higher percentage. Yeah. The lower income were were giving the higher percentage. This double let me see. This doubled to 600 when people earned 30,000 to under 60,000. It more than doubled to 1,400 when the income was 60,000 to under 100,000.

At six figures, median given giving registered at 2,200. So I think once you get into the high ranges, yeah, it falls off. Yeah. Because, like, if you're making a $100 a week and you tied $10, you're like, ah, it's $10. You make a thousand dollars a week, a $100 is like, okay. Well, I can do that. But if you're making, like, 10,000 a week, making really good money, all of a sudden you're like, a thousand dollars a week? 10,000 a week, damn. That's some people live right. That's pretty high. Yeah. That's true. It's suddenly, you're parting with a massive amount of cash. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. You're like, well, shoot. I mean, that's like houses and, you know Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

Let's So what what was the percentage again? Like, on average, it was point five? Yeah. So a guy who makes a $100,000 a year, 1% of that is one $1,000 a year. Right?

No. Well, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And then half of that would be $505,100 bucks. So on average, it's $50 a a month,

basically. Yeah. A little less than that. Little less than that. Kinda sad, Boy, that's yeah. That's pretty tough. Probably a $100 every time they come, and they don't come every week. So because Yeah. Nobody does that anymore. So because no one does that anymore. We used to be active. Church membership was like, you know, three or four times a month, and now it's like,

once or twice a month we're active. We're we're engaged. Would Here's the thing is I don't I guess, it's just completely foreign to me. Yeah. Me too. Like, I just never not go, I guess. I mean, unless you're out of town or something or sick or some stuff like that. Not a really big deal. But, you know, either you go or you don't go. The showing up like half the time is weird to me. Yeah. Yeah. Oh, it's like, you know, soccer and stuff like that. And Yes. I guess they can you gotta mow the yard. Yeah. Mow the yard. It's important stuff out there. Yeah. I just when we just got done looking, it's it's odd. Well, it's interesting. Let me put it that way. How the Old Testament talks about things like like Sabbath. Like, it talks to it as a much deeper notion and not just like a formulaic, hey, set it aside, but like, it it it serves something more than that. It's it's it's a picture of what it is to be in God's rest on an on a frequent basis. And like

and and even the notion of this was was also something we covered in in it was at the back end of second Chronicles And parts of Ezekiel, like, where it talks about basically the land wasn't given a Sabbath because, the the Israelites were continuing to farm when they shouldn't. They weren't giving it the seven year rest like they should. They weren't relying on God to provide during that time. And so not only were they missing out on God's ability to bless them when they didn't have to do any work, but like second to that, it had they they missed the picture of what it is to take that rest rest. And like, God was basically said, look, you're gonna the land's gonna get the rest one way or the other. It's part of the reason I'm kicking you out of it. It will rest until you guys are, you know, you can have it back. And so it just I don't I can't say that I understand that fully what I just said. It's real. I I get it. It's trying to tie a deeper picture. But I do know that, like, where God has set a pattern in there, like, you ignore that pattern at your own peril.

And that we we are missing out on something and where we filled it with human things. And I actually think the debate is a lot less pharisaical. Like, I I I could care less, like, on you deciding whether it's okay to work in your garden or paint something on Sunday, then, like, the notion of being intentional about a day that you were to set aside as holy that then to reminds you of what it is to be in God's eternal rest. And, like,

if it looks like every other day filled with your human kind of desires, even if they feel functional, That seems super risky. It says the the same group did a research in 2017 and found that the average donor at outside of churches, just in general, the average American donor gave 3.2% of their income to the church or to charity. Basically, the the title is called Americans are far less generous than they think they are. We find ourselves to be very gracious with our money. And

Yeah. We aren't necessarily. Do you think people aren't as generous because they feel like they're overtaxed? Like, hey, look. I'm I'm already I'm already paying I gave it to the office. Yeah. I gave it the at the ballot box. Yeah. It was weird. Yeah. I mean, maybe. Maybe. Although, I my guess is is that here's the question. We saw we saw Trump enact tax relief. I'd be interested to find out whether American giving went up Right. In light of that. I'd someone had to have checked. It'd be interesting to know.

Because I would have expected I would have expected those stimulus checks for people who who bleed for it to just turn around ride around and send it back to the government because they said they could use it better. Or say, look, we don't need this money or I'm too rich to get it, then then I would have expected those to end up in charitable hands. And so I do I wonder. I'd be interested to go back and look. Said giving was also found to vary by age with older Americans tending to give more than younger ones. The study sought to explain the findings by suggesting that people could have less comfort giving away resources to churches and charities because of the rise in the gig economy where income is less secure. Direct giving, is more popular among younger people, could also be a factor in the findings. People, particularly young people, are becoming more and more comfortable with crowdfunding, financially helping people they know or even just supporting an individual stranger in need. Agreed. And I suppose there's not a way for the data to kinda tangibly Account for that. Account for that. Yeah. Younger adults were substantially more likely than older people to give money or help to a stranger in need, give money to friends or family in need, or especially to give to others through crowdfunding such as GoFundMe or Kiva.

I here's the thing, is older people have been through this a time or two, you know. Like like, it's really easy to get excited about something when you're younger and be like, hey, we're gonna do this thing. And then by the time you're 50, you're like, yeah, I've heard all this before. Uh-huh. The people gonna get up and do something, and then they gave all their money to that whatever Jesus book. What is that? What what was that social media site that's gonna fail? Faithbeat. Oh, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I put a I put a thousand bucks in Faithbeat. Boy, that thing flouted out something fierce, you know, like so after a while, go, it's not that you that I think that they're less generous. They're just more they're either more wise or more weary, you know, of going, look, I you know, I've been part of this before. I hear what you're trying to do. But, frankly, some of the crowdsourcing is just your laziness. You know, like, you people used to go, look, I have this dream that I want to accomplish. So I'm gonna work real hard. I might have to work three jobs, and I'm gonna stay up half the night still working on my craft so I can eventually make it this way. And now people are basically just pumping out of high school or halfway through college and going, I just wanna be at my goal right now. So if you guys could give me a bunch of money so I could get to it, that'd be great. Like, that's just not how it works. Maybe it should work that way and maybe I'm just, you know, looking at it in a very old school fashion, but like,

it it just seems like folks are showing up with being like, it's really hard for me to go to school and work at the same time. So to take my stress level down, I'd like to crowdsource a bunch of money so I won't have to go to work anymore. That's not how this works. Yeah. I mean, the people are are living and dying. Is it too much, Mike Potter, for the people to live and die in two decent rooms and a bath? My father didn't think so. Nathaniel, you haven't seen that either. It's that they the one they play at Christmas time. You've legitimately not seen It's a Wonderful Life? No. I've seen it. I couldn't remember that name.

Anyway I saw I saw the black and white version. That's the right one. That's the right one. It says so this was interesting though. It said in in total, senior adults were 20% more likely to have given through congregations or traditional charities in the past three months or so than were those from generation z. But gen z was 31% more likely than seniors to have employed direct giving. They're just giving it to someone. So they're basically just not running it through the coffers. What's the name of one of them crowdsourcing websites? GoFundMe. I'm on it. Okay. You continue. Okay. How old are how old did gen z people get? How what's the top age? I don't know. Didn't we do we have to look this up the other day? I thought they were still in their youth. That's what I thought. Like, aren't we still like, they're still going to school? Yeah. Like, I mean No. No. 2,000 refers to the generation that was born between '97 and 2012.

So it could go far as back in 1997. They could be 20, 23. Yeah. They got jobs. Yeah. That could be. Okay. Alright. Anyway, I don't I don't I mean, I don't know what to do with this. We I we we need to do better. I mean, it kinda makes sense, you know. Show up to church, throw a Twinsky in the plate. Sounds right. It seems right to you. No. Not right that it's a that's happening, but it sounds like a normal thing. Yeah. Yeah. I don't think people give with the with the percentage in mind, which I think is actually alright.

But like, if you're expecting cash by whatever someone has on them, I guess maybe that's the gap. Like, people are carrying less cash, so they're less likely to drop incidental cash in there. Now you might get more dependable income for people who are close enough to church that are willing to commit like a weekly give, but like the incidental guy that shows up every couple weeks isn't doing a bank draft and has $40 on him, it's just going down. I just don't think, like, people just don't have that kind of the that they're not right. I don't know. People still write checks, Dan. You get checks, people drop a check-in the box? Yeah. Yeah. We do. Interesting. Okay. Lot of Does the church have a Venmo? We do Venmo. Yeah. Do Venmo. Most of our checks though actually come in the mail. Oh. They do whatever that is, their bank check. Sorry about to say bounce. Of us People write bad hey, does that happen to him? People write bad checks to the church?

Periodically. Like, for big dollars? They they try to look real generous? No. I think it's usually their normal thing and they just Oh. You know, let something get out of hand, pay a bill or something and Okay. Okay. Then they'll charge the church like an extra $30 for like or $50, I think it was. And we're like, well, we did it's not our fault. You're right. We took this in good faith. Yeah. That sluggard wrote us that check. Well, check everybody's bank account when they write a check. Yeah. Right. I

don't know. Like, I I I don't think there's any there's no surprise admonishment here. Like, we should be more generous. Yeah. We we just should be. I mean, even in, like, I I'm not concerned that it doesn't go through the church coffers. I'm con I would say in general, we lack generosity. And maybe maybe it's showing up in your day to day lives, but like, and I and I like to think that it it gets incorporated in that kind of way. But in general, like, focused money on big things does make big differences.

And so like, you know, even even Gen z, Gen y, like, don't bow out of being if of yeah. Help your neighbor, definitely. But like, you know, everybody piling in to help the one missionary or to make sure water and wells get built somewhere else. Like, that's all still fine too. So What these are this is just crazy. What are you talking about? You found some good you're gonna support one, Mike? No. I mean, it's a I I've made it as if everybody on GoFundMe is some kind of college slacker, and that's not that's not the case. Some of these are pretty cool, you know, but

I I just here's the top fundraisers. The fire relief fund for a family has gotten up to $230,000. Some homeless guy that needed help in New York is up to $663,000. Funeral expenses for a dude, 117,000.

A funeral expense? Can't wait. The chamber should what yeah. It's weird that people don't cap it. Say, look, I don't need more than this. Do not give me a $100,000 for my funeral. I need like like 16. Yeah. This is just so saw an interview with the the founder of GoFundMe who, in the interview, they said that GoFundMe

is now, like, the third largest insurance company in The US. What do mean? Like, they they,

rather than than, people using, you know, insurance money for hospital visits and things like that Yeah. They'll they'll crowdsource it. Oh. Oh. Oh. Should we, set up a GoFundMe for, I don't know, something for life in the past? Yeah. I mean, we could use a $117,000. We we've never broadcast from Hawaii before. Yeah. Yeah. How do how will how will people not hear if you don't go and say it, you know? Right. Yeah. Gotta take the word to them. Is the brother peace? That should do it.

Is there okay. I'm in the faith section right now. I'm looking up Yeah. What you got? Okay. We're trying to put the first monastery in Pakistan at 1,700 bones. Hey, man. How much do they want? Like a monastery. Like like monks, they wanna put monks in Pakistan? Yeah. They're trying to buy land. Okay.

But what would monks do in Pakistan? Okay. Hold on. They're try oh, God's hearts God's Heart Prophetic Conference in 2022 is trying to get the conference up and rolling, and they needed to raise $20 and they did it.

Oh, they made it? Yeah. I don't know. Like, see, then that's the thing where I'm like, hey, I wanna put on a conference. Well, but I mean, I suppose it's I mean, it's just, I suppose maybe it's just because it feels easier than having to beat the streets. You're it doesn't feel right, Mike? Yeah. I wasn't listening. Somebody's getting a bus repair in in Chestnut Hill, Virginia. They only raised $1,600. You can't fix no bus for that. Oh, yeah. They need more help. Yeah. Church bus? Yeah. Church bus.

But I I this is just crazy. Have you ever given to one of those crowdfunding sites? No. Never. Nathaniel? No. No. I have. What'd you give to, Dan? Do you remember? I had a high school classmate

in Arizona this this past summer whose air conditioner broke, and she's a single mom. Well, she's probably not anyway, she's on her own. Yeah. Didn't have a lot of money, put it that way. Couldn't afford stuff, and and she just like, I I I this is ridiculous. I just need help. And so I thought, no. I'll throw a $100 of that Yeah. And help her out. A bunch of us did. And we did we we didn't raise enough to give her a new air conditioner, but she got some fans and stuff, and I don't know what she all got. I think she got she got close to $1,000. She had like three or four thousand or something. I don't know. Holy cats. That's an expensive air conditioner. Yeah. I mean, I'm I'm talking in generality. I don't think that is. That's actually I mean, seems like ours was up there.

Anyway, and then there there was another one. Can't remember. I've done I've done it a handful of times. Yeah. I think I've done a few. And sometimes it was just, it was a way someone else obviously cared about it. And they're like, hey, anything you do help. I'm like, yeah. I'm fine. I'll I'll put $25 on that. There's a a church it's not GoFundMe, but it's a a church organization that will specifically help retired

preachers who never made that much money in the first place. And now oh, they they meant maybe they don't have to be retired. But anyway, preachers who aren't making a lot of money Yeah. That get into a situation, it could be medical,

you know, things beyond their control, and, I've I've helped out few times with that. Yeah. But Mike, you're against? I'm not against. I just I don't know. I think I've given some money to help people launch some albums before. Like when they were trying to raise money Oh, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. To get a put a CD out. But yeah. Help that for real. That's about it.

Did he do a fun thing? A fun Who's that? Lynn Yeah. Yeah. Lynn Green did. Yeah. Yeah. I get money to that. Yeah. Okay. Alright. Well, anyway, then we need to be more generous. Maybe that's something we're praying on this week, you know, like up at it's one of the things actually my wife and I have been talking about is that, you know, it's coming up on on raise time, bonus time here in the next three to four months and even tax return time. And like,

you know, your your life you will start to get used to more money. If you're not careful and you're not clear about how you want to use your money, you will get used to an extra loaf of bread and not being as prudent on how often you fill up your gas tank and like whatever. Like, you'll find ways to spend it that aren't lavish Yeah. Even. What a real jerk. I know. There's two loaves of bread in here? Two loaves. How did we come across such luck, Winchester? Well Actually, it was something that my my Amanda and I were talking about. We haven't what would like something that has changed is like we like Mike lives kinda far out. I I live far out too, and so you end up driving everywhere, and I drive vehicles that aren't super great on gas mileage. And like, the only thing that's changed over the last year or two years is that like,

I'm I'm not fretting having to buy all that gas. Like, we don't have extra money, but like, I'm not as worried about it. Whatever my raise was or whatever last year was enough so that like, it covers the extra gas or whatever. And I thought like, I wouldn't notice stuff like that. And you do run the risk that like you go from one year to ten years and could keep making, you know, bringing in more money or getting getting just bonuses

or tax return stuff back, and like you just kinda get used to it. And you look back and go, I wouldn't have imagined that I lived on this kind of money, you know, right when I got out of high school, right when we got married. Like I wouldn't have seen I'd like my house was tiny. And we kinda had to watch everything real close. And like, I probably live borderline luxurious relative to that person. And so the part of the question that we were talking to each about was like, how do you how do you make sure that it is

that that you're being intentional with your money? That like it doesn't just start to cover up things and and move up a standard of living when you preferred to increase your standard of giving or something, you know. And so anyway, it was just something that we've been we've talked about. Hey. There was an article and this reminds us of our secular versus Solomon. See if we fit any of these. This is eight marks of a sluggard. Yeah. So when, when, Solomon's talking about a sluggard, this is the type of gentleman we're talking about. Number one, the sluggard will not start things. The sluggard has a difficult time with initiative. He relies on others to tell him what to do. His verbal output outstrips his actual production. He talks of great plans, but he just can't seem to put them into action. He may be distracted by pleasure and entertainment, or he may simply be unwilling to get dirty and work hard. Wait. Wait. What's pleasure? You say pleasure and entertainment? Yeah. Oh, I thought you said pleasure and entertainment. I'm like, what is that?

It's a little sultan here, the gospel coalition. Yeah. Whatever the case, the sluggard is known for a lack of genuine accomplishment since he can't seem to even start things. I I so I was listening to it. They were talking I was reading an article. Oh, yeah. That's why. I was it was an article about they're talking about the best employee you have at your place. And it's the guy that doesn't cause any hassle,

foresees problems before they become problems and just fixes it, but doesn't insinuate himself as being in any type of authority. Uh-huh. Right? And just kinda and it's like the they they were talking about it being the most useful employee that you've completely ignored and forgotten about. Yeah. So so look out amongst your place and start thinking about, you know, the the Tom that works there that like, he doesn't come in here trying to take over stuff or be in charge. In fact, he handles more problems. He makes my job as a manager or boss easier. And like, you just keep counting on Tom as if Tom's gonna do all this stuff, but he causes you no hassle and is fantastic. And I was I was it just came to mind when we were talking about that about that article is like, one of the things they said is he talks of great plans. It's like he's gonna get all these things done, and then there's no actually no actual output. But the but the the slow the the guy who does great things but doesn't say anything about it is just as easily ignored as the guy that says he does all kinds of great things and doesn't actually do anything. Yeah. That's true. No one ever notices that the guy doesn't do anything because he's always at the top of his lungs, you know, barking in the meeting causing a big stir.

So I I it's hard to pick out this guy. Like, the the solid dude. Yes. The solid dude. And the and the sluggard who does the big talk. Right? The guy's like, you know, because people that talk big like that are just as ripe to take on Tom's accomplishments and say, yeah. Well, Tom and I spearheaded this thing, and, you know, we we got this handled, you know? Well, yeah. And sometimes, like, the guy who talked about it all the time, he get yeah. He gets credit for it because he's the last guy you heard say something even if he didn't have anything to do with it. Yeah. Like, well, am I talking? Move the mountains. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. I've I've been sitting in my house saying to my wife for about the last year, about every day, hey, I've got this piece of siding. I think I'm gonna fix one of these days, because it blew off and I've got it and I can fix this. And I talk about it a lot, like a lot. And then I go outside and I see my neighbors on a ladder and I think, that's cool. And then I leave. Yeah. I say no. So I'm I am a sluggard when it comes to certain things at home. I have to admit. Yeah. Number one, Dan is a sluggard.

Yeah. Okay. Let's see. Are we guilty of the following sluggard behavior? Number two, the sluggard will not finish things. Even if you have the wherewithal to start something, you may still be a sluggard. Another quality of the lazy man is that he can't finish things. Once he gets to work and bumps up against some difficulty resistance, all motivation vanishes, and the sluggard retreats back to ease. I gotta get to ease, bro. This is I don't know if this describes me. This don't feel like ease at all. Listen to this guy. This is someone who has a growing stack of half read books. Okay. On his desk. Alright. Now let's not go there. Yeah. Okay. Yep. Slug it. I'm guilty. A host of home projects still awaiting completion. That's true. But in my defense, there's like 200 items on that list. Multiple promises to friends and family left unfulfilled, a collection of almost written articles in the queue, and a gym membership that hasn't been used since January 2018. Now hold on. This seems oversold though. Yeah. I this is this is also be the mark of a guy that's doing his darnedest to try to to try to fulfill

and and and and be an active member in his community, his family, his work, and and also improve the way and live his life intentionally. Yeah. Right? So like, you can't the number of times that someone has said, hey, could you help me do this? And I'm like, sure. I, you know, I could just give me a call or whatever. And they'll call and like, I can't do it. I'm sorry. I can't make it then. Can we can we wait? Sure. No problem. Yeah. Right? And just I push them off and push them off. And it's like not on purpose, not because I wanna be at ease. There's just other stuff going on. I have I have 15 books I've half started. Yeah. And are not finished. And I don't think that's because I'm lazy. I feel like I just haven't gotten to It's because you you retreat back into ease. No. It's not Explain away your sluggardness. It's not. It's not ease. I I just I I think it could the same character characteristics could be of a guy that just doesn't know how to tell people no. Yeah. Trying to yeah. So like, you could be a sluggard or you could be having a hard time finding balance. Yes. That could also be time management issue. That's right. That's right. Yeah. So so far, the sluggard won't start things or the sluggard will not finish things. Yeah. Okay. We're ready. Number three, Nathaniel is is may or may or may not be guilty with this one. Let's see. The sluggard will not face hard things. Yeah. A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands.

The the slugger will also refuse to face hard tasks. To make his laziness to mask his laziness, he will find refuge in cowardly excuses like there's a lion outside, I shall be killed in the streets. Confronted with hard decisions and potentially hard conversations, the sluggard is thrown into indecision, wavering between multiple options and will turn to entertainment to take his mind off the work before him. This guy's really got this on the mind. Somebody look at that guy out there being entertained. Netflix or Fortnite can be the opiate of the sluggard. Now hold on. Netflix

Netflix and Fortnite could also be the the respite from a busy guy. Yeah. Right? Who just needs to take a little bit a little bit of time to Sabbath and reset instead of being onslaughtered all the time with with crazy decisions. Yeah. The lion is in the streets. I shall be killed. That I I understand that's coming from a proverb. Right? But like, does a modern man go, okay. This this guy's starting to irritate me now. Because here's the thing, it's it's like this happens to me all the time. I'll get started on a thing and I'll hit a roadblock.

And I'll go, oh, man. I'm gonna have to go to the hardware store. It don't make any sense to drive forty five minutes to the hardware store just to come back. Now I've lost an hour and a half out of my only free day to actually get something done. I'll just now I'm gonna have to push it off. I'll wait till Monday when I'm already out, and then we'll grab this thing and whatever. And so, like, under this dude, like, that's the action of a slugger who would go, this don't make no sense. I'm gonna hold up. I'm gonna push this off. And then you go, I'm gonna go spend quality time with my family instead of burning an hour and a half and $30 in the middle of my only free day. Yeah. So I I I don't care for this list so far. Yeah. Actually, I'm not even sure the context. Like, that part's funny, but like, doesn't it make sense if there legit was a lion in the streets? Would you not go out? When it's not alright to go, you know what? I'm not going out there. There's a lion in the streets. I think that's the idea of, hey, I don't know, but there could be a lion, so I better not go. Oh oh, okay. Yeah. He's yeah. It's it's not clearly a lion. He said there could be one. There could be a riot out there, so I'm just gonna stay in my house. Yeah. That's like saying there's a lion in the contiguous 48. He could come our way at any moment. Oh, there's a lion in the northern, Des Moines. So Yeah. Yeah. Okay. So I mean, is it possible that he's also cowardly? I've seen that. Yeah. Like you to say because if there is a lion let's say we we heard tale right now, boys, that there was a lion outside in the streets, like outside the the where we're recording. Yeah. Is it but and is it coming upon us as men to go out there and face this line?

Well, I mean, don't understand why we're we're at odds with this thing. I mean, I can definitely go check it out and wanna see what it's up to. And if it came at me in a in a threatening manner, I'd probably run away. I don't know that I'd get my spear out immediately and claim victory. I'd drive the truck. I'd drive the truck at it. Yeah. No. I'd call someone who do deals with lions on a race. He's got a truck too. So what happened? The lion has a truck. Get eaten, we're good. Yeah. That's right. Mike's the slugger. He says, hey, lion. I'm gonna hit it with the truck boldly. I'll walk slowly home. Wait a minute. There is no standing edict on killing a a roving lion. Mike's gonna say, attack me, bro. I'm at my ease. I'll give you first shot. Alright. Number four, the sluggard is anxious and restless. What? Because he is living contrary to the way he was made to work and build and accomplish and create. The lazy man is constantly restless and full of anxiety. He may long for greater productivity and accomplishment, but because of his unwillingness to work, he will exist in a perpetual state of craving without fulfillment. Eventually, these unfulfilled desires will wreak serious havoc on the slugger's life.

Yeah. Okay. I've seen this in other people, for sure, where they're like, man, I just I feel so anxious all the time and I just I can't settle myself. Like, you didn't do anything today. You did zero things today. Yes. You're gonna feel that way. I thought about it. Yeah. I can't sleep. Well, you drank seven sodas. I guess you did do that. Yeah. Or you stayed up until like four in the morning doing nothing. And then you're like, man, just can't seem to find a rhythm. I can't get my life in order. That things feel wacky. They definitely wacky. They feel wacky because you're being wacky. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. It's like there's some innate thing within people where they find rhythms and habits

to be disgusting. Right? Like anybody who has surrendered to a habit is a sucker. That that that's being conformed to the man or whatever, you know, thing is outlined. Like, there's no freedom in it. They feel like there's no freedom in habits. Habits. Yeah. And I I I actually disagree with that. I feel like there's intentionality in it. And being intentional is the ultimate freedom because you have the option to be intentional or not. You're living your life on purpose, not just letting things happen to you. And so that is freedom. Yep. And so I I think people just they rebel against it and then they they claim anxiousness or restlessness or, you know, they're worried all the time or they got they're like, I just I'm so stressed out of of sitting around thinking about this stuff. You should stop doing that. That's why people go out and and and and build a garden because it just take their sitting around and getting encompassed by this world of thought and thought and thought and thought and thought. Like, yeah, it'll drive you nuts. You weren't built for that. He's he's right about that part. Yeah. Keep yeah. I don't wanna keep my own company for an extended amount of time. Like, people complain, yeah, I I don't wanna get in the rat race. I don't be in the nine to five. Like, well, you just spent fourteen hours watching YouTube. Like, you tell me which one's more destructive. Yeah. Like, try the nine to five and maybe then move on to something else at some point, but, like, maybe that's still a better option. Yeah. I that's the thing is you don't have to join like this this archetype that you're thinking of that's stuck in the in the rat race of the office jobs. Right? You don't have to go make quippy remarks at the coffee pot or whatever you are are abhor about this whole situation.

Just don't do that. Right. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I agree. Okay. Okay. Number five, the sluggard has constant trouble. The sluggard's life is beset by constant trouble. Since he fails to complete his work in the allotted hours, he's in a constant hurry to fulfill his responsibilities and often annoyed at those around him for taking up all his time. The sluggard may have financial trouble or live in perpetual messiness at home. He may not be able to keep a job for any length of time because of his inability to discipline his time, shun distraction, and work hard. Simple responsibilities like paying bills and maintaining his vehicle will be neglected and cause unnecessary friction.

The slugger may desire to grow spiritually, but the disciplines of regular bible reading, prayer, theological and devotional study, church commitment, and bathing, and consistent gospel relationships are just too much for him to bear. Okay. So I I wanna know whether we have any leeway here because I think there's certain people that are just not built. They just can't nail the rhythms down. They're just they just can't do it. It's not it's not who they are. Some people are just they're they're a firecracker. Yeah. Yeah. I if I'm looking out at the body of Christ and going, look, do I think there are plenty of toes and fingers and elbows that just nail, you know, consistent Bible reading, you know, and then and they do this well in devotionals and prayers and whatever, and they're great at this. And some people are just not built that way, but they can they can speak the gospel like nobody I've ever met. And they they just kinda they breeze through life. They go they get ready to be like, hey, wanna have you speak at the church, and they're like, sounds great. And they just wing it in there. Right? And they and they they sit down and they pray to the Holy Spirit, God, this is your show, not mine. And here it comes. The the gospel comes out and it's it's on fire and it's doing great. And that dude ain't sat down and to for a consistent twenty minute bible study in fifteen, twenty years. So do I do I say that this has to be a a go or no go situation for for stuff like this? I I I feel like that's not for me to say.

Yeah. I don't know. I I think it can't be none. No. I think it can't be none. But I think but I think this is everybody the type of person who's gonna crack up at at 05:30AM and and take in the Lord's word for forty five minutes? Like, read it. I don't know. I don't think so.

I don't think so. As a matter of fact, like, if you think just think about this. In Jesus' day, like, people didn't have their own personal scrolls at their place to crack open at 05:30 in the morning. They were mostly praying. You know what I'm saying? They were going like, their their discipline was praying,

talking to God, and then they they might hear people, they might discuss scripture, they might hear it in the synagogue They might have some memorized. Or at the temple. Yeah. They would have memorized some, but like, they just didn't have the the notion of of of studiousness study. And like, I think highly of that. But like, I think we just like just like people feel a gap when they don't have an emotional connection like some people have in worship, and they feel like maybe, am I missing out on the holy spirit because I don't feel that? I think you also run the risk for someone who, like, tries to sit down and read this stuff and go and isn't feeling like they understand it or are not getting it. And they feel like, well, maybe maybe the spirit maybe I don't have the spirit to help me understand these types of things because like I hate this. Yeah. I don't like sitting down and reading anything. And now you've taken the thing they don't like to do and you've put it into a medium of which we say godly god is in, and they don't like it. And now it creates kind of an unnecessary guilt. Now I do think I think god

I think you should always be open to growing wider. So and and a little bit deeper. So, like, if you're not a throw your hands up and worship guy, maybe try it every once in a while. Do I think you can give up on Bible reading altogether? I don't. I think you you're gonna have to you need to do some. But like, there are means to do it that isn't, you know, what did did you read your Bible every day? I'm just I just I think we just gotta be careful that it's not a man made intent to prove faithfulness

by what by we can show how our time was allocated. Do you feel like the the is it in Hebrews that says the word of God is like a a two edged sword double edged sword? Yeah. Is it is it the phrase the word of God? What's the what's the exact that's the question. What's the exact one? Yeah. Hold on. It's like what? Hebrews four? Where's it nine? Wait. Alright. Double edged sword. Here we go.

Double edged double edged no. No. No. Come on here. Living inactive like a sharp double edged sword. What is living inactive? The word of God. Okay. The word of God. So so my thought is is like when when that was written, were they talking about they weren't talking about your Bible as it's put together now. Old testament.

Right. So we're but but but once again, not your personal copy that's sitting at your house Right. That's read every day. Right? Like, we're just talking about the things that God has said or the things that God has had written down and recorded on our behalf is sharper than a two is living and sharper than a double edged sword. Right? Yep. And so, once again, it's it's just something to keep in mind when we're putting things in in perspective and going, look, you have to be reading this Bible every day. Once again, I think you should. I really I wish that I did this better

because there's there's no downside to it. Like, there's literally no reason not to do that. Right? Yep. But, you know, before you use it as a benchmark to to, you know, slap people in the face, just realize that's that that's not what Hebrews was saying either, right, at the time. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And I think it's worth praying through, like, just just as just make sure there's not things that are blocking in your life that are not allowing you to be able to sit and soak in God's word that way. Like, to be honest, if you if you spend a lot of your time, you know, moving from device to device, like, it's hard to keep your attention. It's not the Bible's it's not the the Bible's issue that you have done trained your body not to be able to take in information consistently.

Yeah. And so, you know, maybe it's something you need to work through. You gotta fast some stuff so that you can properly enjoy or take in God's word. Similarly on, know, kinda on the worship side, if you or or just in general, say, I don't know if I I'm having encounters with the spirit, like, you know, have you closed yourself off to it? I actually was thinking about this on the way on the the drive in. Is that, like, is it possible that that folks, including me at times, I think, like, don't have the same experience with the spirit because in general,

I find I find it risky emotional involvement with things is risky. Like, there's things that I've closed off in my personal life that says, look, if I get emotionally invested in a thing, these people are gonna run me around. They're gonna run me ragged. And so there's a protection that says, let me deal with facts on the ground. Let me deal with information, and let me hold it in balance and try to think reasonably through it. And then and that's that's what I'm open to. And that's why I don't like bible study is important to me because I feel like I'm gathering information. But that same protection in my worldly life, my in in my human existence also could be a hindrance to being open for the spirit to work and move in your life. Because I'm only willing to take in information.

I don't trust things that are kind of that feel like it's beyond that. And and so like, is it possible that like I feel super psychologized by myself at the moment, but, like, am I emotionally cut off to the holy spirit? I I mean, I don't know. I just thought I was thinking through. Yes. Are you emotionally immature? Is that what we're saying? I didn't say anything about that. Here's here's the joke I I came up with at the Halloween though, is Nathaniel, have you seen The Lord of the Rings? Haven't finally. You caught one, did you two again? Boy. Okay. Hey. How do you know what what does Gandalf say when he gets constipated? What's he saying? Pooh shall not pass. I thought of that one myself. Nathaniel don't laugh at jokes. Nathaniel. Are

you gonna tell that to somebody else and claim it as your own? I'll be alright with it. I might. It's fluttery. I might. Dan, have you seen that one? You not seen the movie? Who? Me? Yeah. Oh, it just wasn't funny. No. I was laughing on the inside. Okay. Okay. Fine. I'll get to it. Anyway, yes. Mature. Immature. That's what happened. Okay. Alright. We dealt with the slugger on that one? Yeah. Okay. Hold on. Finish this out. Boy, I'm tired tonight, boys. Yeah. I think everybody's tired. It's been a long day. Let's finish out the slugger, and maybe we'll do an advice and call the day. We'll cover a different article later on. Six, the slugger is a nuisance to others. Yeah. Because the lazy person is unwilling to work hard and develop his skills, he has little to offer others. He's mostly a nuisance to those who might require his service, like vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes, so is the slugger to those who send him. Unproductive,

unfocused, concerned about self more than others, the slugger drives his employers nuts and won't survive long in any environment that requires diligence and self denial. Ultimately, the sluggers in the same class is a thief and vandal. Yeah. They don't see it that way. But yeah. They certainly are. I actually run this with with people, not so much in my workplace, but like in in personal relationships. Right? Like they they just constantly are referencing like our relationship in in in terms of them. Yeah. You know, and at some point, like like, the

part of me that I don't really like, like, will show up and go, you know, every once in a while when you call, you could say, how you doing, Mike? Right. You know I'm saying? Like, how's things with you? But it's never the case. It's always like something's way on fire at their place Yeah. Because they're they're sluggers. One crisis after another. Yeah. Right. And you're like and and you see and then you feel like a jerk for saying for thinking maybe this could be a little bit more balanced, you know, like maybe we could have this, you know, so it was a little bit more even that made it even seem like there was a relationship here, not just a caretaker and, you know, someone who likes to set themselves on fire all the time. But like, it it it very much feels that way. And most of it does stem from flat out not doing any of the the a hard thing Yeah. Definitely for sure, or anything in general. They're like, you'll never believe what happened to me. I bet I will. I bet I will totally believe what happened to you because your lack of doing anything about it. Absolutely. Well, go ahead, Dan. I was saying if you happen to work, it brings down the morale of everybody. Yeah. Yes. If if they they keep getting away with it. Yeah. Agreed. Actually, I think the thing I was gonna say might be covered in the number in the next one. So let's let's go to that one. Number seven, the sluggard is self deceived.

A sluggard's commitment to serve self and maintain an idle resistance may be so strong that he will pose any arguments for those who attempt to nudge him out of bed or away from his computer or phone. The slugger self deception may manifest itself in grand business proposals that resist outside critique and have little basis in reality. This seems right. This seems like a couple of the artists we had come through here. Yeah. Right. Right. Here's Here's what I'm gonna do, change the world. So like, I I like I guess what I was thinking was is that like that notion that we were just talking about where it just feels like someone's using you. They've got their own crap going on. It's always them. They're never asking about what what you're doing, what's going on at your place. It's a very one-sided relationship. And any pushback to that, like the slugger does not deal with shame. Uh-uh. Because it it requires some level of self reflection. And frankly, the mountain that would fall on them when properly self reflected

cannot be taken in all at once. And so you have to just deny the whole thing. Like, when you when you stack stuff up so high, the notion of, like, to come to reality is a massive massive burden. And so people can see that crap coming from a mile away. And so they say, look, I just I can't cede any ground here. Otherwise, I'm gonna have to own all this sluggard behavior, and I don't want to. Yes. And so no. Do how dare I just call I just called to talk to you about my problems. How could you be so self centered and try to push back on me? Yes. Yeah. That's a guilt factory. I'm out on it. Slow consistent accumulation of wealth through steady work habits is unattractive to the sluggard.

So unrealistic dreams of quick money may dominate his mind. Hey. These guys are constantly selling stuff on the Facebook marketplace. Yes. Yeah. Hey. I got this. You entered yeah. Do you have any need for this? No. Why would I want a garden hose that's got Elvis Presley tattooed on the side of it? Yeah. I have no need for this at all. I thought of you though. We get to a good price. I don't want that at all. Nope. It's not uncommon for a slugger to craft spiritual sounding excuses for not working hard by appealing to biblical teaching on the necessity of rest. The fact that salvation is not by works, the need for a balanced life, the danger of requiring wealth, and so on. Look at this guy. In every case, the sluggard will walk in and out of conversations with his counselors convinced he is smarter than them all. The sluggard is wiser than his own eyes than seven men who can answer sensibly. Proverbs 26. That is yes. That's true. He's getting better. Yep. Yep. Yep. Number eight, the sluggard won't become a leader. Sadly, because of his laziness, the sluggard will not wield much influence. Isn't this kind of implied in sluggard? This seems like an unnecessary point. He certainly won't become a leader for leadership requires diligence, sacrifice, long hours, pain, and perseverance.

The sluggard despises these qualities, so he will labor under the supervision of those who have devoted themselves to hard work. And yet, there's good news for the sluggard. Indulging laziness is contrary to our design as humans and contrary to our calling as Christians, But we can't draw ourselves out of the morass of inaction by sheer determination. We need God's grace and a glimpse of Christ revealed in the gospel. Okay. Now here's the deal. I'm gonna part company with this guy in just just a little. There are plenty of people who are super duper lazy and sluggardish,

who without following Jesus, got some work, paid their own bills, started washing their face Yes. And mowed the grass. Yes. And so I the the thing that the the hyper spiritualization around from the sluggard when he said, hey, man. We need rest. Salvation is not my work. I need the need for a balanced life. This is the same cat who'll be like, yo, I like to do something different, but I I have wholly trust in the power of Jesus Christ. Yeah. He told me to change. I mean, the the word of the Lord told you to change already. Stop stop running in the streets. Stop being smoked to the eyes and vinegar to the teeth. And so I I just yes.

But, yes, the word of God has spoken on this already on what it looks like to not be a sluggard. You could just react to that. Yeah. You don't need whatever this whatever this notion of the translation of the gospel that you're waiting on to rescue you from clear things that the good news has already spoken. I'm just saying that I be careful not to let that So this is the this is the the risk in in what we talked about is like if you can't get yourself some decent bible habits, which means you're not reading the Lord's word. And so you basically run your whole life based on spiritual revelation. And when God doesn't specifically come to you and speak to you and say, look, man, you you You're being a smoke to the eyes. You're being a smoke to the eyes. You got you need to get it like like the things that are of normal

perception to most people that were like, have to go out and work. And I have to show up every day so they'll pay me and not fire me. This this is requires a spiritual revelation to the sluggard. It's like, I don't want to. Unless God tells me I have to be here, I will not be here. Or maybe God tells me I do have to be here and I think he's just wrong about that. And I will go I will go home. You know. And so like, what everyone else has to do, I think they don't realize it's the it's it's they're they're blind to it. Right? They don't realize that like, for them to be a sluggard and still be alive requires everyone around them to not be a sluggard. Right. Right? So like if everyone did what they're doing, then no one could feed you or make sure you're okay or, you know, get you to and from or whatever, you know, or or help you do anything because no one would have anything to give you. It's it's kind of the principle that we run into when we're talking about

being generous. Mhmm. Right? Like, you are if you are generous to the point where you're you are now a burden on somebody else, I don't know that that was exactly the calling. You know, I mean, we want it to be sacrificial for sure. We don't want you to be worshiping money. But like, if you give away every dime you have and now your kids can't eat, now we have to go find someone else to feed your children. I I don't know if that was prudent. I just don't know if that was the generosity described in in gospels. Yeah. Right. Right. Well, I I think that I think it's interesting if you look out. There's not a culture in the world who doesn't have

who doesn't say, look, someone's gotta get up, then you have to do work. Now, what it doesn't mean it's an office job. It could be, hey, your job is you're making meals all day or you're working the fields or whatever. But like, it's not a philosophical problem as to whether you have to do any work today. Like, somehow with the maturation of humanity as a whole, no one has walked away going, you know, maybe we don't have to do anything. And so you're an anomaly. Yes. You're you're you're not a trailblazer.

You're a doofus. And so, like, you gotta you gotta get your head on straight about this thing, and you're the outlier. And so I guess that's the that's the thing is that when you niche it out and act like you don't need I guess the point is is that the gospel rescues many things. But like the good news has already produced these proverbs as an example. And core human kindness of which God has shown mercy on the just and unjust alike has made it clear that you gotta do something. And so you don't need a specific spiritual experience to stop acting like a Jehu. Yes. And so it's time to turn your life around and go do something. Yeah. And if you need help, let's say that you're struggling with this. Find someone who is not a sluggard and ask them to help you figure out How do I stop being me Yeah. Directly? Yeah. And they're and they're gonna do this thing where they'll be like, I'll call you every morning at 05:45.

You can get up when I get up. You try that out for a while. Oh, man. I don't know if I can do that. You are gonna do it because right now you're a sluggard. And you and the the thoughts that you had, the ideas that you have spurring from your mind, and the current pattern that you can look back on the last five years of your life and go, yeah. You don't make solid decisions, man. I mean, that's how you became a slutgard. Yeah. So you're gonna have to just completely bow out, lose every bit of pride you got and go, help me. Yeah. I don't wanna do this. I'll do whatever you say. Correct. Isn't that Ramsey who says that if you wanna be wealthy, you should hang around rich people? It's kinda kinda the same thing if you wanna get out of being a sluggard, hang around people who aren't sluggards. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. That principle rocks. Right? If you wanna be a good, a good dad, be around a good dad. Yeah. Right? Find your somebody that you go, hey, man. That guy's a good dad. And then start hanging out with him and start picking his brain. Yep.

The good news of salvation apart from works motivates us to labor diligently in this brief life on earth for the glory of God, the good of others, and our own benefit. And the inner energizing spirit of Christ compels us to sharpen our God given skills so we might be useful to our king and to our fellow man, to courageously face and complete difficult tasks, and to avoid the unnecessary trouble of laziness. That is something that a non sluggard would say. I feel like that's, it's not the quotes of a I don't think that just changes. I I get the good news changes everything. I'm just saying, like, it's still even the Bible itself himself postures

that I he says something and it's a tangible true reality, and then you have to walk in it. And people have the option not to. And so there is volition here. And it is and it is sinful at times. And so, like, I just I just wanna make sure we don't hyper spiritualize something that the Bible intends to be tangible and for you to go, you know what? Maybe I do should get up work so that I can eat today. Maybe that should be a it's a thought that crosses my mind. Yeah. I don't know how you get past the opening gamut where you talk to a fella and would be like, hey, man, you need to go to work. Now,

well, I I don't know. Yeah. I I don't know what else to say here. Right? Like We're stuck. It's it's it's hard, like, when you reach these it's either a person's stubbornness or their blindness where you reach a, like, a thing that you thought was so obvious and really shouldn't have be a discussion at all. And you're like, well, the first thing you need do is you need to get up and get a job. Well,

I got some plans that I gotta no. Right now. You need a job right now. No. No. It's just not. And then you find them, like, three months later, still ain't got no job, and you're like, I there's nothing else to say here. When you get a job, come back and find me. Is it wrong to set here's I've been struggling with this a little bit lately because, like, it it seems wrong to set ultimatums to people. Like, in general, I don't like doing it. But there seems there's there's a small difference in defining an ultimatum and a boundary. You know, that says, okay. Look. This this has to stop. Whatever this is, this is this has got to stop. Or or, like, look, if we're gonna have any type of continued relationship,

it seems terrible that I have to even bring this up. But like, a, you have to stop lying to me. And b, you need to get up and take responsibility for yourself. These two things need to happen or you and I just don't have any tangible relations to have. Now is that is that is it ridiculous? Is it mean? Let let me rephrase the question somewhat comically. Let's say there's a guy let's say the guy that calls he you calls you every morning at 09:30 in the morning, and he says, I burnt my face. Yeah. And he said, why did you burn your face? I stuck my face in the oven. Got it. I turned it on. I stuck my face in. And you say, hey, man. You gotta you gotta knock that off. And the next day, he calls you 09:30. Hey, I've burnt my face again. I stuck it in the oven. And it happens for like three weeks. The question is, is it ever alright to go, look, dude,

I'm I thank you for thinking of me to tell your woes, but like, stop calling me. But I burned my face in the oven. I know. I know. And you don't seem to want problem you don't seem to want help with this face burning problem. You just wanna report it. That's right. You just wanna tell a guy that you did it and you want my sympathy, but I don't sympathize with you. You keep sticking your face in the oven. And so don't call me. I want you to not is it the question is, is it okay three weeks in to go, look, dude, I'm not gonna pick up this phone again unless it's a morning of which you did not stick your face in the oven. Yeah. And that will show me that you're actually trying to make progress in your life. Past that, you're really burning up time here, and, I really gonna focus on something else. Is it alright to tell that guy you're not picking it up unless it's a morning he didn't stick his face in the oven? I think the answer is yes. I think it's fair. Yeah. Yeah. Because it doesn't happen in a vacuum either. Right? It's not like you had all this free time and and that you're like now you're using it from 09:30 to 09:45 talking about the face burning. Now that time is actually being robbed from somebody else Yeah. Where you could have been doing something good and and intentional with somebody else. Right? Well, yeah. Like, I guess that's the thing is that, like, if if the guy calls and laments, oh, my face hurts so bad. Yeah. I know. You stuck your face in the oven. You should stop that. Yeah. Yeah. I'm I really do. I really should. I really should. Yeah. Where are you going now? I'm going to fire up the oven. Oh. Yeah. I just wanna make sure it's good enough for tomorrow. Like

and so, like, okay. So now that's that's a ridiculous example. But, like, is that the same guy I mean, I've had this. The people were like, oh, you know, my my life is just is in shambles. I said, know. It was like that the last time we talked. Did you take any of the steps we've discussed? Possibilities? No. I didn't really do that. I'm like, well, then it's likely that your life's gonna remain the same. And like the fifth time that you wanted to talk about this, like, you're just soaking up bandwidth of doing good things in the world to talk about something you refuse to do. And I think it is within human power to do it.

It is within your human power to do it. Hey, man. I gotta like, you stink. You should bathe today. Like, you can do it. I swear to it. They can handle it. Yeah. You're get bathed. There's there's many of them have licked this right to the I mean, guy. A cloth. Lick your elbow. Figure it out. Like, this can spit on your hand. This can be done. So like, I I just nothing changes without you doing something about it. And like, I just don't this is where I think we run the risk of looking at the gospel wrong. It is an active gospel. Like, God does expect that that he gave you the ability to do something, and so, like, your reaction, you were created for good works. And so that's how the gospel expresses itself, which means God expects that there is a good a notion of good in the world and that you were to react to it. And like no one else's responsibility to carry you along. This isn't a hyper personalized capitalistic thought. This is a gospel thought that says, here's the reality.

What are you gonna do? What do you wanna live in here? And the guy who goes, I wanna continue to stick my face in the oven. I I I wanna lament my relationships are broken. I wanna lament the fact that I can't find a job. I wanna lament the fact that, like, I'm in constant temptation because I put myself in bad places because I refuse to actually go find a job and I refuse to repent and try to fix any of my relationships. Oh, boy. Why is my life not changing? You know exactly why. Yeah. And so, that's not harsh. That is the reality. And every person is is it's incumbent upon them to have to actually live their life as opposed to just commentate on it.

And I'm not it is not our responsibility as Christians or humans in general to have to be a sounding board and dedicate a in, like, an endless amount of time and and resources to someone who just simply goes, I refuse. I know you refuse. Yeah.

I and here's the deal. The the one moment I mean, if he's a minute from sticking his face in the oven or he calls me two minutes before and he says, I really wanna stick my face in the oven, but I haven't done it yet. I'm like, I'm on the phone for as long as you need, bro. Yeah. I'm in. We'll keep you out of that. That's right. We'll help you do good things. To help you do good things. But this this constant, I I want my life to change but I refuse to do anything to change it. Like, there is just a pattern where like, once you're ready, I'm ready.

But, like, in fact, I'm ready now, but you tell me when you're ready and then we'll go. Mhmm. Yeah. Right. Don't don't call me one more day and be like, I got a couple job applications out or I got an interview on Thursday. You call me from your job on the first day and say, hey, guess what? I'm working at Kmart. Yeah. And I'll go, it's awesome. Yeah. Right. I don't care that you're thinking about applying. Yeah. Yeah. I don't wanna hear that you're thinking about applying it to Kmart or maybe you'll get a job there or you got seven other I've just you call me the day that you're working somewhere. That's what I wanna hear. Yeah. I don't want any more I don't want any more gasbagging about anything else of all these grandiose promises that the slugger gonna get something done. You're not. So I think that goes back to, maybe it maybe an extrapolated understanding of our let your yes be a yes. Like, are you creating are are we looking for false glory?

Hey. Here's the thing that I know I'm supposed to do. I'm gonna tell you that I'm thinking about doing it. I don't care. I don't care about that. I don't care. Now, hey. I need prayer on this because I think I'm gonna bail on it. Okay. I'm in. Yeah. Certainly. I'm in. But like, yeah, you're right. I care when you go to the job thing. Hey. I'm I'm thinking about I'm thinking about talking to this guy at work about Jesus. Okay. Great. I can pray on that for you. Yeah. But like ten to ten months in and you're like, I'm still thinking about it. Shut up. Yeah. Shut up. Do it. I'm not even sure actually. I'd be I should go through the New Testament. Hey, Dan. You got your phone out still? I do. Could you search for the word think Think? In the New Testament? Bible. Bible. Bible. BI. Think of Philippians. Think of things that appear. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. Yeah. Think of things that appear. How do I do this on this

search? This could totally bite me. I'm walking I'm walking in blind. You think it's gonna pan out that there's not a lot of it? Not a lot of thinking going on. Yeah. What do I do? I'm trying to think. Repeat. Yeah. Jesus loves me. David. That's true. I I

hypothesize that Jesus does not explicitly say he loves me, but there are quite a few places in the in the New Testament where that bears itself out. I mean, John says that he does. Okay. Yeah. Philippians four eight, Romans twelve three, among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to, but think of sober judgment. Okay. That's that okay. That's not the same thing. That's not like pondering. Yeah. Okay. Matthew, what do you think about the Christ whose son is he? Calling you to a decision. Yeah. There's not this pondering. Repair your minds for action. Be sober minded. Let your that's first Peter. Been justified.

I feel feel good about this. Think so. This is working out. I'm moving on to life from the path. Fact checks, thumbs up. Okay. Alright. Alright. Hey. Hey. If you're having problems with being a sluggard, here's what I want you to do. I want you to call us on the complaint line. (515) 517-0085. I'm I'm willing to listen to your pontification once on the message. And then past that, we we need to you call from the job. You call from after you because you need emotional support after having apologized

to your mistreatment of a man or lady in your life and where you broke relationships and so on, Neve. When you, you call because you took that thing that you stole back to the thing and you're not sure what the consequences are and you need someone to walk through with you. Yeah. We're in on all that stuff. Absolutely. K? But go do the thing. Don't think about the thing. Don't even even the Christian version of this is like, oh my god, I'm still praying on the thing. Stop praying on the thing when you know you're supposed to go do the thing. Yeah. God already spoke to the thing. Yeah. He spoke to it. Go go go handle it. And then, dude, we're totally here for you or lady. Well, not totally. Go back to your spouse for certain things. Nope. Dear life from the path. Dang it, Ben. Hugs, bet. Dear life from the path. I've been with my wonderful husband for fifteen years. I currently work from home with our small children ages four and one. I have a quote no shoes in the house policy. Always have. But my husband prefers to wear shoes in the house. Boy, listen to this this guy with the stones. We have bought numerous pairs of sneakers to be used as inside shoes, but he often wears them outside to mow the grass or run to the gas station.

I do my best to ignore when he leaves dusty boot prints on the floors, but every now and then I call him out on it. When I do, my request is met with rage. He later calms down and apologizes with with the excuse, I just don't like being told not to wear my shoes in the house. I can see that. It's a fifteen year old problem that's not going away, and I just don't know who is right. My husband feels his shoes are clean. I struggle to keep my home clean because my little ones are running around. His disregard seems just so disrespectful. He's overall not a disrespectful person. I'd love an unbiased expert opinion on what's what. This is nothing but a domestic dispute. People go to jail for domestic disputes. I would take the woman.

Max the bill wears boots in the house. Yeah. No. Here's the thing. He's exacerbated this problem. I can't think the two dirtiest things to do to your shoes are to wear them to the gas station and mow the grass with them. Yeah. I mean, everybody has a separate pair of shoes they tear up for mowing. They get turned off green and nasty. Yeah. So, well, first of all, this little the the the we got little ones running around. If this is a fifteen year problem, either your kids aren't little or, like, you've just had tacked on the kid problem to something that otherwise was not particularly They're four in one. Yeah. Okay. So like, you had this problem a decade before the kids came. Right. Well, I don't care about the kids. Must not have been that big of a problem because you had kids. You think Ishiq shoulda withheld sex? I'm just saying they got intimate somewhere in there. She she got past it. Yeah. So that's what he should say. The woman You obviously got past it. He took off his took off his shoes.

Yeah. That that'll go real well. I called the complaint line and then I came in here. Yeah. Do it for our kids. That's ridiculous. The whole thing's ridiculous. Yeah. It's it's your house. Live in it. Yeah. I mean, mean, don't be a slob, but but live in it. It does feel like she's like, there's something here that is that she's, like, way over cranking on. Yeah. I I I really feel like it depends on the type of guy that your husband is. Right? Like,

if he wears, like, business casual, easy slip on, slip off shoes, and he's not out slinging concrete all day or working construction, you know, something something that's gonna cause him to be filthy when he comes home from work.

I don't think it's out of bounds for him to take us take his shoes off and and behave himself. If they're easy to take off well, this is wild wild thing you're saying, Mike. Yes. If they're easy to take off and clean Yes. You should take them off. Yes. If they're hard to take off and filthy dirty I think you should get to Trump's shoe housing them. Yes. That's exactly what I He seems very biased to your own lifestyle. Yeah. Yeah. I think that's I think that's fair and right. And you should feed him grapes. Yeah. Yeah. I don't know about this whole bursting into rage thing when you're told to take off your shoes. He's overselling it. Yeah. You think so? Yeah. Don't think he's actually being a jerk? I mean because it seems it seems like if you're gonna burst into rage, the things need to change. I think it's a I think it's a tipping point thing for him. Right? Likely, if your your kids are young, they're four in one, you're working a job, you're trying to do your best to be a good husband, good provider, good do a good job at your with your boss and whatever, then you come find out you can't even wear your own shoes in your own house and you're like, what is this? I mean, I don't know.

You feel like he should take this better. You feel like he should just take his shoes off? Yeah. Take them off. Put on the aqua socks or whatever you got. Your house shoes. House shoes. Thing is it's like it's so irritating to have to like, I had this happen to me the other day. The dog escaped. It's a new dog and has got no no idea of boundaries or or where they're supposed to go, and they jets out the door. And I'm not wearing my shoes or my I had, like, slippers on. So I just stop at the door, take those slippers off, put on the outside shoes. The dog's halfway to China by now. And like, if I had just had my shoes on like I wanted, everything would have been fine. I'd have been right out the door. So you should be able to wear your boots in your house at all times in case of fire or dog escape? Yes.

The same reason you don't wear nice pants unless unless you have to. Because when your car breaks down or someone else's car breaks down, you don't wanna be rolling in the shoulder with these dress pants on. You wanna have jeans on. It seemed like a one in six million problem, Mike. Are your children one and four? No. Just wondering. They're older. Yeah. Yeah. I'm just wondering who wrote the letter. I totally have a Was this line Jara? I let I let shoes in the house. We don't actually have a problem with that at our place, but yeah. I mean, I got wood floors. So I mean, like, it's not carpet. And so I feel like You sweep up. There's no yeah. There's no reason to over crank on the thing. And my wife recently bought a rug, and she's very adamant that you don't walk on the rug with boots on. But, like, I can easily walk around the rug. It seems like a fair compromise. Yeah. I won't stand on the rug. Alright. So if you're saying if if I'm supposed to take myself out of this situation, I think the I think the deal is is like, your wife is, as far as I'm concerned, she's in charge of the home. She says, don't walk on the carpets with your boots on. You take your boots off. That's that's my actual opinion. I don't know why this it's that big of a deal. I think well, actually, I think this situation is right for, two people who are both overreacting to go the opposite direction. Mhmm. Like, you here's the thing. If he's otherwise a good husband if he's a good husband, he's a good follower or a good father,

are you do you wanna blow up the thing on these on these boots? Here's the thing. I think if he were wearing, like, actually filthying up the room, she would have mentioned it. He's constantly tracking mud through. Yeah. Alright? Like, he's not doing that. She's probably it's like I I think she's a clean freak. I think she's way over cranking on it. And he knew that when he married her? Maybe. Maybe he didn't. If Oh, you think she flipped the switch and became a clean? No. They were good Christian folks. He never stepped inside He's a her death pump. I'm gonna tell you two I'm gonna tell you one thing that will it will destroy a good man is, is death by a thousand cuts. Like, got a guy that is pretty alright. He does his best. You love him. You know he's a good man. He's doing his best. But like, you can you can cut him to death with every small tiny thing and make him feel like a complete failure.

And you and and in your mind, you're not calling him that. In your mind, you're like, I love him. He's he's I'm hoping to improve him in a thousand ways. That's right. But there's a thousand things he does wrong that are just so bad. He uses my my pretty hand towels when he's supposed to be using the dirty ones we don't keep out on the stove. And like this dude, like, take a thousand of those and he's like, man, I just I fail at everything. Like, even if he's trying to. Right? And I'm not saying that you're being a jerk. I'm saying that he will go, boy, it just feels like everything I do is some type of failure. I didn't put the laundry where it goes. I bought the wrong hot dogs. Like, you know, like, everything I do is just the worst. Yeah. Right? If you wanna if you wanna destroy a good man, just kill him with a thousand cuts like that. Yeah. And I and I think and maybe this is a surprise, but like, I men are often emotionally frail. Yes. Yeah. Like, we we we especially Except the three of us. Yeah. No. We're sturdy. Oaks in here. Wait. There's four guys in the room. Oh, sorry.

Yeah. I don't think he was not including You were you were silent over there. He was not including you. That's really funny. I'm actually very, outside. My wife, she's the only one. Everyone else can they can pound sand. You can suck a pair. But my wife my wife says I didn't do something right. I'm like, man, I am the worst. Well, yeah. Because like so like, it's there's there's tremendous power in a man who

wants to serve a woman. He it matters to him when he's not doing it well. Yeah. And so, like, the men are more braggadocious in general, but, like, they are frail. And, like, you can what seems like women could be a little bit harsher to each other and they don't take it so personally. But, like, not every guy, but like, there's a lot of guys where like, it just cuts them. It feels like they don't wanna feel like they're failing, and the small things will add up. And they and it's well, ladies, you're very powerful with your words. Either either build up or destroy. Very powerful. Here here's how the here's how you fix this though, I think. I think if you don't say anything, give him give him four months. You don't say anything.

We already mentioned he's he sounds like he's a pretty good guy. Mhmm. He he already knows. Mhmm. And he will on his own he'll he'll do it a few times just because he can. He'll walk through the house with his shoes on. Yeah. Heat a boy. But after about a week, he'll be like, man, she really doesn't want me doing this. Yeah. I probably just stop. I agree. Without you nagging on him, he'll be like, I love my wife. Yeah. Yeah. That's true. Dan's highlighted a second characteristic of most men is there is a notion of stubbornness and not wanting to feel like they're being controlled. Yeah. And so you combine a frail man who doesn't like to feel like he's be who like wants to insert himself as as ruling his own life, but who also, like, very very much so wants the approval of his wife, and you have a difficult person to deal with. Yeah. No doubt about that. So but sometimes you just gotta let him work it out, and and he'll go to the right path on his own, and he'll feel much stronger because it felt like he chose it. I chose to stop wearing these boots. I didn't get told to do it. Yep. I chose to, but then I chose to because I love my wife. See this guy? What a tender hearted he's a good guy. Now see, the ladies defense, they're like, great. I have to run some kind of political gamut against this frail, you know, twig of a dude. And like Here's the thing. It's like, you're not wrong. Yes. Yes. You might have to do that. But I I I think you're saying,

you know, if you're saying the same thing when you say, do I look fat in the dress? So like, we're everyone's doing this. Everyone's saying, hey. I'm difficult. I want you to butter me up for a while. I want you to, help me be a better person, and, you gotta deal with my emotional frailties. Yes. That's that's what you married. Your marriage is that. Definitely. Yeah. Get used to it. Secular says, your, quotes, wonderful husband may not be a disrespectful person overall, but in this case, he is being self centered. With a four year old and a one year old crawling around and playing on the floor, he should be more considerate because there's no telling what he's tracking in from the run to the gas station. That four year old eats out the toilet. I guarantee it. Yeah. And the last time I went to the gas station, I checked both the bottom of my shoes and there ain't no heroin needles or whatever you're worried about. Dirt maybe. I mean, kid could put down a little dirt. Won't kill none.

I assume that the dusty footprints are something you were in charge of cleaning up. Perhaps that's a chore he should assume if he's changing his shoes, it's too big of an inconvenience for him. He may be a prince in other areas of your marriage, but in this one, he's acting like a rebellious teenager. I like that. I said, hey, man. Don't kill a a good man with a thousand cuts, and secular's like, oh, cut him. Cut him. Cut hard. Cut him deep. Get yourself some toenail clippers and jab him every once in a while. Post script. I wonder if keeping a supply of disposable shoe covers by the door It's mister Rogers. Yeah. For him to slip on might You look at sweater, I'll change. Who knows? Oh, man. Yeah. Yeah. You might as well set them up at the unit clinic. Like, put these shoe covers on. Oh. Hey, put on your booties, Phil. Now, here's the thing. I've I've been quite a few businesses where they're like, look, you can't come in here without wearing the booty covers, and I'm like, I'll stay outside. I'm not putting those things on. I almost fall down every time I put them on. Like, I just Really? Yeah. I hate them. Wow. I used to have to wear them at the hospital when you'd go into, like, the OR rooms, you know, and have to do work in the clean rooms. And, like, I would certainly do it for that because that's a legit reason. But then, like, the other guys would do it, and then they'd go out and have a smoke, like, across because you can't smoke on hospital grounds, so you gotta leave. And they go across the across the block and then walk all the way back. So now your your clean booties are all torn up from walking on the sidewalk and your white bunny suit smells like smoke, and then you're back in there working. It's just it's just the the appearance of actually following the rules. We're not actually accomplishing anything. Yeah.

And I used to have to wear those at at working in the clean rooms at at three m. And every time there's like a line in the room that you have to get dressed in, it was a tape line. If you stepped over that tape line, you had to take off the booties and change them. Oh, man. It's like the we got the clean dirt on this side. We can't use dirty dirt on this side. We can't make some. This is approved dirt. Yeah. I remember this had been a decade ago, but, like, there were complaints at the office about people hanging there was one closet where people would hang up their coats, and there were people who saying, well, like, the smokers keep hanging their coats up in here, and then I hang up my coat, and now my coat smells like smoke. And so they set up,

some cupboards, and there was a smoking side and an on smoking side. In the same cupboard, there was no divider or anything. There was just they got their own side. Like, what is going on around here? Someone's someone's pulling pulling my my leg here. Hey. You're listening to Live From The Path. We really do appreciate you hanging out with us on the show. A few different things. Hey. If you got feedback for us, good, bad, and even if you wanna call in or text us, you're indifference. We're good with that. (515) 517-0085.

That's (515) 517-0085. That's the, Life From The Path. Bob Eisenhower, complaint line. We would love to hear from you, your thoughts, and comments on the show. Also, if you have not done so yet, if you wouldn't mind leaving us a review on your favorite podcasting app where you're picking up the program, we'd love to do that unless you Amazon does not give you the ability to leave a review, and so go listen to it somewhere else and leave a review. And then you can go back to Amazon if that's what you wanna do. But, again, that's helpful for us. It's possible that it creates some level of visibility so other people can see the show. And, our hubris extends into this and says, hey. We want more people to listen. And so if you wanna be part of that, friend, you can go like and review the show, that'd be super fantastic.

And I think that's about all we got. You can check out past shows on the website, lifefromthepath.org. There are no previous video clips. Our YouTube is still up. You can go check out some stuff there if you want to. You don't have to spend your time doing that. You can also check out the Facebook page. Just look for Live From The Path on Facebook. Give us a like. We don't do anything, but We used to really follow that. Yeah. Yeah. We're really excited about everyone we got. Yeah. I just we I've given up really. I I've I've dropped almost all social media efforts when it comes to Life in the Path. We just produce a podcast and that's about it. I might get back around to it, but not today. Anyway, we hope to see we hope to see you next week. In the meantime, faithful. It means God will handle the ends. You've been listening to Live From The Path.