by Brian Hobbs | Jan 23, 2019
By now, the raucous back-and-forth bickering on social media about Gillette’s “Toxic Masculinity” commercial has subsided. Yet the raucous back-and-forth online bickering continues apace.
There is something in Twitter and other forms of social media that has given added opportunities to a toxic side of humanity. A toxic side that not only believes the worst about other people, but one that brings out the worst in people. And I think I know, as least partly, why that is.
The Book of Proverbs, which is a study in wisdom and human nature, says “A fool uttereth all his mind: but a wise man keepeth it in till afterwards” (Prov. 29:11). Another translation says, “A fool gives full vent to his spirit, but a wise man quietly holds it back.”
Very few on social media are holding anything back these days. With smartphone technology and nearly universal Internet connectivity at our constant disposal, self-control is really the only thing standing in the way between people uttering their mind.
Many people—myself included—utter our minds with words, reactions, tweets, shares, likes, photos and videos. The instantaneous nature of it all leads toward making problems worse. Christians, in particular, need to do better in this area.
To that end, here are a few ideas are:
Repeal and replace: When tempted to post, turn that impulse into your cue to pray instead of post.
Wait. When tempted to immediately chime in, wait at least an hour. See if mere delay will give you more perspective.
Focus elsewhere. The social media world draws us in and draws us away from the things going on immediately around us. To avoid becoming toxic, focus on the here and now and the people around you.
In the end, the methods for bettering our technologically-driven toxic side of humanity will not be easy. But it will be worth it.
by Brian Hobbs | Dec 31, 2018
For several people I know, 2018 was a rough year. An especially rough year. From job loss to disease to the death of loved ones, it has been gut wrenching to see people go through hard times.
This year had its own ups and downs for me, bringing to mind the phrase made popular by Queen Elizabeth II of England, whose own struggles led her to dub 1992 “annus horribilis,” the Latin term for “horrible year.”
When a hard year hits, it’s only natural to think, “Please bring on the New Year!” in hopes of better times. I think the same way.
Yet beyond this, I recently have come across three truths that have helped me, and may help you, through bad years.
Trust the Lord. One of my favorite verses is Prov. 3:5-6, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.” When hard times hit, don’t try to make sense of it all. Try to trust Him more, and pray more in the power of the Holy Spirit.
Count your blessings. I love the hymn that encourages us to count our blessings and “name them one by one.” When we complain, we often make lists of all that went wrong. Why not turn that on its head, and list blessings from the Lord one by one? God can use this to lift your spirit.
Never give up. In Christian terms, we call this perseverance (Col. 1:11-12). Russell Moore reminded me recently through his book, “The Storm-Tossed Family,” that the popular trope, “You are either just coming out of a storm, you are currently in one, or you’re about to be in one,” is not entirely accurate. It’s probably more accurate to say that in life, we are always in a storm of some size in life, and it’s only God who will get us through.
Whether 2018 was a great year or horrible year for you, I hope these simple truths can help you as much as they have me in 2019… and beyond.
by Brian Hobbs | Dec 27, 2018
In 2018, many well-known and significant people died.
From Billy Graham to Aretha Franklin to George and Barbara Bush to John McCain to Stan Lee to Stephen Hawking to Charles Krauthammer, the year featured a wide array of notable deaths.
Each of these individuals was recognized with a significant amounts of news coverage, and rightly so.
I wonder, though, if in 2018, you also had to say goodbye to someone you loved. Perhaps it was a parent, a cousin, a longtime friend. Many people I know had to deal with death in 2018, and often it was someone that the media did not notice. But this person was and is a treasure to you and many others.
If so, it’s you I am thinking about and writing to today. As we collectively grieve the loss of titanic figures like President Bush, we also can grieve with those who experienced an up-close loss this year. In fact, it was during President Bush’s passing and funeral we saw that family members, including his son George W. Bush, who experienced the loss on an intensely personal level.
If you are in a season of grief, don’t feel pressured to “just move on” or find distraction. Embrace the opportunity to mourn; to remember; to hope.
In my years or reading, I have not found very many good books on grief. There are, of course, well-known books like C.S. Lewis’ “A Grief Observed” and Granger Westberg’s “Good Grief.”
Yet I find that three things speak to me most during times of grief: music, poetry and finally, God’s Word.
Perhaps one of these verses from Scripture could bless you as they have me in times of loss.
- God blesses those people who grieve. They will find comfort (Matthew 5:4)
- The Lord is near to those who are discouraged; he saves those who have lost all hope (Psalm 34:18)
- He sets on high those who are lowly, and those who mourn are lifted to safety (Job 5:11)
- We know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28)
- The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me (Psalm 23)
- Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?” (John 14:25-26)
Please know that I am very sorry for your loss, and that I pray the God of all comfort—the God Who Is There—will give you peace now and always.
by Brian Hobbs | Dec 25, 2018
Merry Christmas! I’m so thankful and thrilled the day is finally here. The day in which we officially celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who came to seek and save lost sinners like you and me.
I know many people who grow frustrated at Christmas, because we focus on too many other things besides the actual birth of Jesus.
I cannot help be reminded of another group of people who grow frustrated about something else birth related. I’m talking about people who grow frustrated at pro-life Christians who focus, in their opinion, solely on protecting life in the womb, but not showing enough concern for children after the birth happens.
“Pro-lifers are just pro-birth,” I read someone say online.
About that perspective, I get that. I don’t agree that’s the case as often as critics say. But it is true that our Christian convictions about the sanctity of human life apply to all of life, from womb to tomb.
That means Christians must do everything we can to help vulnerable people from every walk of life. This includes, of course, the unborn who face an abortion culture of death that seeks to kill and destroy (much like Herod tried to kill Baby Jesus). But it also extends to caring for the poor, the sick, foster children, the homeless, refugees, immigrants, the disabled, the elderly and others.
If you look at the life of Jesus Christ, He had compassion on people during their suffering. In fact, He saw brokenness as opportunity to share His love, grace and healing with them (Matt. 9:36).
As we move from Christmas to a New Year, each of us in the pro-life camp should look for ways to care about the people God has placed around us; those who are in the womb and those who are born.
By caring for the least of these, we not only obey the commands of the One who came that first Christmas, but we also are serving Jesus Himself (Matt. 25:40-45).
by Brian Hobbs | Dec 12, 2018
One of my friends has hosted a Facebook contest that encourages people to pick their favorite Christmas song. In an NCAA Tournament-style bracket, the contest pitted 64 songs against one another in a round-by-round process, with one song to win out in the end.
The hand-picked music contest includes songs like “Silver Bells,” “O Holy Night” and even “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer”; but it leaves out songs like “Baby It’s Cold Outside” and “Christmas Shoes.”
There’s one song, in particular, that I’m rooting for to win it all. It’s a song that I think is the best Christmas song ever: lyrically, musically and theologically.
In fact, the song is so strong that I would put it up against any other Christmas song, and even any song period. It’s so packed full of truth that if the entire world happened to temporarily misplace the Christmas story as communicated in the Gospels of Luke and Matthew, the central truths about Christmas could be recovered and understood completely in this one song.
I’m referring to “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing,” composed by Charles Wesley. Without further ado, click this link to hear a rendition of the song, or simply let the lyrics below pour over you.
Hark! The herald angels sing, “Glory to the newborn King; Peace on earth, and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled!” Joyful, all ye nations rise, Join the triumph of the skies; With th’angelic host proclaim, “Christ is born in Bethlehem!”
Hark! the herald angels sing, “Glory to the newborn King!”
Christ, by highest Heav’n adored; Christ the everlasting Lord; Late in time, behold Him come, Offspring of a virgin’s womb. Veiled in flesh the Godhead see; Hail th’incarnate Deity, Pleased with us in flesh to dwell, Jesus our Emmanuel.
Hark! the herald angels sing, “Glory to the newborn King!”
Hail the heav’nly Prince of Peace! Hail the Sun of Righteousness! Light and life to all He brings, Ris’n with healing in His wings. Mild He lays His glory by, Born that man no more may die. Born to raise the sons of earth, Born to give them second birth.
Hark! the herald angels sing, “Glory to the newborn King!”
Come, Desire of nations, come, Fix in us Thy humble home; Rise, the woman’s conqu’ring Seed, Bruise in us the serpent’s head. Now display Thy saving power, Ruined nature now restore; Now in mystic union join Thine to ours, and ours to Thine.
Hark! the herald angels sing, “Glory to the newborn King!”
Adam’s likeness, Lord, efface, Stamp Thine image in its place: Second Adam from above, Reinstate us in Thy love. Let us Thee, though lost, regain, Thee, the Life, the inner man: O, to all Thyself impart, Formed in each believing heart.
Hark! the herald angels sing, “Glory to the newborn King!”
Whether through this glorious song or another, may the peace and joy of Christ be with you this Christmas now and always.