Photo by bill wegener on Unsplash

First, some loosely connected thoughts:

News feeds come and go.
Hot stories, hashtags, and outrages well up, and swell up.
Themes recur. The same sins take different forms and expressions.
First, I must look in me.
"See if there be any wicked way in me …"
And I must pause only briefly before breathing,
"Lead me in the way everlasting."

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If you shy away from paradox,
You'll be left with only one doc.
Sometimes, a second opinion is in order.
Sometimes you can get both perspectives from the same Source.
God sometimes scrambles our understanding to lead us to His simplicity and clarity.

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I lead nowhere unless I follow someone or something.
Who and what I follow determines where and how I lead.
Where I lead matters.
How I lead matters.
The choice to follow Jesus is hard.
It's not for those who wish to unburden their lives.
It's a light and easy yoke.
Real rest-not ease.

Scanning the TV, book, and movie listings, I wondered about the heroes of our generation and what they say about who we are.

The culture, as many cultures through history, is attracted to real or fictional characters in film, novel, reality TV, and life who are cleverly diabolical and formidably adversarial.

Just a little word study from a biblical perspective for bible lovers and kingdom folk who might be attracted to that sort of thing:

Adversarial – Related to adversary.
Σατανᾶς – That's Greek.
Transliterated – Satan.
Do I really wish to make it my legacy that I am a formidable adversary?
"Ἰησοῦς Ὕπαγε Σατανᾶ γέγραπται γάρ"

"Get thee hence, Satan." – Mark 4:10

Easton's Bible Dictionary:
(Hebrews satan), an opponent or foe (1 Kings 5:4; 11:14, 23, 25; Luke 13:17); one that speaks against another, a complainant (Matthew 5:25; Luke 12:58); an enemy (Luke 18:3), and specially the devil (1 Peter 5:8).

"But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men." – Matthew 16:23

In TEV:
Jesus turned around and said to Peter, "Get away from me, Satan! You are an obstacle in my way, because these thoughts of yours don't come from God, but from human nature."

What do I savor?
What flavor of life makes my mouth water?
What do I admire in myself or others? My combative nature?
My capacity to win?
My lust to trample my opponents?
My witty ability to put down?

Or something more from the heart of God?

Or, perhaps, we'd rather be clever and diabolical:

diabolos: slanderous, accusing falsely
Original Word: διάβολος
Translated as a noun: Devil

There is much power in the tongue for good or for evil.

What I cheer in popular culture, I may find myself cheering in real life and nurturing in my own nature.

I must stand guard over my own manner and motives lest I get swept away by the ways of the world.

The worst that might happen could be that I would win.