The Regular Guys Bible Study
James 3
Have you ever considered the sheer force behind your words and the weight they carry? It's a thought that often escapes us, but join Ken and Steve as they unwrap the power of speech through the lens of James chapter 3. They're your everyday pals who, after sharing a slice of birthday fun, venture deep into the scriptures' teachings about the tongue's might and the paradox it presents for followers of the faith. Their conversation doesn't shy away from the tough questions: Can we truly tame the untamable? Are we consistent in using our words to bless rather than to wound?
As they traverse the challenges and triumphs of mastering the tongue, they're confronted by the stark contrasts between heavenly wisdom and its earthly counterpart. They'll share laughs, personal mishaps, and the striking realizations that come from a life seeking godly prudence. The talk is real and raw as they dissect the essence of meekness—not as a sign of frailty, but as a beacon of controlled strength. So, if you're curious about harnessing the power of your own speech for growth and harmony in faith, this heart-to-heart might just offer the wisdom and encouragement you need.
Have you ever considered the sheer force behind your words and the weight they carry? It's a thought that often escapes us, but join Ken and Steve as they unwrap the power of speech through the lens of James chapter 3. They're your everyday pals who, after sharing a slice of birthday fun, venture deep into the scriptures' teachings about the tongue's might and the paradox it presents for followers of the faith. Their conversation doesn't shy away from the tough questions: Can we truly tame the untamable? Are we consistent in using our words to bless rather than to wound?
As they traverse the challenges and triumphs of mastering the tongue, they're confronted by the stark contrasts between heavenly wisdom and its earthly counterpart. They'll share laughs, personal mishaps, and the striking realizations that come from a life seeking godly prudence. The talk is real and raw as they dissect the essence of meekness—not as a sign of frailty, but as a beacon of controlled strength. So, if you're curious about harnessing the power of your own speech for growth and harmony in faith, this heart-to-heart might just offer the wisdom and encouragement you need.
You are listening to the Regular Guys Bible Study Podcast, the Bible study for regular guys by regular guys. We are your hosts, Ken and Steve, and we are just regular guys studying the Bible together.
Speaker 2:Not theologians.
Speaker 1:I think that really shocked me. I wasn't looking at you. It's your birthday today, ken, I know. Happy birthday to me.
Speaker 2:You know, you called a birthday me.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I did.
Speaker 2:And made me come to your house for this one. I know I thought about pulling a russ and saying, well, that's outside of the bounds of a birthday but you know, that's not well, most of what he calls isn't oh he's, he's just a loser.
Speaker 1:Like he's listening, he's not listening. But if you are russ, hey, you're a loser. You're a loser when you don't do those birthday me's, that's not very Christ-like behavior. You know what I can say, whatever I want to say, steve.
Speaker 2:I think Christ would say give up your loserness and lose no more.
Speaker 1:Me or Russ? I don't even know what you're saying now.
Speaker 2:No, that's what Christ would say to Russ Okay, but you know what I think Christ would say your loserness is forgiven.
Speaker 1:You know what I think Christ may say also? I think he might also say hey, Steve, tame your tongue. Ooh, Ooh, because that's what we're talking about today in James 3. You know, I keep thinking we're doing John. I'm glad James came out of my mouth just then. James three.
Speaker 2:I'm surprised, you know what? Yeah, since I went first last time, I think you should go first this time.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's not very equal, is it?
Speaker 2:No. The first section is pretty long Well it's really very equal, is it no, the first section is pretty long.
Speaker 1:Well, it's really not that long, but comparatively yeah they're both shorter than last week, that's true um, and I think we should be able to get through this pretty quick. Um, hey, just a reminder, though if you haven't read james chapter three, just I'm not gonna do the we're going to pause and wait for you to read it. But I would say, you know, pause it and go ahead and read it, and because you really will get more out of this if you already have some ideas. I find it hard to listen to things, especially the first time through.
Speaker 2:I find that it's very hard to listen to you too.
Speaker 1:Do you? Yeah, is it because of my grating voice, my whiny voice, my ignorance, my stupidity? Is there an E for all of above? Okay, yeah, probably. All right, steve, I'm just testing you because, again, you're not taming your tongue and we're going to get into that. I need a bridle, yeah, I think so. You can't get salty water from fig trees, steve.
Speaker 1:I wouldn't even try okay, all right, here we go. I'm gonna read James, chapter 3, verse 1 through 12 before we start on that. I'm not gonna do that yet. You know we had today, steve, which is bigger than my birthday.
Speaker 2:We had a total eclipse of the heart.
Speaker 1:No, no, it was not a heart eclipse, it was a solar eclipse.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah, it was so cloudy I barely saw much of anything.
Speaker 1:We actually got some. I got some good pictures here. If I had a good camera, I would have had really good pictures here. Yeah, um, if I had a good camera, I would have had really good pictures work. A decent couple of shots yeah, but um, anyway, that was pretty cool. Um, the problem is it was so cloudy that it never got pitch black um because from around there was too much light diffusion from the places around.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so that was kind of sad, all right, but now here we go. James, chapter 3, verse 1 through 12. Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness, for we all stumble in many ways, and if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body. If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well. Look at the ships also. Though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs.
Speaker 1:So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire, and the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell, for every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, but no human can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil full of deadly poison. With it we bless our Lord and Father and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing my brothers. These things ought not to be so. Does a spring pour forth from the same opening, both fresh and salt water? Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water. All right.
Speaker 2:Very good.
Speaker 1:Thanks.
Speaker 2:My first question is do we count as teachers?
Speaker 1:I thought that same thing and I think it's kind of scary, I think the answer is yes, Steve.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's what I was afraid.
Speaker 1:Yeah, sorry, that's uh so.
Speaker 2:But at least we do have an out, because I'm not a perfect man, I mean you might be.
Speaker 1:Well Gosh.
Speaker 2:I had a big yawn.
Speaker 1:You're a boring person, apparently no.
Speaker 2:Yeah, blame the yawn on me, uh-huh.
Speaker 1:Uh-huh, that's what I did. I'm not a perfect person either, steve, yeah I know, but I think I'm perfecter than you. Right, no, right, no, yeah. So let's say we are teachers. Who is not a teacher?
Speaker 2:then, though, if we are, Hmm, hmm, I guess maybe baby Christians, you know, first coming to the faith.
Speaker 1:You know what I'm thinking? That we might I don't know maybe.
Speaker 2:I'm not sure.
Speaker 1:We're all called to share Christ, right yeah.
Speaker 2:Oh, nice one share Christ, right?
Speaker 1:Yeah, oh, nice one. So I don't know if we would be considered teachers in the church. In fact, if you look at some other translations, let's see what is NIV. Oh, I think it's just the NLT. Dear brothers and sisters, not many of you should become teachers in the church.
Speaker 2:So you're saying, because we're not in the church, we don't count.
Speaker 1:Well, we're not on staff of the church, but you know.
Speaker 2:Well, you're raking in all the royalties of the ads that get played during our podcast.
Speaker 1:That is true, If for? Do you know? If you multiply, you can tell how much I make by multiplying $100,000 by every ad.
Speaker 2:Wow.
Speaker 1:Yep.
Speaker 2:It's still zero.
Speaker 1:It's zero. Yeah, huh, because that's what I've been telling people that if they give me $100,000, I'll play an ad, I'll play their ad.
Speaker 2:No one's taken me up on that, yet Do you really get offers to play ads? No, I'm joking.
Speaker 1:It's a complete joke. There is nothing in that.
Speaker 2:He suckered me into doing this podcast. He's probably making a fortune on the side oh yeah, oh yeah.
Speaker 1:I couldn't afford this house without this podcast. All right, uh, we're getting sidetracked here, steve, all right, anyway. Um, but as far as are we teachers, that would be the only reason we would care is if we, if you think. Well, I don't want to be judged with greater strictness, right, but the truth is, I think we need to live like we are.
Speaker 2:I think you're right. But at least he provides an out he shares that we all stumble in many ways.
Speaker 1:We all stumble in many ways and he which kind of indicates look, he's saying I even mess this up, so don't worry about it. I hear a cat yeah, stupid cat. Oh, my goodness, I hate that cat. Let's stupid cat. Oh my goodness, I hate that cat.
Speaker 2:Let's not get off on that side, Jay, Okay.
Speaker 1:I'm sorry. I'm sorry, there is a cat who I hate and I can't quit talking about how much I hate the cat. Okay, I'm stopping right now, all right, anyway. So, yes, he says that we all stumble and if you don't stumble with your tongue and he's really talking about the tongue here he's saying, if you don't make mistakes with your tongue, then you're perfect. And you know, if you look at other religions and stuff, almost all of them have some holy man who didn't speak for 10 years or something. You know they take this vow of silence that they know that this has been true in Hindu, don't some?
Speaker 2:old Catholic monks do that, I do not know about. Maybe it's only in the movies that I do not know about.
Speaker 1:Maybe it's only in the it's possible, but but the reason they would do something like that is because it's true in human society, even in non-believers, who don't care as much. They don't. They may not think they're going to hell, um, but they still can't control their tongue.
Speaker 2:I just had a great idea what? What if, for the next four years, all our politicians took a vow of silence? Think how much better the country would be.
Speaker 1:That would be nice, that would be nice. How long? Next four years, yeah, eh well, because I don't care who gets elected, I don Next four years.
Speaker 2:Yeah, eh well, because I don't care who gets elected, I don't like either one of them.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I know, let's don't get on that subject, steve.
Speaker 2:We'll send him a cat yeah.
Speaker 1:Happy birthday. Here's a cat All right. Here's a cat, um all right. So then he talks about you know the small things that control big things a bridle of a horse. You know um the rudder of a ship, um a spark that sets a whole forest ablaze? Um, it's actually very common, you know, they've they've tracked down some huge forest fires before to like a cigarette that was thrown out of a car window or, or, um, the embers of a fire that just wasn't put out.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's crazy um and those embers can stay hot for a very long time.
Speaker 1:Yes, but the tongue? Let's talk about the tongue, steve, because this is all about the tongue. So do you have trouble controlling your tongue? Yes, do you. Wow, I've never experienced that at all, steve.
Speaker 2:And you're a liar, that's called sarcasm. Yeah, I'm a liar. I don't think you have as much trouble as I do, though.
Speaker 1:No, it's just different, steve, it's different, it's just different. Yeah, do you know that when I was an early married person, somebody brought up to me. This person said it was a guy and he thought it was funny. He goes do you know? I think every girl you know you've made cry at some point and I laughed, but inside I realized I think he's right.
Speaker 2:So that would be your grandmother, your mother.
Speaker 1:Paige, these were friends that I don't know.
Speaker 2:Said something mean.
Speaker 1:I said something that I thought was funny, and it wasn't funny to them.
Speaker 2:I just realized, yeah.
Speaker 1:You're a bully, I am a bully, I was a bully. I don't do that anymore, steve, only to my kids. I make my kids cry all the time. Well, they need to, but okay. So the question is if the tongue is such a dangerous thing, what can we do to control it?
Speaker 2:We could take a vow of silence.
Speaker 1:Okay, that's stupid. I'm sorry, I meant to say that's really stupid.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:No, but practically, is there anything practical you can do to control your tongue?
Speaker 2:I'm going to use one of those buzzwords that's really popular right now Okay do it Mindfulness, mindfulness.
Speaker 1:I hate that word, be mindful, oh, steve. I feel like we need to talk a little softer, yes, a little airier. You know what? Also I hate that word, be mindful, oh, Steve, I feel like we need to talk a little softer, yes, and a little airier.
Speaker 2:You know what also?
Speaker 1:I hate, let's be mindful, and I probably should turn it off.
Speaker 2:What my watch every morning and evening wants me to log my mindfulness, my well-being of the day.
Speaker 1:Okay, okay, but you said that seriously, right, mindfulness. So what do you mean by that?
Speaker 2:Think before you speak. Okay, wear a bracelet that says what would Jesus do?
Speaker 1:I don't think that helps, but there is. You know, what did we James last week? In James chapter 2, he says somewhere be slow to speak. Or is that James 1? Let's see? Blah, blah, blah. Oh yeah, James, chapter 1. Know this, my beloved brothers Let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger, For the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. You know, it's not always anger, though, but being slow to speak and thinking before you speak can make a big difference in what comes out of your mouth.
Speaker 2:I think the hardest part for me is when I think saying something would be funny. But I know it's kind of rude. Yeah yeah, I know, or inappropriate at work.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, I know. Or inappropriate at work? Yeah yeah, same yeah. It's all about thinking, though, and saying you know, people like us, we try to be funny, probably too much, right, do you agree? Yes, I think think so for me, and, um, you know, it's uh, it takes wisdom, and we're going to talk about wisdom in a second from above the wisdom from above, and I think that is the key. So it's being slow to speak and seeking wisdom.
Speaker 2:I think I hear a werewolf.
Speaker 1:Yeah, okay, we'll just act like that didn't happen, all right. So he talks about. You know he uses a billion analogies about this, which is so funny to me about this. Which is so funny to me? Um, but one of the things he says is um, you know he talks about, can a spring pour forth both salty water and fresh water? And then he uses another analogy to explain that analogy.
Speaker 2:The fig tree. My brothers can it bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs. I think he's kind of rambling here.
Speaker 1:Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water. It's like's like. Oh, I didn't understand it at first. Thanks for that explanation.
Speaker 2:But if you treated that salt water, you could get pure water out of it they didn't have that technology steve, and that's not the point no, it, it's not.
Speaker 1:All right.
Speaker 2:I think the point though.
Speaker 1:What is the point?
Speaker 2:As we're about to see. Everything that comes out of your mouth, it first starts in your head.
Speaker 1:Or in your heart, your head or your heart. It really comes from your brain, right, okay, but yes, but I would call that from your heart, because the heart of man is who you are in how we use a heart and the head, and it comes out from the innermost parts of you.
Speaker 2:That's sad.
Speaker 1:Yes, that is sad.
Speaker 2:All right, I bet you want me to read?
Speaker 1:I do want you to read Steve.
Speaker 2:Ken, yes, who is wise and understanding among you, who, who, who, by his good conduct, let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder in every vile practice. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere, and a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace. I was about to say shown.
Speaker 1:I heard that. All right, thank you, steve.
Speaker 2:That was James 3, 13 through 18 inclusive.
Speaker 1:Okay, thanks which actually finished, james it was the end of this. It's a very short chapter. So, um, he starts off with a rhetorical question. Who is wise and understanding among you? I think that's a rhetorical question yeah, I think you're right um. By his good conduct, let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. All right, so by his good conduct, so the way he acts.
Speaker 2:Meekness. What is meekness. I think here it is the slow to speak.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's exactly what I think. It's thoughtfulness, yeah.
Speaker 2:You mean the person without control of their tongue is just going to blurt something out, mm-hmm, and generally take over the whole conversation. In my experience, yes, All right.
Speaker 1:So, in the meekness of wisdom. And then he says but if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. Gosh, I just cannot get rid of animals.
Speaker 2:This is why we do it at my house, Kent.
Speaker 1:Is that why? Okay, I remember now.
Speaker 2:Yes, I will not make you do this until next year, at my birthday, it won't be a monday, I'll birthday me it anyway actually a leap year.
Speaker 1:It might be, it could be yeah, all right, anyway, gosh, gosh, all right. So bitterness, it's like this is such an opposite. But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. What does that mean? Do not boast and be false to the truth.
Speaker 2:I think it means shut up.
Speaker 1:Okay, but what is?
Speaker 2:Because what you're boasting is going to be wrong, like if you're. If you have selfish ambition, you're going to be making decisions that benefit you rather than the greater good of Christ's church.
Speaker 1:True, and jealousy and selfish ambition. So you're trying. Your jealousy and selfish ambition all mean you're pointed to yourself. You're trying to get the best for you, not the best in general and for others.
Speaker 2:Unfortunately, that type of personality tends to do well in the business world.
Speaker 1:I mean, they can, I guess. But you can also be shrewd in business. So you know, be a good. There's people who are really good at bargaining.
Speaker 2:I guess I'm thinking of the high profile ones that never shut up, you know, elon Musk, donald Trump, okay, yeah, let's see who else. There's a lot of them.
Speaker 1:Jeff Bezos.
Speaker 2:I was trying to think of his name, but yes, that was one of them I was thinking of.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Bill Gates, uh-huh yeah, steve Jobs.
Speaker 1:Billy Graham. No, just joking. Just a joke. Steve Jobs was not that public of a figure. He didn't do that in public. I heard lots of stories. Have you read books? There's books about how he treated people. It wasn't very good, no it was, oh, it would be tough, all right. So anyway, let's see, this is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. So, if wisdom, if you claim to have wisdom, and it's not from above.
Speaker 2:Does that mean it's demonic, According to this verse, I think? Maybe it does.
Speaker 1:That's what I'm reading into this.
Speaker 2:He's saying that? If well, especially if you claim to have wisdom. Yeah, yeah, I could see that, because anything that's not from above is not true. Yes, is that true? Is that statement that I just said? True, everything that's not from above Is not true.
Speaker 1:Is there some?
Speaker 2:truth, that's.
Speaker 1:Well, like the equation For how fast something will fall From the sky Because of gravity and Wind resistance that came from above.
Speaker 2:It just fell from the sky.
Speaker 1:Okay, bad example. But you know, I guess you could argue that that did come from above, because all the physical laws in this world and this universe were set in place by God. So let's see, that would be of god.
Speaker 2:Let's see how about this one okay, let's say you've got a problem at work and you have a theory of what the problem is and you state that theory, but it was wrong is that demonic no that's not demonic. It's also not from above no, it's not it's just wrong. And if you were right would that have been from above?
Speaker 1:okay, but let's, okay, let's, let's ask this, though what if I stated and for I, first of all, I'm thinking, I'll bet this is the problem. I know it might not be, but I'll bet this is it. And then, when I state to my team this is the problem, I know it's the problem, because X, y and Z that I made up, because I don't know it's the problem, so go attack it and resolve it that way.
Speaker 2:I think that is demonic, because I used my own boasting and and there will be disorder because it won't fix the problem.
Speaker 1:It won't fix the problem, and I just lied to my team saying that it is the problem, it is the solution, instead of I have a hunch that this might be the solution.
Speaker 2:Well, I don't think we can make a blanket statement that everything that's not from above is demonic.
Speaker 1:Yeah, ok, I can say yes, if I. I'm colorblind. Steve, if you were wearing a green shirt right now and I said it was red, I don't think that would be demonic.
Speaker 2:Interesting example, but to you it is red. That's true. Your reality is not my reality, ken. All right, we live, not my reality.
Speaker 1:Ken. All right, we live in different realities, steve.
Speaker 2:Everything's relative.
Speaker 1:Everything is relative, dude, whatever. Just be, just be, man, just be. Yeah, all right. What is wrong with us today?
Speaker 2:I don't know it's like cheesecake.
Speaker 1:It's the cheesecake for my birthday, all right. So let's go on, for where jealousy and selfish ambition exists, there will be disorientation, every vile practice. We just went over that. But the wisdom from above is first pure. Let's talk about these things. The wisdom from above is first pure. What does that mean?
Speaker 2:Well, if you think of pure water, there's no contaminants in it, so that would be pure wisdom. It's totally true.
Speaker 1:Totally true, nothing false about it. Okay, then peaceable.
Speaker 2:I'm not sure what that word means.
Speaker 1:I think it means it brings about peace. Let me look at a different translation. What does NLT say for that Relating to peace, and this saysating to peace, and this says Loving peace and those Bringing peace with it. Salulitary Is also peace loving.
Speaker 2:Okay, that sounds better to me.
Speaker 1:So, but that kind of means it, uh, that kind of wisdom seeks peace. So, um, you know, if I did not like the stupid emblem on your shirt that points down instead of up, which is stupid, by the way- oh, it's much worse than those little flowers on yours Exactly.
Speaker 1:I'm glad we agree, but see, I could tell you that's a stupid emblem on your shirt and it would not be the wisdom from above. I should say something like so, Steve, I noticed you have an emblem on your shirt that points down in a somewhat awkward manner. Have you thought about maybe getting a shirt with the emblem that points up?
Speaker 2:And I would say, ken, I got this at Costco. It was pretty cheap, oh, really yeah.
Speaker 1:And then I would say how much? No, I don't know. And I'd say I don't know, and I'd say I don't remember. My point is when you're talking with somebody about something, there are ways you can speak that will antagonize.
Speaker 2:Okay, I was hoping you weren't using this as a good example.
Speaker 1:No, I was doing stupid stuff. I'm sorry, steve, but you know it does kind of point at your nipple, it does a little bit. There it is everybody. Right there my eyes are up here, ken, all right, anyway, um, my point is there are ways you can talk to somebody about something and cause uh them to be angry. Where there's, you can talk to them about the same thing, trying to bring about peace, Right, um, all right, gentle, similar, I think it's similar. Be gentle with them, open to reason.
Speaker 2:Now there's one Our politicians are not good at. Let's talk about ourselves, steve instead of politicians, I like to point the fingers.
Speaker 1:When we're talking with people, are we open to reason?
Speaker 2:open to reason. So I think, if if you're starting to get emotional during your conversation with people, it's a lot harder to be open to reason, because once you become emotional, you stop listening.
Speaker 1:That's true, okay.
Speaker 2:Um, so I'm pretty low key. I think I'm pretty open to reason.
Speaker 1:I think I'm pretty open to reason, even though I do cry more often than you. Steve, that wouldn't be hard. I know we talked about this. We did you. Don't cry, I'm a crier.
Speaker 2:I did have about three tears at church yesterday.
Speaker 1:What Did somebody punch you?
Speaker 2:No, it was during worship.
Speaker 1:Really yeah, what for?
Speaker 2:Thinking about Dad.
Speaker 1:Oh Okay, you know what, steve, I'm going to say. That's good.
Speaker 2:I've been wanting it and I just haven't been able to get it, that's good, awesome Good for you.
Speaker 1:So open to reason, so you know when we're talking to somebody. Sometimes we need to have wise conversations with people that are not necessarily fun, right? Well?
Speaker 2:there's some people you just can't talk to and they get almost aggressive, emotionally aggressive, right out the door.
Speaker 1:Right. So, um, and sometimes it's hard for I know it's hard for me if somebody starts getting angry when I'm talking and even no matter how much I try to keep it peaceful. I'm not saying I'm perfect, but sometimes I know I do this and I am trying to to make things um, I'm trying to say things in as good a way as possible as possible and they get angry. Now I end up typically getting angry back when somebody gets angry at me.
Speaker 2:It makes me mad.
Speaker 1:Especially when I don't feel like I deserve it right. But we need to stay open to reason.
Speaker 2:Well, let me ask you this yes. Let's say you're having one of these conversations You've presented an idea and then other people start poking holes in it. They may be right, or they may just not like your idea, but in the end, if you give up and let them go their way, is that wisdom or not? Um, well, cause I feel like that's one of my flaws. I'll be more likely to give in, just to avoid the conflict I won't do that typically, but I will be open to reason.
Speaker 1:So this if we're talking about work, so work and life are kind of different to me, because work is very robotic almost.
Speaker 2:You have authority at work, where in your life you don't always have authority.
Speaker 1:I never have authority in my life, Steve.
Speaker 2:I'm married, I know.
Speaker 1:You don't have authority in your life either. But no, you're right. And so in the work situation I might have an idea and I think it's a good idea, but I am in my my full being just wants the right solution. I am never arrogant.
Speaker 2:Well, I am never arrogant. I am Ken Strickland.
Speaker 1:Okay, what I mean is typically now, I'm not arrogant about my ideas. I'll say when I was a young manager I was kind of arrogant at times about when I thought it should be done a certain way and it should be done that way Because you were a bully.
Speaker 2:You probably made your employees cry.
Speaker 1:I probably did. But now I mean, I am completely open to reason. But if I have an idea at home talking to my wife, am I open to reason there?
Speaker 2:You don't even have a choice, that's true.
Speaker 1:But the question is am I open to reason or do I just give up?
Speaker 2:I think it depends on what it's about. Yeah, yeah but more than likely you're going to just give up, yeah okay, my point is.
Speaker 1:the point of the scripture is, though, be open to reason yes, we should move on. I think so.
Speaker 2:Full of mercy.
Speaker 1:Is it full of mercy and good fruits? Is that one thing? I think it is.
Speaker 2:I think you're right. I think that is one thing, because then it's impartial, impartial and sincere is one thing.
Speaker 1:Right. So full of mercy and good fruits, all right. Full of mercy and good fruits, all right. So good fruits is, I think, of good fruits as good deeds, but we're talking about wisdom here, right, right, okay, so the things you say and do result in good things. Yes, okay.
Speaker 2:As opposed to disorder and every vile practice.
Speaker 1:Right and full of mercy, and mercy is what.
Speaker 2:Mercy is what makes you open to reason In some ways.
Speaker 1:In some ways, but it's more than that, because you know we talked about it last week, but the Lord's Prayer right, we talked about forgive me, as I forgive those who trespass. Forgive me my trespass, forgive us our trespass.
Speaker 2:Forgive me my passport as I trespass on someone's lawn.
Speaker 1:Okay, okay.
Speaker 2:Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.
Speaker 1:Very good, ken, thank you. Thank you. I practice that, I can tell. But in the same way that the Lord's Prayer. Doesn't it say something about mercy? No, it does not, does it, it's just that. But it's the same kind of thing Having mercy and forgiving those who trespass against us is really the same thing, right?
Speaker 2:I think so yes.
Speaker 1:And he talked about that last week. So what does that mean in your life, though? To have mercy. How are you full of mercy?
Speaker 2:You have to be forgiving of what other people do or say Try to take into account the state they're in.
Speaker 1:I think that's big. I'm glad you said that that's called not Texas, no, but that's called empathy. Yes, um, to understand the state that they're in Um, we don't, you know, we don't have the same struggles as everybody else and to have some empathy about where somebody is in life, or even in just their day, can be hard, yeah, especially if it's something you have zero personal experience with, like diabetes that's true. That is true, um, but it's. But it's true to people that you deal with at work too oh yeah um, it's like they could be having something going on at home.
Speaker 1:Yep, and every now and then, you know, um, an employee might come to me and say hey, I just want to let you know I'm having this really difficult time because of this and I'm sorry I haven't been. I had to miss two meetings this week and I just wanted to let you know that this is happening and it's like, and I didn't know that this just happened to me actually two weeks ago, really, and it's really tough for those people and so, you know, have mercy. And then it says impartial and sincere, no favorites, no favorites we talked about that last week too um, and sincere. So just from the heart from the heart.
Speaker 1:Be true, be true to them, be true to others be true to yourself. Okay, you need to be true to yourself, okay.
Speaker 2:You need to be true to yourself, Ken.
Speaker 1:I'm not going to do the little airy voice again, Steve.
Speaker 2:I think that's stupid Take in a deep breath, in through your nose, out through your mouth.
Speaker 1:Okay, all right, that helped a whole lot, all right. And then it ends with Okay, all right, that helped a whole lot, all right. And then it ends with and a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace A harvest of righteousness, hmm, yeah, I don't know it sounds like some flowery words, doesn't it? Well, and then he gets a little repetitive, with sown in peace by those who make peace Well, the NLT, which tries to put it into our own words.
Speaker 1:Didn't do any better, did it? Well, it's a little bit better maybe, but it's still. I mean, it's actually the same thing, and I still don't know what it means. And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness. No, I think this does make sense. So what it's saying is by us being peacemakers. And what is a peacemaker? It means we seek peace, right, we seek. We seek peace, right, we seek. What does it mean to seek peace, though? It?
Speaker 2:means Everybody just needs to get along. All you need is love.
Speaker 1:All you need is love.
Speaker 2:Okay, I'm going to read you a proverb. Go ahead, do it. Proverbs 11, 18. The wicked earns deceptive wages, but one who sows righteousness gets a sure reward.
Speaker 1:Whoever is steadfast in righteousness will live, but he who pursues evil will die. Okay, why'd you share?
Speaker 2:that with me.
Speaker 1:Steve.
Speaker 2:Because it's talking about a harvest of righteousness.
Speaker 1:Oh, okay, it sows righteousness. Okay, it's a sure, reward All right so.
Speaker 2:It's also a link in my Bible.
Speaker 1:Ah, there's the true reason. It's a link. You pressed, a button, I did, and there it was, and there it was. All right, modern technology. So, anyway, I think by being a peaceful person so you know, we strive for peace, we affect peace around us, is what it's saying. So by being a peaceful person, you will cause others to be peaceful people at times, who plant seeds of peace. So some of those will grow up, some of them won't, but you'll plant the seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness. So by being a peaceful person, some people will end up being peaceful people.
Speaker 2:The people around you will eventually be peaceful people Some of them, not all of peaceful people, some of them. Not all of them. Not all of them.
Speaker 1:It's not for us to control.
Speaker 2:But as they get to know you, they'll learn to trust you more.
Speaker 1:Yes.
Speaker 2:There'll be less contention.
Speaker 1:Contention. It's all about me, Steve.
Speaker 2:It is. You should play that song. No it was a good song, so ai is pretty impressive ai is pretty impressive, um.
Speaker 1:So just to tell you a quick story. Well, no, I'm not going to tell this story, um, but there, if you look in urban dictionary, you will find a word that I put there. You and a friend of ours, chris, both put it there at the same time, so there's two definitions, but the word is kentastrophe named after ken and it's named after me, and so I'm very proud of that. I'm infamous.
Speaker 2:Yes.
Speaker 1:Or is that famous or infamous I? Don't know I don't know what those words mean. Chris would know, chris would know. But anyway, a friend of mine used AI to create a song about that and it was so good.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:I mean it had somebody singing and everything and it had some really good syncopated lyrics. At times it was crazy good, I cannot believe it. Um, it was shocking to me and ai is in its infancy infancy right now kind of scary. It's gonna be exponential in how things change with ai so, yeah, it won't even need us anymore.
Speaker 2:We'll all just become batteries. It's just the matrix.
Speaker 1:Yes, yeah, it could be all right well do you have anything else, steve?
Speaker 2:no, we drug this out. Pretty well, I did as.
Speaker 1:I did as much as I can do. I can't say much more about it. Steve, you can, I can Be wise, see ya. Control your tongue, steve. Good night the Regular Guys. Bible Study is a Chasm LLC production. All rights reserved.