Dating myself once again, I am reminded of the Dr Pepper commercial that included a catchy jingle with the following lyrics: I’m a Pepper, he’s a Pepper, she’s a Pepper, we’re a Pepper. Wouldn’t you like to be a Pepper too? Some of you are singing it in your head. Some out loud! Others are thinking, “I have no idea what you’re talking about. Can we just get to the question? And by the way, your question title has a typo in it. It says, “Prepper” instead of “Pepper.”
Everyone loves a riddle, right? Well, maybe not, but you’re going to get one anyway.
What is greater than God, more evil than the devil, the poor have it, the very rich need it, and if you eat it, you’ll die?
I like questions. Many people do. It allows the person we are speaking with to share their thoughts. Many people love to offer their opinions on things, sometimes on just about everything!
Two things right off the bat: (1) Yes, this is basically a rhetorical question. (2) If you are under 30 years of age, there’s a good chance you don’t understand the question!
Who doesn’t love a good conspiracy theory? Seriously. They can be a lot of fun and are often very creative and intriguing. Upon hearing one, your response might be, “Hmmm, that makes a lot of sense. I wonder if it’s true.” You may even think twice about what you have been perceiving as reality. There’s something within our (fallen) nature that makes us drawn to be on “the inside” of a secret and to possess special knowledge and insight that very few others know.
Many of you are wondering what in the world is up with this month’s question. I don’t blame you, but if you are patient, I think everything will make sense.
We hear a lot about science these days, especially related to the COVID pandemic and climate change. It is often accompanied by something like, “We’ve done the research and science says such-and-such, therefore, you must take the following action….”
Let me address something right off the bat. When I say “fool,” I am not using this word in a condescending manner or as childish name-calling. I think in our culture, when someone calls someone else a fool, it usually is in an unkind way, and nothing good comes of it. However, I am using this term as a direct quote from Scripture. And when we see this term used in the Bible, it is simply a description of an individual’s thought process.
When the leaves move on the trees, that’s what causes the wind! I bet you never knew that. Think about it, every time it’s windy out, you see the leaves moving, right? This reasoning is backward.
Let’s start by briefly defining three words in our Question of the Month.
System: The society in which we live and function.
Overwhelming: Something very intense and difficult to deal with.
When I was in my early teens, I remember visiting Lake Michigan, 30 minutes from where I grew up in Wisconsin (and still live).
As I stood on the shore watching the waves crashing in, I saw a large rock, picked it up and held it high over my head. I then slammed it down on top of another flat rock lying on the sand, breaking it in two.
