In Acts chapter 17 Paul preaches in Athens (vv. 16-33). Athens was known for being a place where people "[spent] all their time discussing the latest ideas" (v. 21). Such was the reputation the Greeks had for discussing and debating things that it has been said they would endlessly theorize about the form of the perfect bridge, while the Romans would build perfectly functional bridges, march across them, and conquer their enemies.

While in a book store recently, I had a conversation with a lady whose head I nearly bumped into as we both sought to read the same titles on the shelf. We were in the Classics section when she began to express her concern for the youth of our current generation and ultimately, bleak future of this country because of their rejection of the Classics. While she didn't exactly word it that way, she did use it as an example to say that this is what is typical of the outlook of modern youth, who seem more interested in squeezing what they have to read or say into 140 character tweets, rather than taking the time to learn what it takes to read and understand the Classics.

If there's one clear message in the Bible, it's that we are to love our neighbor as ourselves:

Mark 12:29-31 "29 Jesus replied, 'The most important commandment is this: "Listen, O Israel! The Lord our God is the one and only Lord. 30 And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength." 31 The second is equally important: "Love your neighbor as yourself." No other commandment is greater than these'" (NLT, emphasis added).

The problem is, we have so many opinions as to what love is-lost in a sea of love definitions-we truly are adrift with no clue. Like the old song says, "I want to know what love is. I want you to show me." That's the key...we have to "see" it and then duplicate it. For this, we have the example of Jesus.

No, this isn't a blog from a childless/married adult (which I am... unless cats count), complaining of how parents need to do a better job disciplining their kids. Hey, I have enough trouble with those cats (who seem to outsmart us at every turn) to know parenting a kid can't be easy. This blog, then, really addresses the consequences of a lack of self-discipline in our lives.

While reading Proverbs chapter 1 today, the Lord showed me some things related to this...