Teach the older men to exercise self-control, to be worthy of respect, and to live wisely. They must have sound faith and be filled with love and patience. Similarly, teach the older women to live in a way that honors God. They must not slander others or be heavy drinkers. Instead, they should teach others what is good. These older women must train the younger women to love their husbands and their children, to live wisely and be pure, to work in their homes, to do good, and to be submissive to their husbands. Then they will not bring shame on the word of God. In the same way, encourage the young men to live wisely. And you yourself must be an example to them by doing good works of every kind. Let everything you do reflect the integrity and seriousness of your teaching. Teach the truth so that your teaching can’t be criticized. Then those who oppose us will be ashamed and have nothing bad to say about us.
Titus 2:2-8

Dear God, when I read this the thought that comes to me is that nothing is new. Two thousand years ago, people drank too much, slandered, gossiped, cheated on their spouses, went to war needlessly, ignored the poor, sold people into slavery, etc. Kingdoms rose and they fell. There was corruption. I guess the only thing that might be new is that we now have so much more access to information (real, fake, and mixed) than we did before. We can now know what’s happening in places all over the world if we want to. But our hearts are still the same. Not better or worse– the same.

I guess there’s an odd comfort in that for me. Going back to the tribulation preacher I heard last week, it was almost like listening to someone who gives horoscope readings. Everything he said could have been applied to every year between now and when you gave John Revelation. But my comfort isn’t in the idea that things haven’t really progressed, but in that you are still God and this is nothing the world hasn’t seen before–well maybe except for our growing ability to damage the planet ourselves. That’s changed too.

Father, I’m going to go back to the serenity prayer from AA. Give me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen