Wisdom for Your Weekend is your regular installment of what we’ve been reading (and watching) around the web. Presented to you by Chris Pappalardo, with guidance from Pastor J.D., this is our attempt to reflect Proverbs 9:9: “Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser; teach a righteous man, and he will increase in learning.”
While we do not always agree with everything these authors post, we share these resources because we find them challenging and enriching. As we often say around the Summit, “Eat the fish and spit out the bones.”
Articles of the Week
Every Place Is the Same Now, Ian Bogost. The invention of the smartphone is threatening to ruin our sense of space. As Bogost writes, “Nowhere feels especially remarkable, and every place adopts the pleasures and burdens of every other.” There may be convenience in sending an email from your bedroom or ordering groceries from your kid’s dance recital. But that convenience comes at a far bigger cost than you might imagine.
An Evil Traffic, Jenny Lind Schmitt. Prostitution has been legal in the Netherlands since 2000. Back then, politicians claimed it would curb sex trafficking by offering those in the sex industry the same legal protections as any other worker. The question is, did it work? The tragic and unsurprising answer: Not at all. The Netherlands is now more of a destination for human trafficking than ever. In response, a groundswell of Dutch citizens is fighting to end this modern-day slavery.
Rediscovering the Lost Power of Reading Aloud, Meghan Cox Gurdon. Speaking of old professions, here’s an article in praise of a more honorable ancient profession—that of the public storyteller. Whether you’re a student tasked with memorizing a poem or a parent picking up Goodnight Moon to read to your son, you are continuing a grand tradition. You have heard it said: Read, read, read. To which we add: As much as you can, read out loud.
Let Not Violence Entertain You, Kathryn Butler. Most Christians have standards for their entertainment when it comes to sex and nudity. Granted, the battle rages over just how strict to be. But while we don’t agree on the line, we know a line exists. Butler notes that we often fail to have the same conversation when it comes to violence. As a trauma surgeon, Butler has a unique perspective and an authority we should consider. Her counsel? Don’t devour brutality for your own amusement.
On the Lighter Side
Germaphobes, Trey Kennedy. “I heard you coughing, so … I locked you in there. I’ll come get you in 48–72 hours, okay?” I (Chris) relate to literally every moment of this. But I refuse to consider my actions compulsive or unhealthy.
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