Firm Foundation with Bryan Hudson

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While my wife and I vacationed in Michigan, we visited the Ford Museum in Dearborn. We happened upon an excellent Black History exhibit that included a replica of the bus on which Rosa Parks sat. Her refusal to yield her seat to a White man triggered the Montgomery bus boycott. This was one of the key moments of the Civil Rights movement that began to break down the wall of racial segregation.

Her simple, courageous act of civil disobedience, along with the efforts of many other such as Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, eventually led to the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

This was an interactive exhibit, so I was able to sit where Rosa Parks sat in the famous re-enactment photo.

This brief video shares my reflections in that moment. We thank God for our ancestors and all other courageous Americans, whether well known or "hidden figures," on whose shoulders we stand.

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The STORY is the truth. The NARRATIVE (using one definition of the word) is the “spin” or “twist” people put on the actual story. So, don’t get caught up in narratives, (or worse, false narratives), seek to understand the story and be committed to OBJECTIVE truth.

Things that are objective are outside of us, and bigger than us. Things that are subjective, like opinions, are inside of us, and a reflection of how we feel. Our opinions and how we feel are important, but don’t mistake it for truth. Someone’s opinion and perception is not your reality.

Social media is mainly about narratives. There is value in social media, so long as you’re also committed to reading and researching objective and expert sources. Social media by itself perpetuates “low information” like only watching television news.

Pontificating (just saying stuff) on Facebook is easy. Writing, publishing, or posting fully developed points of view is harder, but it’s necessary if we’re going to rise above narratives.

Facebook is “borrowed media” (it belongs to Mark Zuckerberg). What we also need is “owned media,” such as your own website, blog, or publications, in order to fully express points of view, and move beyond the world of narratives and false narratives.

Social media is no substitute for connecting with people and providing fully formed insight. Social media can be a starting point, but it is far too shallow to trust as a source.

(Originally posted August 23, 2013. Updated July 17, 2022)

Philippians 2:1-30, So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus.

Narcissism is a term that originated with Narcissus in Greek mythology who fell in love with his own image reflected in a pool of water. He was a handsome Greek youth who rejected the desperate advances of a woman named Echo. These advances eventually led Narcissus to fall in love with his own reflection in a pool of water. Unable to consummate his love, Narcissus "lay gazing enraptured into the pool, hour after hour," and finally changed into a flower that bears his name, the narcissus. (Narcissism: A New Theory by Neville Symington)

The concept of excessive selfishness has been recognized throughout history. In ancient Greece the concept was understood as hubris. It is only in recent times that it has been defined in psychological terms.

Narcissism: Behind the Mask, a book by David Thomas suggests that narcissists typically display most, and sometimes all, of the following traits:

• An obvious self-focus in interpersonal exchanges
• Problems in sustaining satisfying relationships
• Difficulty with empathy
• Problems distinguishing the self from others
• Hypersensitivity to any insults or imagined insults
• Vulnerability to shame rather than guilt
• Haughty body language
• Flattery towards people who admire and affirm them
• Detesting those who do not admire them
• Using other people without considering the cost of doing so
• Pretending to be more important than they really are
• Bragging (subtly but persistently) and exaggerating their achievements
• Claiming to be an "expert" at many things
• Inability to view the world from the perspective of other people
• Denial of remorse and gratitude

Hotchkiss' seven deadly sins of narcissism
Sandy Hotchkiss identified what she called the seven deadly sins of narcissism:

Shamelessness: Shame is the feeling that lurks beneath all unhealthy narcissism, and the inability to process shame in healthy ways.

Magical thinking: Narcissists see themselves as perfect, using distortion and illusion known as magical thinking. They also use projection to dump shame onto others.

Arrogance: A narcissist who is feeling deflated may reinflate by diminishing, debasing, or degrading somebody else.

Envy: A narcissist may secure a sense of superiority in the face of another person's ability by using contempt to minimize the other person.

Entitlement: Narcissists hold unreasonable expectations of particularly favorable treatment and automatic compliance because they consider themselves special. Failure to comply is considered an attack on their superiority, and the perpetrator is considered an "awkward" or "difficult" person. Defiance of their will is a narcissistic injury that can trigger narcissistic rage.

Exploitation: Can take many forms but always involves the exploitation of others without regard for their feelings or interests. Often the other is in a subservient position where resistance would be difficult or even impossible. Sometimes the subservience is not so much real as assumed.

Bad boundaries: Narcissists do not recognize that they have boundaries and that others are separate and are not extensions of themselves. Others either exist to meet their needs or may as well not exist at all. Those who provide narcissistic supply to the narcissist are treated as if they are part of the narcissist and are expected to live up to those expectations. In the mind of a narcissist there is no boundary between self and other.

Recommended reading: https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/html/10.11648.j.ss.s.2015040601.11.html#paper-references

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Over the long July 4 holiday weekend, my wife and I had two of our three grandchildren with us. We were also together with all three of our grands on a couple of occasions over the holiday weekend. The youngest granddaughter turned five months old on July 4.

Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” (Matthew 19:14)

When I look at my grandchildren, I am first reminded of our four children when they were little, and of all of the trust they put in us as parents, and of all the hopes that we had for them. Each is now grown, living in his and her purpose, and doing very well.

Spending this quality time with our grandchildren made it clearer how marvelous the grace of God is, and how much their parents love them, care for them, and provide positive experiences. It was a joy to see the creativity and positive energy of our five-year-old grandson and our seven-year-old granddaughter. They love to imagine, draw and create worlds in which to express their thoughts and dreams.

We created a couple of videos in my home studio on green screen, in which my granddaughter scripted and shared her knowledge of animals and nature. She and her brother worked together, haggled a little bit, and made two fun videos talking about the attributes of elephants, zebras, cheetahs, and lions. It was actually informative.

When a child's mind and heart is nourished and is open to Christ, they express the freedom and creativity of their Creator. This is one of the reasons why Jesus said "do not hinder them." Children represent the kingdom of God which is the source of hope, creativity, and life at its best.

However you interact with children, as parents, grandparents, educators, or others, let us all be very intentional on providing the kind of life and environment in which children learn to love the Lord, become full of hope, eager to learn, and their God-given creativity and uniqueness.

God Bless and Be Encouraged!
~ Pastor Bryan Hudson, D.Min.

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The "promissory note" of independence, freedom, and equality for many in our nation TOOK A LONG TIME to come - 189 years:

July 4, 1776 - Declaration of Independence
"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that ALL MEN ARE CREATED EQUAL that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."

June 21, 1788 - U.S. Constitution Ratification
The Preamble: "We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to OURSELVES AND OUR POSTERITY, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America."

July 5, 1852 - Frederick Douglass speech, "What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?" - Slavery still part of the USA 64 years after Constitution Ratification (Douglass speech commentary)

September 22, 1862 - Emancipation Proclamation - 87 Years after 1776.

Executive order to free the enslaved people of the USA. In force on January 1, 1893.

June 19, 1865 - The first "Juneteenth"
President Lincoln's General Order No. 3 reaches the furthest slave state, Texas. Delivered by Union Army general Gordon Granger (many slave holding states did not inform enslaved people of the order)

13th Amendment - Ratified on December 6, 1865.

Officially Abolished slavery in the United States

14th Amendment - Ratified July 9, 1868.

Extended liberties and rights granted by the Bill of Rights to formerly enslaved people. Persons born in the USA are citizens

July 2, 1964 - The Civil Rights Act of 1964.

Outlawed discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, and national origin.

August 6, 1965 - The Voting Rights Act of 1965.

Prohibits racial discrimination in voting. (voting rights presently being curtailed in some states by voting suppression laws)

189 YEARS AFTER Independence Day in 1776

Learn more: https://www.biblicaljusticebook.com/about