April 1, 2026

Viewing all things through the lens of the True and the beautiful!

The True

Correcting

“To make or set right.” That is the primary Merriam-Webster definition of ‘correct,’ and it is a good place to begin as we continue our study of 2 Timothy 3:16-17’s four ways scripture is useful for being “thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

When I hear, “to make or set right,” I am reminded of the story of Zacchaeus in Luke 19. The famously short in stature Zacchaeus had much that needed setting right. He was a tax collector, which in cultural context meant he made a living by being a practical nuisance to those from whom he collected. In short, Zacchaeus enters this scene out of step with both God and man.

But within a few short moments with Jesus, Zacchaeus has been set right with these words from Jesus: “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost” (Luke 19:9-10).

So what happened in-between? What occurred to move Zacchaeus from out of step with God and man to fully welcomed as a “son of Abraham”?

The answer might surprise you. Yes, it was in part a seeking out of Jesus (Zacchaeus famously ran ahead of Jesus and climbed a tree to overcome his short stature and gain sight of Jesus). Yes, it was very much a result of Zacchaeus accepting association with Jesus (Jesus disrupted the cultural norm by staying at Zacchaeus’s house). But quite instructive for you and me today, Jesus responded with the promise of salvation directly to Zacchaeus’s taking action to make restitution: “But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, ‘Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount’” (Luke 19:8).

Zacchaeus set right that which he had previously wronged, and as a result Jesus made Zacchaeus right with God!

In this context, one of the secondary definitions of ‘correct’ is even more apropos: “To alter or adjust so as to bring to some standard or required condition.”

Zacchaeus was woefully short of the required standard. So are you. So am I. (Rom. 3:23)

He needed to be brought to a standard—a required condition! That correction required an action of his own. It required his own setting things right.

This is a subtle-but-critical distinction we discuss often here at The Equipped. The work of Jesus on the cross is a finished work. You cannot add to or detract from it. Your action is not what accomplishes your salvation—Jesus already accomplished it.

But there is a required standard. The finished work of Jesus invites you to that standard. God offers to set right all that is currently wrong with you. It is a finished work that achieves it, but He is a gentle Father, and He waits for you to yield to the correcting (Rev. 3:20).

God’s Word is useful for your correction. It makes and sets you right. It brings you into compliance with the required condition. And it contributes to you being thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Technology

Social Media Verdicts

The verdicts are in.

A jury in New Mexico ordered Meta (the parent company of Facebook and Instagram) to pay $375 million in damages after it found the social media giant knowingly harmed children as a result of its platform designs. The verdict also found Meta intentionally withheld knowledge of sexual exploitation, leaving millions of children vulnerable and Meta in violation of the state’s Unfair Practices Act.

Meanwhile, a California jury awarded $6 million in damages to a plaintiff who accused Meta and YouTube of designing their platforms in a way that addicts children and endangers their mental health.

There are thousands of related cases pending in federal and state courts, and an ongoing national debate about the harm children face online.

Analysis and eternal perspective: It is one of the great challenges of our day. Never before has the competition for our attention been so strong, so alluring, and so convenient. Everything the world has to offer is curated nicely on a supercomputer that fits in your pocket and is offered in application packages designed to maximize your time using them. Why? Because your time is the commodity being sold, and the longer you spend on the platform, the higher the price you command.

As Jesus followers, our first and primary concern with this story should be the parameters of our own lives. Who (or what) is getting the first fruits of your attention? Who or what do you turn to when your mind finally has a chance to rest (translation: restore)? Are you rooted in all that is true and beautiful (Philip. 4:8) or does the scroll capture your every in-between moment? It is a hard thing to consider, but one each of us must seriously contemplate it.

For my part, the answer has all too often been an obsession with being plugged in and informed on an up-to-the-minute basis. It has negatively impacted the way I am hardwired and the peace of my spirit, and I have recently made changes to begin a restorative process. It won’t be quick or easy, but it is necessary.

The Equipped is also a part of that process for me. God’s Word is clear we should endeavor to understand the times in which we live (Matt. 16:2-3, Eph. 5:15-16). But that has all too often been an excuse for me to be guided by the happenings of my time. The Equipped is a way for me to intentionally choose to be guided by God’s Word through the temporary happenings of my current earthly home.

How about you? There is a second-order question here, given the emerging data on the psychological impact of social media use, about how you will use the technology in your life. It is an important consideration. But first and foremost, consider this week Who or what is getting the first fruits of your attention. If a course correction is needed, rejoice that you have been made aware of the need for it, and choose a path that restores your joy!

“Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me” (Ps. 51:10-12).

World

The Tentacles of War

The impact of the war in Iran is spreading and there were several key developments in recent days:

- Twelve U.S. service members were injured when an Iranian missile struck a U.S. military base in Saudi Arabia.

- Approximately 3,500 U.S. troops were deployed to the Middle East region aboard the USS Tripoli.

- U.S. and Iranian officials traded offers for a cease in the fighting, but remain far apart in their demands.

- The average price of gas in the U.S. has increased by more than a dollar per gallon in the month since the war began.

- Iran is attempting to formalize its control over the Strait of Hormuz by charging a “toll” for safe passage.

Analysis and eternal perspective: War is ugly. It is a candid reminder we often begin with when considering these stories. The realities and difficulties associated with war are far reaching and certainly begin with the risk to human life. The Equipped family should remain in fervent prayer for those serving, and particularly for those deployed to the war region. But the ramifications of war extend well beyond those serving, as this story confirms.

You, however, can have peace even amid times of war! Your possession of peace is in fact what motivated Jesus to give you a glimpse of what was to come! He knew this world would bring you heartache and pain, and He conquered it all in order that you might have peace!

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).

Sports

Then There Were Four

The Final Four is set. Arizona, Illinois, Michigan, and UConn will tipoff Saturday in Indianapolis in the NCAA men’s basketball Final Four, with the champion to be crowned Monday evening. Illinois and UConn will play the first semifinal, followed by Arizona and Michigan. UConn was the only team to win their quarterfinal game by less than double digits, as they overcame a 19-point deficit and beat Duke on a 35-foot shot with less than a second to play in the game.

In the women’s Final Four, it is a repeat of last year, with South Carolina, Texas, UCLA, and UConn advancing for games Friday and Sunday in Phoenix.

Analysis and eternal perspective: This is a fun one for me as a lifelong Illini fan. It is the first time in 21 years Illinois has made the Final Four, and I am anything but an unbiased observer to this story. Back in 2005, I spray-painted my face and hair orange and blue as my Illini ultimately fell to North Carolina in the championship game. I’ll be hoping for a better outcome this weekend.

Whether your team—if you have one—is playing this weekend or not, the NCAA tournament provides a good illustration of the value of keeping a level head in a pressure situation. In the grand scheme of things, the outcome of a basketball game is inconsequential. Even so, time and again, it is the poised under pressure who prevail.

You serve a God who has promised a peace that passes all understanding (Philip. 4:7). Don’t let it be lost on you that this promise immediately proceeds our foundational reminder in Philippians 4:8 to set our minds on all that is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy!

How can you have a sound mind when the pressure builds and there is reason to fear? By leaning on the spirit God has promised (2 Tim. 1:7)! In doing so, you will not only trade fear for a sound mind, but you will get power and love thrown into the deal!

So fear not! And go Illini!

The Beautiful

A Blur

Life is a blur. 1 Corinthians 13:12 (ESV) says it this way: “For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.”

Does the beauty in your life feel like a bit of a blur? Is the view of it dimly lit? Is your grasp of it a touch uncertain? My friend, it is only because the day of your full knowledge has not yet come! The beauty is there—God is finishing the good work He started in you (Philip. 1:6)—but it is still coming into eternal focus!