September 2, 2026

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

The True

Whitewash

“Where is the whitewash?”

The question is asked in Ezekiel 13:12, but it is really being asked today by and of you and me, as well.

Let’s zoom out to gain a bit of context. The book of Ezekiel was written during exile. Both the author, Ezekiel, and the intended audience, the Israelites, are being held against their will by the Babylonians. The book of Ezekiel is a lengthy prophesy that contains everything from identification of the causes of the current exile to the promised restoration of Jerusalem after exile. It is a wealth of riches for us to glean, and there are countless parallels to our day and time.

But for today, we zoom in on Ezekiel 13, in which Ezekiel excoriates the false prophets of the day. He calls them “jackals” (v. 4) and says they “have not gone up to the breaches in the wall to repair it for the people of Israel so that it will stand firm in the battle on the day of the Lord” (v. 5). He also repeatedly calls them liars. This portion of the text leads our community to two questions this week:

Have the voices who shape our thinking been to the breaches in the wall?

Have we been to the breaches in the wall?

What a sobering consideration. We live in a hyper connected world where everyone has a megaphone. All of us have an opportunity to be heard, and so many (perhaps even most) of us speak out. This can certainly be a good thing when properly stewarded, but have you ever stopped and wondered:

Has the voice that is shaping my thinking been to the place of brokenness?

Does this voice personally know what it means to serve at the point of need?

Is this voice simply speaking, or is it drawing on personal experience?

It gets even more personal when you ask these questions to the mirror:

Have I been to the breach in the wall?

Do I know what it means to serve and meet the need?

Am I speaking or serving?

In verse 10, Ezekiel decries those who have “repaired” the wall by covering it with whitewash. He warns that the wall will collapse and that when it does, the people will ask, “Where is the whitewash you covered it with?”

My friends, the fractures in our world and our culture are real. The gaps and the vulnerabilities are significant, and the proposed remedies and solutions are many! But so much of what is espoused is simply whitewash that will not stand when the testing comes. This week, as we consider a world of upheaval and tumult, let us take honest stock of our own lives.

Have you been to the breach in the wall? Do you know firsthand what is torn down and destroyed? Is your speech informed by experience? What about the voice that informs you? Is it polished due to its safe and distant vantage point, or is it a bit gritty as a result of standing in the breach?

What about whitewashing? Do you live with a thin facade disguising what is broken in your life? Related, have you accepted the whitewashing attempts for the societal fissures around you? Will you be shaken when the storms of life tear that whitewashing to the ground?

These are serious, dire questions and warnings, but we consider them because the opposite is true, as well! There is eternally redemptive and restorative power that emanates from the one who has been to the breach and who draws on the strength of the One who repairs and restores that which is broken!

The key is knowing the difference. The one who has not been to the breach is an empty voice. The one who whitewashes over the breach is a deceiver. But the one who stands in the breach to repair it is the one you should trust and the one you should endeavor to be! You, my friend, are not meant to whitewash; You are a repairer of broken walls!

“Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins and will raise up the age-old foundations; you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls, Restorer of Streets with Dwellings” (Is. 58:12).

World

Himalayan Flood

A catastrophic flood was triggered when a large portion of a mountainous glacier broke free and initiated a massive land, ice, and water slide in Nepal last week. The event registered as a 5.2 seismic quake, but the most significant impact was in the valleys as waterways roared over their banks in moments, destroying towns, roads, and structures. More than 1,100 people are confirmed dead in the wake of the flooding, and the toll is rising rapidly, with more than 4,000 still missing. In addition to the dead and injured, tens of thousands are displaced, many of whom had their homes destroyed.

Search and rescue efforts continue in both Nepal and the adjoining Tibet region of China. Officials say the conditions are making it difficult to reach some of the hardest hit remote regions.

Analysis and eternal perspective: The near instantaneous nature of this massive and destructive event adds to the shock of it. Video footage from several locations in the region shows life as usual one moment and then utter devastation just a few seconds later.

There will be a great deal of material need in the impacted communities for some time as rescue and recovery eventually turns to rebuilding. For those able, there will be a significant need for volunteers and workers to invest in restoring some of what was lost. For those not able to physically go, there are and will continue to be many groups deploying to provide aid, comfort, and sustenance in the weeks and months ahead. Consider cheerfully supporting one of these efforts in accordance with 2 Corinthians 9:7. Every Jesus follower should also be praying for God’s hand of care and comfort to be with those who are suffering.

Finally, take a moment to consider the suddenness of this event. It calls to mind 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11, which tells of a moment when many will have a sense of peace and safety, but “destruction will come on them suddenly.” The passage speaks not of a natural disaster like the one in this story, but of a final judgement. It further reminds Jesus followers to be unafraid of and unsurprised by this coming event, because our eternity is secure with Jesus.

So much of our daily stress and effort is aimed at things that will not last. A story like this, sobering and tragic as it is, can be a stark reminder to vest your energy in that which will not be stolen by a thief in the night.

World

Venezuela Oil Deal

On Monday, The White House announced what it calls “the biggest oil deal in world history.” The deal referenced is between the U.S. and Venezuela and gives the U.S. partial ownership in a 100-year lease of 17 Venezuelan oil fields representing an estimated 65 billion barrels of reserves. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth signed the deal for the U.S., and Venezuelan interim President Delcy Rodriguez—installed after former president Nicolas Maduro was taken into custody by the U.S.—said the deal “will revive Venezuela’s economy and increase government revenue.”​

Analysis and eternal perspective: First, take a moment to marvel at the wonder of God’s creation! What abundant and miraculous natural resources and riches the Creator has bestowed on us! It has long been one of the challenges of mankind to determine how to utilize and share these resources, but the mere existence of them in so many usable forms is nothing short of a miracle to be celebrated!

Next, the 100-year lease involved here should make us think about what Deuteronomy 6:10-12 calls “cities you did not build, houses filled with all kinds of goods you did not provide, wells you did not dig, and vineyards and olive groves you did not plant.” This particular deal, as with any major economic deal, will have both its advocates and its critics. But each of us benefits from the efforts of those who have gone before us, and each of us should be investing in those who will survive us should the Lord’s return tarry. This is one very tangible way to lift our eyes off ourselves and set our sights on others. By investing in those who will steward creation in 100 years, it affords us a perspective far grander than the one yielded by our current circumstances.

What will exist or be more fruitful in 100 years because of what you do today? If this is a difficult concept for you to grasp, start by thinking about the blessings you enjoy that exist because of those who lived a century ago. What does their forethought inspire in you? How can you emulate that today in a way that will be similarly reflected on long after your time on Earth has passed?

Technology

$17.1 Billion Settlement

Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, agreed to a massive settlement with dozens of state attorneys general last week. The centerpiece of the main settlement is $17.1 billion in payments to states that filed claims related to teen social media addiction. A separate settlement with the state of Texas brings the total monetary figure to approximately $18 billion. In addition, Meta will be compelled to comply with a series of default child safety features. At the center of the state claims are internal documents that show the company knew the addictive impact of their product designs and deployed them anyway. The settlement brings this wave of litigation to an end but leaves open a larger debate about the impact of emerging digital technology on children and teens.

Analysis and eternal perspective: $18 billion is a very large sum of money. That said, Meta had revenue of $201 billion in 2025, so this settlement, which is to be paid out over 10 years, is unlikely to have a material impact on the company’s financial health. The more impactful question is whether it will be a catalyst for change in how Meta and other tech companies design and market products used by children.

For Jesus followers, this story should cause a more personal reflection. We live in an age of great technological wonder. It is easy to see the sweeping benefits of that technology, but too often it is also easy to overlook the harm that may be occurring alongside those benefits.

Most importantly, who or what is truly discipling you? As you and I endeavor to be faithful and fervent followers of Jesus, we must be constantly vigilant to measure—both in volume and intensity—the makeup of our inputs. How does your volume of digital consumption compare with your time in God’s Word? What Voice or voices are the loudest, most constant, or most persuasive in your life?

This is not an exercise of condemnation, but rather liberation. Every time I truly do this analysis, I find a totality of inputs that does not align with my desired result. This recognition allows me to adjust accordingly.

Matthew 7:15-20 reminds us to distinguish good from bad according to the “fruit” produced. In other words, is the result nourishing or poisonous? In this instance, even amid great advances, there is a mountain of bad fruit. That reality should be instructive to Jesus followers as we regularly recalibrate our relationship with technology and especially the companies who design and market it to us.

The Beautiful

Bold

This week’s image depicts bold colors and illustrates the confidence you should have as you interact with the temporal world while walking in the power of the one true God! Proverbs 28:1 says you can be “bold as a lion” even while all those around you are fleeing. Why? Because you can “approach God’s throne of grace with confidence” (Heb. 4:16)!

What a beautiful thing to walk humbly with boldness because you’ve been to the throne room of the almighty God!