{"id":21028,"date":"2025-06-03T17:47:09","date_gmt":"2025-06-03T21:47:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/christoverall.com\/?p=21028"},"modified":"2025-06-03T17:47:10","modified_gmt":"2025-06-03T21:47:10","slug":"may-intermission-from-wise-words-to-good-fathers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/christoverall.com\/article\/concise\/may-intermission-from-wise-words-to-good-fathers\/","title":{"rendered":"May Intermission: From Wise Words to Good Fathers"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A lot can change in a short amount of time. For instance, in 2024 (and in years leading up to last year) brand name corporations bent over backwards to roll out their rainbow logos. If you don\u2019t remember, just take a look below. But today, many of the same corporations<\/a> are not showing the colors of pride.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Pride<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Photo Source: TechPost<\/a> (June 21, 2019)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Equally, Target\u2014that ever-progressive department store who has long-assaulted its June shoppers with its Pride apparel\u2014has also changed its colors. After many Christians boycotted Target in 2023 for their ostentatious LGBT children\u2019s apparel, many stores moved their displays to the back of the store<\/a>. Then, in 2024, Target \u201cscaled back<\/a>\u201d their Pride month paraphernalia, removing it from some stores entirely. And now in 2025, the front page of the Target website celebrates Father\u2019s Day, instead of Pride month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Image\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In all, this change is a vast improvement, and one for which give thanks to God (that debauchery is not being celebrated in every store!), but we should also raise our voices (or our tweets<\/a>) to support the change. While slowing down Target\u2019s descent toward Sodom doesn\u2019t mean revival has swept the nation\u2014they still do whole-heartedly support the LGBT agenda<\/a>\u2014it doesn\u2019t mean nothing, either. As a nation is known (and catechized) by its celebrations, Target\u2019s willingness to change in response to outspoken Christians is a lesson: using our words wisely really does have an impact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And lest we fall into the trap of thinking that our words must only and always preach the gospel (and nothing but the gospel), the boycott of Target, which was driven by posts, tweets, and viral videos, reminds us that our words can be used to effect positive change and remove perverse celebrations of sodomy and transgenderism. And such efforts should be commended and amplified, for as Michael Carlino has noted<\/a>, it is good and right (and even Baptistic), to seek a culture that is conducive for conversion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Going further, the words of President Trump have also served to make space for biblical truth in our culture. As many of his Executive Orders have brought sanity to a world hell-bent on mass confusion and manipulation, we should acknowledge how his administration is codifying speech that promotes many aspects of biblical truth. For instance, in Executive Order 14168<\/a>, Trump reasserted the definition that men and women are defined by their biological sex. Likewise, in Executive Order 14202<\/a>, Trump issued a protection for Christians who have experienced all manner of anti-Christian bias. And to stop at three examples, Executive Order 14151<\/a> aimed to rid the government of \u201cradical and wasteful government DEI [so-called Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion] programs and preferencing.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In each of these executive orders, the president has asserted his will and used his words to promote a vision of America that runs along the grain of the world God made. Whereas the previous administration mocked God when they festooned Washington D.C. with rainbow colors and allowed men with silicon breasts to go topless on the White House lawn, the current administration has returned to the federal government a modicum of moral sanity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And how did the White House do that?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By the use of words<\/em>\u2014words that reflect reality, instead of words that sought to create a false reality. Indeed, for all the debates we could have about Donald Trump and his current presidency, the change between 2024 and 2025 is undeniable. And in my reflection here, I am highlighting the way that words have been used to bring a positive change to our culture. As Proverbs 18:21 puts it, \u201cDeath and life are in the power of the tongue.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Truly, all who are wise know how to use words to bring life instead of death. Simultaneously, the wise celebrate speech, signs, or solicitations that point to life and not death. And that is why we should support the removal of the rainbow at the store with the Red and White circle, and why we should celebrate the return of the Red, White, and Blue in the Oval Office. To repeat, these changes do not evidence a revival\u2014at least not yet\u2014but they do reveal a vibe shift that gives Christians free range to bring the Word of God into all areas of public life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And thus, we should pray for God\u2019s Word to go forward and <\/em>we should labor to make the best use of our words. For as we have seen in the last year, change does not come by way of timid silence, but by way of bold speech. And knowing that words have come in many sizes, shapes, and colors, we have labored to provide a month of resources that touch on all aspects of words and their workings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wise Words: Simple, Salty, Sacred<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Moving from the world out there to the content in here, this last month included more than a dozen and a half articles, essays, and one super-longform. Indeed, for all the words describing this month\u2014simple, serrated, sage, salty, sacred, sublime, and so forth\u2014nothing was said about short! And thus, we have articles that range from Charles Spurgeon<\/a> to Martin Luther<\/a>, and from Speech-Act Theory<\/a> to Preaching Plainly<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, our two long forms touch on types of speech that do more than nicely and neatly convey propositional truths. In Clinton Manley\u2019s longform<\/a>, he gives ten reflections on the use holy satire. Then, in my longform<\/a> (that was also made into a PDF<\/a>), I outlined ten types of speech, associated with ten fingers. For reference, you can see the nice graphic<\/a> that Michael Carlino put together, to illustrate the essay.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On top of these longer essays, the rest of our concise articles looked at various parts of Scripture, from the Proverbs<\/a> to the Apostle Paul<\/a>, from speaking with gentleness<\/a> to Jesus\u2019s use of mockery<\/a>, and from taking our thinkings<\/em> captive<\/a> to making sure we preach our own words<\/a>. Indeed, Ethan Jago and I submitted a proposal to the Southern Baptist Convention\u2019s Resolutions Committee<\/a>, but for reasons that have not been disclosed yet, our resolution against pulpit plagiarism was not accepted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nevertheless, the need for honest speech is not only becoming of a pastor, but it is the foundation for all Christian speech. And hence, to improve the straightness and the effectiveness of our speech, we offer this month to you. Indeed, the ultimate reason for honing our skills in speaking is not just to convince department stores to carry clothes we like. Far more importantly, we long for the Word of God made flesh to speak to all his elect and draw them to himself. And knowing that God uses our words to magnify and offer his Word, seeking wisdom with our words is something we must do. And we pray this month will help.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For all the essays, articles, podcasts, and even a PDF, see the list below (with the longforms essays bolded).[1]<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. N.B. The PDF of my essay, \u201cTen Words about Words: Getting a Grip on Godly Speech<\/a>,\u201d previews a project we are working on\u2014namely, the digital collection of every month. As the Lord allows, we hope to have digital downloads available online in the fall. And for a small donation<\/a>, you or your ministry team will be able to use those.<\/h6>\n\n\n\n