It’s Black Friday. And I absolutely REFUSE to leave my house unless someone’s life depends on it on Black Friday. All the people and cars and traffic and people. *shudder* But even on a day like today, we can take discernment into account. So today, some brief thoughts on supporting discernment.
A Few Good Resources
There simply aren’t that many resources for discernment out there. Good ones, I mean. Simplistic, too-easy options abound, of course. But finding good options for learning and engaging with discernment and solid Jesus-centered thinking can be hard to do.
So, since it’s Black Friday (which is followed by Small Business Saturday, Cyber Monday and all the rest), here are a few good options for supporting discernment you can buy and give.
Mama Bear Apologetics by Hillary Ferrer
Talking with Your Kids about God: 30 Conversations Every Christian Parent Must Have by Natasha Crain (Also Talking with Your Kids about Jesus.)
Keeping Your Kids on God’s Side: 40 Conversations to Help Them Build a Lasting Faith by Natasha Crain
The Case for Christ by Lee Stroebel (also Stroebel’s The Case for Faith, The Case for the Creator, and the versions of his books for kids.)
Evidence That Demands a Verdict by Josh McDowell
Show Them Jesus by Jack Klumpenhower
Supporting Discernment in Ministry
Do you know of Preemptive Love? It’s a ministry to refugees, particularly in Syria and the Middle East. I have personally supported their work, and the funds they raise go toward feeding and providing clothes and basic needs for refugee families. They are also helping to rebuild lives, where they are, by selling soaps and other products hand-made by the refugees they serve.
But the thing I love most about Preemptive Love is actually their slogan. Ready for it?
Love anyway.
Life is hard. Things are hard. A sin-sick world is filled with such unholy things like war and brokenness and heartache.
Love anyway.
Not “love wins.” (Though it does). Not “just love.” (As if it’s just that simple and easy to fix all the wrong things.) No cheap, too-easy promises that we can fix all things if we just try hard enough and accept everyone and pet people on the heads no matter what.
Love anyway.
Love when it’s hard. When it’s uncomfortable. When it’s fun and easy. Love always. Love anyway.
This is a slogan, a heartbeat, that is discerning and real. It’s further proof that this group is worth supporting because they’ve dug in and thought it through and found the Bible’s call to be truth. Perfect? Or course not. But they’re taking that truth, in the name of love, to the hard, hurting places of the world.
That’s a ministry worth supporting. It’s what I mean by supporting discernment. Putting my money in their hands to do real and difficult work. Buying their products to support the thoughtful, honest, and anchored expression of biblical truth. Wearing their logo to add my voice alongside theirs.
Supporting discernment means throwing my (rather insignificant) weight behind the people who are living out the discerning, deep life wherever they are.
Maybe you can support them, too.
