BY REV. BOB GILBERG
The Olive Branch Community Church of Firebaugh
G. Michael Hopf, author of the post-apocalyptic novel, “Those Who Remain,” wrote: “Hard times create strong men. Strong men create good times. Good times create weak men. And, weak men create hard times.”
The good news is that masculinity is making a comeback. No longer are young men willing to accept being labeled as toxic. As the young men from Gen Z challenge the false truths the world casts upon them, they are returning to conservative values founded upon faith, rooted in traditional families and manifested in a commitment to serve the communities and the nation in which they live.
This quote is not exclusive to men. This is a universal truth that applies to all people, men and women alike. There are many modern-day testimonies that attest to this truth.
There is a story of a young black man who grew up in 1950s Detroit. His parents divorced when he was eight. His mother worked three jobs. Because his family was forced to move often, he fell behind in his schoolwork. His classmates teased him, labeling him as the dumbest kid in the world.
His mother decided to take matters into her own hands. What did she do? She switched off the television. He was allowed to watch only two programs a week. Each week, his mother made him read two books.
He would later write, “I began to actually enjoy reading the books…. I could go anywhere in the world, be anybody, do anything. You know my imagination began to run wild.”
Within two years, he went from the bottom of his class to the top.
This is the story of Dr. Ben Carson.
Carson grew up during hard times. Because of this, he became strong and successful. Carson grew into a world-renowned brain surgeon, elite academic, author and 2016 presidential candidate. He also served in the cabinet under the presidency from 2017 to 2021.
Consider the story of another young man who grew up in a very affluent and successful family, who was afforded every privilege. After completing high school as valedictorian, he attended an Ivy League college. His name is Luigi Mangione. He has been charged with killing the CEO of UnitedHealthcare and is currently in federal prison.
“Hard times create strong men. Strong men create good times. Good times create weak men. And, weak men create hard times.”
There are three fundamental truths embedded within this saying.
First: Privilege does not guarantee success. The example of Israel’s experience in the wilderness is a warning to the church of what can happen to people who hear God’s words and see His works but do not come to true faith. Paul interprets these events in relation to being baptized in 1 Corinthians 10:1-13.
Just as the Christian believer has been delivered from sin and death through Jesus Christ, Israel was delivered from Egypt by God. Israel identified with Moses in their Red Sea “baptism” in the same way that the members of the church identify with Jesus in Christian baptism.
Second: Good beginnings do not guarantee good endings. The Israelites experienced God’s grace in the wilderness. They were liberated from slavery but failed to reach the Promised Land. After all of the spiritual blessings they received, they failed to trust God at His Word. What was the result? An entire generation was condemned to wander and die in the wilderness.
Experience must always be balanced with caution. We will never come to a place in our Christian walk where we are free from temptation and its consequences. The Israelites thought they could safely experiment with sin by participating in acts of idolatry and sexual immorality.
They were wrong. Their offenses against God led to severe judgment.
An idolator is also an image worshipper. Consider what images you might be worshipping. With the advent of the smartphone and social media, we are exposed to more images in a single day than the Israelites would have been in their 40 years of wandering through the wilderness.
Third: Every person has the ability to overcome the temptations of this world. God permits us to be tempted because He knows how much temptation we can withstand, and He always provides a way to escape the temptation that is before us.
James wrote, “Submit yourselves to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you,” James 4:7.
Today’s pressures make it easy to ignore or forget the lessons of the past. Paul cautions us to remember the lessons of the Israelites so that we might avoid repeating their errors. The key to remembering is this: Study the Bible regularly to remind yourself of how God wants you to live.
God is seeking fruit from His church. He will not accept substitutes.
