A Snail Rings the Doorbell

Raoul’s Two Cents: December 6, 2024

Brood of Vipers

WARNING: Political topic. Move on to the jokes if you aren’t interested.

There are some very angry people out there. I can’t prove it but I suspect someone sabotaged my tires. The parking spot was hidden and was beside a hangout for younger kids. Someone placed a huge thick screw under my front tires when I went to the grocery store. So when I backed out, I heard the crunch of the screw puncturing my tire. At first I didn’t know what that sound was until I heard the bumpity bump as I sped on. It’s fortunate that I was only driving in the local roads and for a short distance. Otherwise, driving on the freeway would have been fatal.

Angry people love to share their anger. It didn’t work on me. I’m just glad I didn’t get into an accident.

I blame it on the election. I blame it on the misinformation that people have been fed that raised their expectations so high it has made it difficult for them to handle the truth. To me, the fake news was plain to see so it’s baffling that even now many still refuse to concede that they were misled. Watch the angry talk shows, the fake mainstream news and they’re still at it. Observe the prideful politicians who are doing everything they can to sabotage the incoming administration. You see them unashamedly making political decisions according to their skewed values instead of admitting the majority of the population is against them.

Who pardons his own drug addict son and allows him to get away with millions of bribed dollars and sexual crimes? What a dysfunctional family! Rumor has it that the father and son were having a conversation and the father whispered something in the son’s ear.

Confused, the son said “pardon me?”

“Oh, Okay!” said the Dad.

I’m just kidding.

Who still allows the illegal immigrants to pour in and get special treatments? Who sends out millions of dollars to foreign countries instead of supporting American citizens suffering in the streets and in hurricane ravished areas? It’s their last attempt to “party” before the adults take over.

Alas, history repeats itself. Prideful narcissism is more common than we think. As unbelievable as this seems, I observed the same stubbornness in my scripture reading this week.

Jesus was compassionate towards the poor and the downtrodden but he held no punches when he addressed the Pharisees and religious/political leaders of his time. In Matthew 23, he cursed them to their faces:

“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites!”

“Woe to you, blind guides!”

“You snakes! You brood of vipers!”

The hypocritical Pharisees accused Jesus of partying with sinners. But lest you think there was no hope for these unbelievers, consider the Biblical author (the apostle Matthew) who was himself among the privileged social oligarchs … a former tax collector … he understood their corrupt world.

In those days, these ancient IRS guys were hated for taxing their fellow Jews and lining their own pockets before handing the rest to the feared Romans. Matt must have known Zacchaeus, a fellow tax collector who returned the money to all he cheated (Luke 19). When these two tax collectors humbled themselves and accepted Jesus (who was several notches below their social status) as their Lord, these two were completely changed.

It’s easy for us to point fingers but I fear, just as clueless as the Pharisees were to their sins, we too may be clueless of our own faults. Perhaps it’s time to do some serious introspection because we too may be as stubborn and prideful as the Pharisees.

Of course, this is just me. TGIF people!

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“The greatest among you will be your servant.” — Matthew 23: 11-12

“A proud man is always looking down on things and people; and, of course, as long as you are looking down, you cannot see something that is above you.” — C. S. Lewis

“The proud wish God would agree with them. They are not interested in changing their opinions to agree with God’s.” — Ezra Taft Benson

“Pride is concerned with WHO is right. Humility is concerned with WHAT is right.” — Ezra Taft Benson

p.s.
Did you miss me last Friday? Yes, I didn’t send out my TGIF post Thanksgiving. I went on vacation — binge-watched with my loving wife.

JOKE OF THE WEEK

Thanks to Harry of Kentucky

Original art by Raoul Pascual.

Parting Shots

Thanks to Tom of Pasadena, CA

Sad testament of the US Education System

Thanks to Laer of Tehachapi, California

Thanks to Anna of Virginia

NOT A JOKE

Thanks to Fred of Long Beach, CA

Thanks to Art of Sierra Madre, CA

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

Thanks to Drew of Anaheim, CA

Thanks to Norm of Sherman Oaks, CA

Thanks to Albert of Dallas, Texas
NOT A JOKE

I found these:

My good friend (and jokester) Terry and I came up with these.

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