FavOR aiNt fAIr

There's a saying one of my spiritual mentors, the late Dr. Myles Munroe, often quoted, that I carry with me every day of my walk. "When purpose is not known, abuse is inevitable."

That abuse stretches into many areas but one is the mishandling of the word of God. Meaning we take something that is precious and make it profane. We take an idea that the Author used in a specific context of a specific time, era, or social climate and apply it to our "right now" without thought for what the intended point of the message was. Conversely, we can do the opposite and take something meant for everyone and restrict to a specific group of people. Or we can just take religious buzzwords to exalt ourselves above others and make a mockery of God's Word, while destroying people in the process. Reminds me of the catchphrases that I heard ad nauseum for the last twenty plus years like "I'm Blessed and Highly Favored", "Favor Ain't Fair", and other assorted misused ideologies.

I look at my employees and co-workers in our building sideways when I sincerely ask them how they're doing and they respond with the now obligatory "I'm here". Now if I wanted to know your specific location at that moment, responding with "I'm here" might make some sense. But I'm not looking for where you are geographically because I know where you are. I look at people in our religious circles the same way when I pose the same question. Their response is normally "I'm blessed and highly favored" or some variation of the same. I question if answering that by describing your state or condition of being is appropriate either but we'll table that for another time. Let's look at being favored.

My circles, even in twenty plus years of ministry, might be a bit small as a sample size but I have heard the idea of being favored used either as if it is a crown for people God likes more than everyone else or used routinely as a way to avoid answering the true question: How are you?

Remember when the virgin Mary was approached by an angel from the Lord and the greeting he gave her in Luke 1:28-29? He said, "Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you. Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think of what the angel could mean."

Would it be safe to assume that Mary was confused by the greeting because it was not common? Was it something that she had never heard in her ears? People say "Favor Ain't Fair" when they laud something they have over someone who does not have it. Basically, a "believer's" way of saying "Nah, nah, nah, nah, nah, you can't have none!" This is not God's method and does not reflect His heart.

We're not favored because we have a nice car. We're not favored because we have a six figure income. We're not favored because we have fourteen children when our neighbor only has one. We're not favored because we remember the scripture address but can't live it and our peers only know a few but apply it to their lives daily.

You say you're "blessed and highly favored"? Mary was blessed and highly favored because she was being given the ability to shift and usher in something that would dramatically alter the course of life for countless people. She was being given a responsibility that would cause her to be shunned, ostracized, mocked, insulted, and disrespected. And to add to that, she had to listen to insults, lies, and even the extreme heights of brutality and then the cruel crucifixion of the same seed that she was blessed and highly favored to bring into this world. She was not favored to lead. She was favored to serve. Now how many of you still want to be "blessed and highly favored"? I'll wait.......

Favor is given for you to serve and not to lead. 

Favor takes you from your loved ones and into far away lands.

Favor put you in a pit and leaves you for dead. 

Favor takes you from comfortable homes into captivity.

Favor needs to be of service to others. 

Favor allows you to govern areas you have no prior background in. 

Favor is not designed to intimidate people beneath you. 

Favor means you will help people and they will forget their promise to you and take you for granted. 

Favor doesn't mean you're better than someone else but it does mean that you have the ability to shift situations for someone else's good and never your own.

Favor means people will use you and they're supposed to. It's activated when in the midst of someone else's need. 

Favor will help save someone else's marriage even if it means putting you in prison when you're innocent. 

Favor has pain because you're more effective easing other people's hurt than you can your own.

Favor is worthless to someone who doesn't like people. 

Favor puts you in high places only to preserve the lives of many not to exalt your position or status.

Just ask Joseph. (Genesis 37 through Genesis 50:26 for context)

Is that fair? 

BoUT tHAt (AnT) LiFe

You got to love Proverbs 6:6-8. Every time I get challenged with the seasons I go through, this scripture offers almost immediate comfort and re-focusing. It reads: "Go to the ant, you sluggard! Consider its ways and be wise! It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest."

There's no shame in saying that you have no idea what that means. It's one of those times in reading your Bible that context is very necessary. The verses that precede it could help shed some light on what this harsh sounding rebuke is coming from. Verses 1-5 read:

"My son, if you have put up security for your neighbor, if you have shaken hands in pledge for a stranger, you have been trapped by what you said, ensnared by the words of your mouth. So do this, my son, to free yourself, since you have fallen into your neighbor's hands: Go to the point of exhaustion, and give your neighbor no rest! Allow no sleep to your eyes, no slumber to your eyelids. Free yourself, like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, like a bird from the snare of the fowler."

I don't know about you but that helps make the picture much clearer. If we continue in laziness and a sedentary spiritual and natural life, we are at the mercy of other people. We are prone to be victims to their decisions because we balked at making enough of them for ourselves.

This sounds strangely like a father warning his son against being lazy and slothful. Perhaps the father possesses a great many things and he desires to pass the profitable business down to his son but fears that he will waste the opportunity due to a lack of desire and strong work ethic. Commentaries teach us that when poverty is entertained even in the slightest, it becomes too strong to overcome and we are overtaken. They also teach us that it is our duty to be diligent in business affairs, not so that we are wealthy and able to lord our good fortune over the heads of others but that we are not an unnecessary burden to others or be proponents of scandal in your communities.

In this scenario, the ant makes us look pretty bad. Look at it down to the basics. This ant has no one looking over their shoulder offering advice, no guide on which direction they should go, no one to call the ant to account, or to offer correction when they go astray. They do everything according to their natural instinct. They provide for what is needed regardless of the external environment around them and what might be commonly done in their midst. They are diligent to work and they don't break pattern. They don't "forget" their duty. They are tireless workers. They are not subject to compromise and slackness. How often have you heard of a starving ant?

In contrast, we as humans have overseers (supervisors, pastors, parents, etc.), guides and mentors, life coaches and disciplers, teachers and all manner of leadership. We have means to receive correction and inspiration where we need it. We have access to resources and programs and opportunities under the proviso that we can get up off the proverbial (and literal) couch to seek. The ant doesn't have GPS navigation or a car to get to the nearest grocery store for supplies. They get out of the hole and seek. They look. They smell. They sense. They work. It feels embarrassing for the father to tell the son "Look at the example of the ant! Follow the example of the insect!"

There's an old saying that my dearly departed mother in law stated often "You don't miss your water until your well runs dry." It is applicable to marital relationships, family connections, or your status in the workplace, your local church, or your community. It's a metaphor for the idea that you have taken something or someone for granted. It means you don't know what you have until it's gone.

What may come to mind for you in this moment is your job and your need for more money but the countless times you may have squandered the opportunity or maybe just how you have mishandled opportunities to launch that business that's been on your heart or even something as simple as not helping your spouse with normal household duties. All those are suitable and certainly applicable but what I would offer is the idea that maybe we have become lazy in our spiritual lives as well. How do we intend to correct that? Go to the ant. Consider his ways and be wise!

SomEtHIng tO ReFLecT oN

Is it possible to provide too much information about ourselves on social media? "Baby's First Poop" and a half eaten Pork Chop with gravy and Scalloped Potatoes might be best left out of your selfies. T.M.I.

Just the way "believers" behave themselves proves that we don't understand grace so we will not readily detect when it has run out.

It could very well be plausible that there is no such thing as an "All-American". Please forward all comments and criticisms to Ancestry.com.

A person experiencing mental and emotional torment looks just like you and I, are "good people", have children and responsibilities like we do, and hold down a good job just like we do, and, wait for it, attend church every Sunday like we do. So why are they still tormented?

I'm starting to wonder if there is more than one "Jesus Christ" out there because I hear music artists who receive awards thank Him and honor Him as Lord and Savior but He can't be found in one of their songs. Maybe He uses a stage name.

Still waiting for an answer from the ladies on why married women or those spoken for by a significant other still post selfies that are slanted and angled to accentuate their bosoms. All I have so far is "no comment".

Is the distance between driving while texting and vehicular homicide or manslaughter really as far from each other as you think?

Fantasy football has the ability to desensitize us if we let it. You know it's started when a player with a family goes down with a horrific injury on the field, we plop back in frustration in our chairs and feverishly figure out how this will affect our roster. 

Even if you hold all the facts and you are absolutely correct in your assessment of a situation, a lack of integrity and solid character makes you wrong every time.

Since the early days of civilization, many have tried to make something holy or good that at it's core is unholy. Even today's churches rent their facilities out so many of these activities can take place. 

You can tell what you worship and give the most honor to by where you spend most of your time and whom you spend it with.

The previous administration wasn't close to being my favorite and I saw a lot of negatives but it's hard to read my timeline and not wonder if Obama is the most hated and vilified President of modern times for reasons other than his politics. It made me immediately question what my "friends" think about me. Hmmm.

The true disciple learns, not so that they can teach others, but so that they can learn and grow themselves.

There are strong indications that some end time prophecy is starting to take shape. In order to have medical care, you will need to be implanted with an RFID chip in your forehead or arm. SOUL-searching!

You know something is amiss when your friend who hates reading and never liked school plays "Gynaecia" in Words With Friends.

Is it possible to stand up for the anthem, place your hand across your chest, lift your head up high and say the words in concert with everyone around you and still not believe in what you're saying? 

In times of storm and tragedy, some people say God doesn't exist because if He did, in their estimation, He would eradicate all evil and there'd only be good on Earth. If He eradicated all evil and showed no mercy or grace, Earth would be uninhabited by human beings. 

A true test of our humanity is to scroll past the islands and towns that were decimated by storms and still find a place to post a complaint about how hard our lives are.

Who regularly goes back through their timeline and looks at what they wrote and shared? Exactly. We can't get back the words we launch into the online world once they've been loosed. We can't get the rocks we have thrown at others before they land where they're thrown.

If the Bible accurately notes that the path to destruction is wide and broad and many follow it but the path to life is narrow and few even find it, why is so easy for us to follow the "crowds" and have "crowds" follow us? Where are we heading exactly?

What makes you go "Dang"? Share in the comments. We would love to hear yours. 

THe REaL AmeriCAN QuiZ

Do you consider yourself a "Real American"?
We'll find out.

52 states, 52 questions

Perhaps you will find this quiz enjoyable. Or not. Mirror Time With Mr. Yu is going to do what we always do: Make You Laugh, Make You Cry, Or Make You Think!

1) Were you born and raised in this country?
2) Do you see the American Flag as an important symbol of this country?
3) Do you like the sport of baseball?
4) On Thanksgiving, do you think about the Native American people and their plight?
5) Is the exercising of free speech something you could not live without?
6) Do you feel more patriotic at your 4th of July barbecue?
7) What is your willingness to donate to local and national charities? (Scale of 1 to 10)
8) Name every president of the U.S. starting from the first to the most current.
9) Do you connect drinking beer with loving your country? If so, why?
10) Have you ever been to a third world country? Do you prefer that place to the U.S.?
11) Whose face is on the quarter (25 cents)?
12) What do you normally do with your family on Labor Day?
13) How do you celebrate Veterans Day even if you don't know any veterans?
14) Would you prefer to live in the Midwest rather than on either coast? If so, why?
15) What is your favorite ice cream flavor?
16) How do you celebrate Presidents Day? Does any of these activities involve new furniture?
17) Is Christmas the most significant or the least significant holiday of the year?
18) Are the sound of bagpipes annoying or relaxing?
19) Can you accurately describe every aspect of the one dollar bill?
20) Is football your hands down favorite sport?
21) Do you stand up and cheer when Snoopy's float appears in the Thanksgiving Day parade?
22) Do you think Taylor Swift represents America and its values?
23) What's the #1 reason that would make you move to Canada or to some other foreign country?
24) Does "Uncle Sam" instill confidence in you or does he make you nervous?
25) When you come upon a homeless or destitute person, what is the first response of a "True American"?
26) If you could have one wish for America as a country, what would it be? (You cannot say "A Utopian Government")
27) Is blond hair and blue eyes American?
28) If you were not born in this country, would you pick any other country over the U.S.?
29) What is the address to the White House?
30) What is your all time favorite American meal?
31) If there was one book that symbolized America to you, what would that be? (Racists that dropped out of 4th grade need not answer- you're exempt.)
32) If someone says "America is evil", what is the appropriate response of a "Real American"?
33) Do you believe that if everyone said what they thought, the country and world would be a better or worse place?
34) What is the appropriate condiment for a hot dog: Mustard or Ketchup?
35) What is the appropriate condiment for a hamburger: Mayonnaise, Ketchup, or Mustard?
36) Do you know what the meaning of the stars and stripes on the American Flag symbolize?
37) When was America founded?
38) Who said "My fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country”?
39) How many stripes are on the American flag?
40) What is still the most watched TV finale in television history?
41) What is the most popular color (paint and clothing) in America?
42) Whose presidential faces are on Mount Rushmore?
43) What is the most popular music genre in America?
44) Whose face is on the one hundred dollar bill?
45) Which is not a nickname of New York City, "Melting Pot", "The City That Never Sleeps", "The Big Apple", or "The Empire City"?
46) Which is America's most popular pie, Strawberry, Apple, Pecan, or Coconut Cream?
47) What, in your hometown or where you currently live, best symbolizes what America means to you?
48) What is the least popular color (paint and clothing) in America?
49) What is America's most popular ice cream flavor, Cookies & Cream or Chocolate?
50) What is the most kind hearted act you performed this year so far?
51) What is your all time favorite candy?
52) Which American city is home to the Liberty Bell?

Bonus Question: What is the one thing about this country that makes you the most proud?

COmmiTMenT iSSueS

Do you have "commitment issues"?

One of my favorite mottos is "Relationship Over Religion". I used it (and perhaps invented it) continuously during a weekly series on discipleship that I was teaching about four or five years ago. It stuck and I look at the world I live in through that lens. It's even the title of an earlier blog with more detail on where that idea comes from.

I look at my three beautiful grown daughters and the issues they struggle with in relationships in their quest to find a "good man".

I look at my niece who is about to be married and is finding it difficult to locate family that will support her on this incredible journey towards a new life with her soon to be husband. "Family" has become unreliable.

I look at some of my employees who are desirous to have more money and a better position but they are averse to the grind of being consistent and laying the groundwork for a fruitful career. They just appear to want something for nothing.

I look at so many friends and acquaintances that I have in ministry all around the country. Most of their complaints are identical. There are many needs that require immediate attention but no one wants to put the effort in. They all have too many outside "commitments" and it's just not priority for them to do anything for the Church. It does not appear to rank high on the priority list.

It all boils down to the same heart condition. An inability to commit.

So many young men don't know how to commit because they have never seen it modeled or mirrored in their upbringing. "Family" can be so familiar with their fellow family members that it breeds contempt. (See Jesus when He tried to take His ministry to His countrymen. He couldn't affect change because they only saw Him as Joseph, the carpenter's son.) Employees often can't commit to the company vision usually they can't see themselves in it or they have yet to understand who they are personally so they can be fulfilled.

Religion is a system of beliefs constructed by man for the benefit of men. God never required this and it rarely if ever meets His purposes or lines up with His ways. It is flawed because men use their own logic to justify it. Think about that passage in James 1:23-26 in this context. Religion allows man to do what they think is best and expect God to find it acceptable. That old saying "The path to hell is paved with good intentions" comes to mind. If you have a warped perception of things, every idea and concept that comes out of that is also warped by extension. If you don't change your mind, you really can't change your trajectory.

"For if a person just listens and doesn't obey, he is like a man looking at his face in a mirror; as soon as he walks away, he can't see himself anymore or remember what he looks like. But if anyone keeps looking steadily into God's law for free man, he will not only remember it but he will do what it says, and God will greatly bless him in everything he does. Anyone who says he is a Christian but doesn't control his sharp tongue is just fooling himself, and his religion isn't worth much."

If his/her lifestyle doesn't measure up to what he/she professes, their religion is worthless. I believe it translate the same in relationships. If a wife talks a good game with her girlfriends on a girls night out but disregards and neglects her duties at home, her profession is worthless to her husband.

People are obsessed with having options. It is safer to worship more than one God. It is safer to have multiple places to worship in the event that someone rubs you the wrong way or does something you don't like. It is safer to have a "side piece" in case your main squeeze missteps. It is safer to avoid commitment so you don't get hurt and retain all of your heart. It is safe but not realistic for long term personal and spiritual growth. In order for fruit to be produced, a seed has to "die" so that it can truly live.

Sad to say, commitment is the new dirty word. And from the looks of things, that sentiment is lining up with the deterioration of our moral fiber.

• More than 50% of marriages end in divorce in the U.S. and that number is climbing. 

• More than 45% of employees in the workplace are not engaged with the company. 26% are actively working to remain disengaged from their companies.

• Recent statistics seem to indicate that 50% of Americans do not have a church home and less than 20% are actually attending church regularly. But more than 75% of people polled identify as Christians.

Although I am a self professed numbers guy, this is one time where that doesn't move the needle for me. I am more concerned with the reason why the commitment is so tenuous at best. We may ask more questions than we get answers but I wanted to use this piece to open up the avenue for discussion and perhaps accomplish some kind of breakthrough in this. Please use the comments section to ask your own questions or share your answers that others might gain positive perspective from it. If you choose to do neither, at least, consider this in your own personal situation wherever this applies.

I'd like to leave you with some questions to ponder:

1) When looking for a home church for you and your family, what factors do you take into consideration?

2) Ladies: In your mind, what is the definition of a "good man" and where does that belief come from?

3) Gents: In your mind, what is the definition of a "good woman" and where does that belief come from?

4) How do you describe "family"? Are they blood related, not blood related, or both?

5) What are the important factors that help you decide on whether you will commit to an organization or a relationship?

6) If you have a solid friend or friends in your life, how committed are you willing to be to sustain the relationship(s)? (Scale of 1 to 10, 1 being the minimal and 10 being the maximum commitment)

7) How do you view the place where you work? Do you find pleasure and fulfillment in hard work? Do you believe the company has undervalued you and your faithful service?

8) If you're in a serious romantic relationship, what are your expectations? Are the expectations equal between both you and your partner?

9) What area (s) are you having a challenge with commitment? Are you willing to help fix them or have you given up?

ThErE aLL tHE tIMe

I've told this story many times but it is still poignant today. 

I've been in some semblance of active ministry for nearly 20 years and a good friend sparked this again in me over lunch this afternoon. It made me a bit reflective about where I came from, where I am, and even what others like me might be dealing with right now. 

In my humble opinion, you can't have ministry without His Spirit, and you can't have His Spirit without a humble heart and a bonafide connection/relationship with God Almighty. Please allow me to share a very brief story with you on something I experienced in ministry that changed my view forever. I won't name persons associated with this experience or the specific ministry. Please don't ask me. Just appreciate this piece of my history and hopefully this encourages all of us to do better when we claim the name of the Lord in what we do. Okay. Here goes. 

I was working with a traveling praise team that consisted of about twelve members. It was exciting to travel to so many different places and meet people from all walks of life. Getting to minister in song was just a bonus. The director was very skilled, accomplished, and classically trained. He was a stickler for detail and aimed for perfection. It was an uneasy connection at first between him and I. A good friend of mines and a mentor in a sense held the position before him and I was pretty tight with him. When he was forced to leave the position, it hit me hard and I had a lot of questions. The only thing I was sure of was that I wanted to continue to sing and be a part of the ministry I was in. So I embraced the new leadership and I worked hard to get what he was trying to teach us. Like I said, he was very skilled and accomplished and he knew talent when he saw it. I looked up to him and wanted to learn at his feet, at least, some of what he had learned. As faithful and consistent as I tried to be, it seemed that he just couldn't see me. He seemed to look right through me until we were joking around during practices then he noticed me. Professionally, I was invisible. We sang with and behind some of the greatest names in gospel and secular music from Yolanda Adams to Mariah Carey and we were exposed to so much together. Really good times and really low moments but he still never saw me. The Lord spoke to me one night and told it was time to resign from the ministry team. I knew that meant I was leaving the church altogether but that was much later. I was awestruck and sad and unwilling to readily accept this. 

"Did I finish my task there, Lord?" were one of the questions I asked but eventually I obeyed. My heart was so heavy the next Worship rehearsal. I had the letter of resignation burning a hole in my pocket. I didn't want to reach in and give it to the director. In an unexpected surprise during practice, I was grudgingly asked to co-lead a solo on a song that featured two male leads, which I performed the following night. That would, in effect, be my final night on that platform singing and it was the epitome of bittersweet. I say grudgingly because the director tried to use anyone else he could but me. I still didn't get why this was a thing but it was clear enough that other people saw it too but would only admit it in very private quarters. Eventually, there was clearly no other viable option and the opportunity was given to me. It was a bone and I recognized it but I humbled myself and let the Lord have the reins. I sung that song like I've never sung any song ever. I didn't attempt to impress the director or make anyone notice me. I felt like I was showing God that I can do what He gifted me to do and the entire building erupted to such a level that the director had us sing the song for several more minutes after the song should have been done. We spent nearly 12-15 minutes on that same song and there didn't seem to be any sign of stopping whatever the Lord was doing in the house that night. I still remember the look on his face immediately after service when I sat down with the director after turning in my resignation papers. He didn't ask me to pray or reconsider my decision. His mouth was just open and he kept shaking his head. His famous last words after I thanked him for giving me an opportunity to serve with the team was: "I didn't know that was in you!"

He said that a few times while continuing to shake his head. That was one of the saddest moments of my life but not for the reason you might think. You can find it in parables. You can find it in popular movies. You can find it in historical biographies. Don't misuse or mishandle the valuable resources and treasures in your sphere of influence. They will not be there always. I didn't see myself as valuable at the time and I didn't even consider myself particularly talented. All I knew was that I was gifted with something bigger than me. It didn't make me bigger but IT was big. 

As a steward and a leader, it's going to be our reality at some point. We will have to give account for how we treated and invested what belongs to God. How do we want to be remembered? Did we have the appropriate heart for the necessary service? Were we humble and pliable before the Lord? Did we do all we could to provide the best "offering" possible? Or did we give what was convenient and didn't cost you anything? Cain tried that and look where that got him. Just sayin'. 

HiDDen In PlaIN sIGHt

Remember when you used to be a little kid? 

You used to be scared of the things that go bump in the night, the beasts that growl, snarl, and threaten, and lurked in the shadows. You thought you saw something in the corner. You thought you heard a sound in the closet. You thought you felt something under the bed. You'd rather not walk down the dark hall to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night. Bad dreams. Thunder and lightning. Howling winds. Creeping, crawling things. The stuff childhood nightmares are made of.

This caused many a sleepless night for many of us. 

Now you're all grown up. Perhaps with kids of your own that you nightly encourage to not be afraid of such things. We tell them that these things are not real. We tell them that we should ignore the monsters and they can't harm us. Your final instructions? 

Now close your eyes and go back to sleep.

When we open our eyes the next morning, what exactly do we see?

The world outside of our front door is scary too. Remaining asleep is, of course, optional. We don't have to look. We can turn our heads and avert our eyes. We can see what we want to see. Just like when we were little kids. We can hide in the comforting land of "make believe". Bad cannot harm or affect us and everything is good. Or, conversely, we can say, everything is bad and threatens to harm and destroy us and nothing is good. A tale of two contrasting extremes with seemingly nothing logical in between.

I'm unashamedly not a fan of the horror movie genre and I'm also not afraid of the things that plagued us back then. To me, those monsters on the movie screen pale in comparison to the ones much closer to home.

What's scary now are the people that everyone says can do no wrong. They are above reproach no matter the circumstance. They would never dare be challenged to change. The vast majorities loves them blindly and cannot see even the most obvious blemish. They would never believe a bad word spoken against these "pillars of the community". They will always have the benefit of the doubt. They're the kindest, sweetest, most hospitable persons you know and they would never hurt a fly. They are untouchable. They are in control. And they're everywhere. 

But some of you have been so privileged to see what lies beneath. You have been given a rare opportunity to look behind the curtain. You have seen them without their garb, without the mask that they wear publicly. You have seen them in their true form. But so many remain under the initial impression that "they" don't exist. They are willfully or ignorantly unaware of these ugly, mean-spirited, self-serving monsters. They smile in your face and speak atrocities behind your back. They shake your hand but they think you're beneath them and devalue your life. They say "bless you" but don't wish you well. They say they love God but they hate you or worse, they loath themselves so they lack the capacity to love you. They attempt to snuff out the light of innocent children. They defame and tarnish anything meant to be sacred and pure. They steal what is not theirs by right. They use division to maintain their power and leverage. They profit from the destruction of others. If they can't understand or control it, it must be destroyed. All they give to you comes with a price to be paid later. They devour and never get enough to satisfy their insatiable hunger. They have built their own empires and wield with iron hands behind the guise of a friendly smile. They have grown stronger with each day. 

They are the most dangerous "monster" the world has ever seen. They have power and influence in the community, in public offices, in schools, in the church, and in organization. They lack your moral disposition. They lack the human compassion necessary to co-exist. They are depraved. They are delusional that they are always right and everyone else is wrong. They make decisions that affect you but do not benefit you. They believe the world is better without you in it. They're dangerous not because they're unstoppable with some super power or because they have truth or some wisdom on their side. They're dangerous because of their ability to hide in plain sight. Not in the shadows where the monsters used to dwell but outside in your world, on your television, on your favorite radio station, in your workplace, within your organization, and in your neighborhood. Not concealed in the shadows as the "monsters" you once knew but now are standing in the light. 

But few want to see them now just like we didn't want to see them back then. It's easier to just pretend they are not there. No horns, claws, or sharp teeth but monsters nonetheless. 

We will forever be unable to conquer what we refuse to confront.