Alice Cooper: "I'm Eighteen"

This shock rocker wasn't a mere singer. Many of his songs had a lot of thought put into them. This one is particularly relevant to that magic age when a boy morphs into a man. Hear it here:

Adulthood is difficult for a child to adjust to at first. That's why Paul said about spiritual maturity in 1 Corinthians 13:11 (Bible in Basic English), "When I was a child, I made use of a child's language, I had a child's feelings and a child's thoughts: now that I am a man, I have put away the things of a child."

We should also be glad to take responsibility as adults, even if it seems frightening. One great example of this is Jeremiah 1:6 and 7 (BBE). "Then said I, 'O Lord God! see, I have no power of words, for I am a child.' But the Lord said to me, 'Do not say, "I am a child:" for wherever I send you, you are to go, and whatever I give you orders to say, you are to say.'"

By the time we become adults, we should be able to assume the duties of an adult. Sadly, children these days don't have the beneficial correction of Proverbs 22:15 (BBE). "Foolish ways are deep-seated in the heart of a child, but the rod of punishment will send them far from him."

The God-given privilege of an adult is to raise a family. As Christ said in Matthew 19:5 (BBE), "For this cause will a man go away from his father and mother, and be joined to his wife; and the two will become one flesh?"

As adults, married men need the sacrificial maturity to provide for his family. Like Paul wrote in Ephesians 5:25 (BBE), "Husbands, have love for your wives, even as Christ had love for the church, and gave himself for it;"

Furthermore, work is where real consequences happen to lazy people. As Proverbs 10:5 (BBE) explains, "He who in summer gets together his store is a son who does wisely; but he who takes his rest when the grain is being cut is a son causing shame."

If Christ returns for his harvest by Thursday, I won't bother uploading my post about nothing.

Saturday Song: Gladys Knight and the Pips, "Midnight Train to Georgia"

I can't help but love this song. The woman in it is so loyal to her man that she'd rather live in his world than live without him in hers. It shows a love that's deeper than affection for one's home and friends.

Listen to this song here.

We have a great example of this sacrificial love in the Bible. Ruth 1:16 (KJV) reads, "And Ruth said, 'Entreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God:'"

Naomi and her husband left Israel because of a severe drought. Her sons married women of Moab, one being Orpah and the other Ruth. When the drought ended, Naomi wanted to return to Bethlehem but she didn't want her daughter-in-laws to follow her. Orpah went back but Ruth traveled to Naomi's homeland. As a result, she became part of the lineage which brought Christ into the world.

Furthermore, we see right from the start that the Bible is clear about a man and a woman marrying for life. Matthew 19:5 (KJV)quotes Jesus, "And said, 'For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh?'" This was in regard to a question from the Pharisees about divorce.

Of course love must work both ways, Paul wrote in Ephesians 5:25 (KJV), "Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;"

I hope you enjoyed this song and what I wrote. Please leave me a comment if you want to.

By the way, Monday's post will be about Jesus as the ultimate high priest. I'll also explain why we need him to advocate for us.