We wrapped up our Red Letters book study last week, and decided to keep the 8:30pm Sunday chat going with weekly topics until January when we start a new book.  This is a great chance for some of you who could not commit to the weekly chats to join us.  Our topics will be new every week since many of us have holiday obligations that will mean missing a week here and there.  So please, join us - even if only for a week.  This week’s topic will stand alone so you won’t be behind when you start and you won’t be left hanging if you can’t make it next week.  I really want to get to know more of you.  The chats are a fun way to do that.

Since no one else has stepped up with a topic, I guess I have to.  Hmmm… lets see… Oh, I know.  A Pensee by Blaise Pascal.  This one is very short and sweet, but will challenge you in many ways if you really think about it.  Here it is:

Wretchedness: Job and Solomon

That’s it.  But it speaks volumes.  Advance reading in your bible to remember these guys, while not required, may be helpful.  Consider Job in his misery.  Consider Solomon in his glory… but also in his corruption and emptiness (Eclesiates, anyone?).  The topics:

Compare and contrast the wretchedness of these two men.

Which was more wretched?  Why?

Who knew God more closely, who was more faithful?

Now, the biggee: what does your reflection on the relative wretchedness of Job and Solomon make you think/realize about the relative wretchedness of the Africa some of us have seen in person relative to the wretchedness of America?

This is one of my favorite Pensees.  Many have written entire books and not said as much as Pascal did with four words.  When I first read this, I put down my book of Pensees and did not pick it up again for several weeks because these four words gave me so much to think about.  If you can’t make the chat, please comment here with your thoughts.  Please… I want to get to know you.  There is one area in Known to me that I feel like I/we are at risk of failing at - that is, building real friendships and commuinity among EVERYONE here.  Chime in or join the chat, even if just to humor me at first.  I think it will grow on you.