- Just a little while ago,
00:00:00.86\00:00:02.33
I met an honest to goodness
rock star in an elevator,
00:00:02.33\00:00:05.63
or at least I kind of did.
00:00:05.63\00:00:08.07
And just wait till you
hear what we talked about.
00:00:08.07\00:00:11.41
[mellow music]
00:00:11.41\00:00:13.98
Okay, this is
gonna sound really weird,
00:00:31.93\00:00:34.20
but if you hang in there,
00:00:34.20\00:00:35.43
I think you'll
like where I'm going.
00:00:35.43\00:00:37.03
The other night
I couldn't sleep.
00:00:37.03\00:00:38.43
That's pretty usual for me.
00:00:38.43\00:00:40.04
So I started
wandering around the house,
00:00:40.04\00:00:41.94
looking for a new spot to sleep,
00:00:41.94\00:00:43.81
hoping that would do the trick.
00:00:43.81\00:00:46.74
And when I finally did
fall asleep in the wee hours
00:00:46.74\00:00:49.74
of the morning, we're talking
two or three in the morning,
00:00:49.74\00:00:52.11
I had this really vivid
dream that kind of stuck with me
00:00:52.11\00:00:55.05
when I woke up.
00:00:55.05\00:00:56.35
Now I know the last
thing you want to hear
00:00:56.35\00:00:58.52
is about my dream.
00:00:58.52\00:01:00.09
And I can't tell you how
many times people come up to me
00:01:00.09\00:01:02.32
after I'm speaking at a
live event to tell me about some
00:01:02.32\00:01:04.93
wacky dream that goes
on and on and on and on
00:01:04.93\00:01:07.93
until I'm trying
to escape from them.
00:01:07.93\00:01:09.56
So, I mean, I know firsthand
that the telling of dreams
00:01:09.56\00:01:13.23
isn't very popular, but
at least you're not trapped.
00:01:13.23\00:01:16.10
I mean, you have the
ability to turn this show off
00:01:16.10\00:01:18.27
at any moment.
00:01:18.27\00:01:19.11
So here it goes.
00:01:19.11\00:01:21.28
I dreamed I was walking
across a college campus,
00:01:21.28\00:01:24.28
which isn't all that
unusual because, well,
00:01:24.28\00:01:26.85
I have these recurring
nightmares about college
00:01:26.85\00:01:29.15
where I'm late for class
and I can't find the classroom,
00:01:29.15\00:01:32.22
or I'm desperately
trying to find the place
00:01:32.22\00:01:34.59
where the final exam
is being administered.
00:01:34.59\00:01:37.46
But this time it
wasn't a nightmare.
00:01:38.59\00:01:40.96
I was walking across this
college campus with Sting,
00:01:40.96\00:01:44.87
you know, the famous singer.
00:01:44.87\00:01:46.40
And I was asking him
questions about what it's like
00:01:46.40\00:01:48.70
to be a celebrity.
00:01:48.70\00:01:50.21
What's the hardest
thing about being famous?
00:01:50.21\00:01:52.21
How do people treat you?
00:01:52.21\00:01:53.54
How do you wish
people treated you?
00:01:53.54\00:01:55.48
And honestly, I have no idea
what Sting is like in person,
00:01:55.48\00:01:58.95
but I will tell you this,
00:01:58.95\00:02:00.85
the dream version of Sting
is very cordial and he made lots
00:02:00.85\00:02:04.95
of time for talking as we
strolled across the campus.
00:02:04.95\00:02:08.06
And then at one point
we went inside a building
00:02:08.06\00:02:10.53
and got into this elevator.
00:02:10.53\00:02:12.59
And as the doors were closing
he side and he said this,
00:02:12.59\00:02:16.03
the hardest
thing about all of this
00:02:16.03\00:02:17.53
is that people
treat me differently.
00:02:17.53\00:02:20.17
And that's when I woke
up at about, I don't know,
00:02:20.17\00:02:22.10
4:30 in the morning.
00:02:22.10\00:02:23.34
And I guess it
kind of stuck with me,
00:02:23.34\00:02:24.94
not because I'm famous,
00:02:24.94\00:02:26.37
but because I do lead
something of a public life,
00:02:26.37\00:02:29.44
I've been doing that for the
last quarter century or more.
00:02:29.44\00:02:32.28
And not to get too new agey
00:02:32.28\00:02:33.82
but I suspect this
dreamland celebrity was actually
00:02:33.82\00:02:37.12
reflecting my own
feelings back to me.
00:02:37.12\00:02:39.09
Again, it's not that I'm famous
because obviously I'm not,
00:02:40.46\00:02:43.19
but in some
Christian circles, not many,
00:02:43.19\00:02:46.19
but in some Christian circles,
00:02:46.19\00:02:47.50
I am somewhat
recognized because well,
00:02:47.50\00:02:49.93
sometimes because of
the books I've written
00:02:49.93\00:02:51.73
or because of my
work in TV and radio.
00:02:51.73\00:02:54.40
So that would make me
what, a Z list celebrity?
00:02:54.40\00:02:57.31
Because apart from the handful
of people that listen to me
00:02:57.31\00:02:59.77
once a week,
nobody really knows me.
00:02:59.77\00:03:02.01
And to be honest, that's
kind of the way I like it.
00:03:02.01\00:03:04.05
There are people who crave
having their name out there
00:03:04.05\00:03:06.92
and I'm most decidedly
not one of those people.
00:03:06.92\00:03:09.48
In fact, some people
are surprised to learn
00:03:09.48\00:03:11.92
that I'm an introvert.
00:03:11.92\00:03:13.15
I prefer peace
and quiet in places
00:03:13.15\00:03:15.16
that are away from people.
00:03:15.16\00:03:17.53
But all the same
00:03:17.53\00:03:18.99
I have led something of a
public life and it's given me
00:03:18.99\00:03:21.86
a lot of reasons to reflect
on the way that human beings
00:03:21.86\00:03:24.73
treat each other.
00:03:24.73\00:03:26.23
I mean, I'll admit there
was a definite difference
00:03:26.23\00:03:28.84
once I obtained a
modicum of recognizability.
00:03:28.84\00:03:32.04
Suddenly people liked me
because they'd seen me on TV.
00:03:32.04\00:03:35.48
And when I stepped into a
church where people knew me,
00:03:35.48\00:03:38.38
I was treated like
royalty and my wife was not.
00:03:38.38\00:03:43.08
Not until they
realized we were married.
00:03:43.08\00:03:45.29
And it always bothered me
that we got different treatment.
00:03:45.29\00:03:48.52
And I knew I would've
gotten different treatment too
00:03:48.52\00:03:50.93
if the gathering
had no idea who I was.
00:03:50.93\00:03:54.23
Which brings me to the subject
00:03:54.23\00:03:55.93
of how we tend to value people.
00:03:55.93\00:03:58.33
Human nature
seems to be wired such
00:03:58.33\00:04:00.37
that we
instinctively treat people well
00:04:00.37\00:04:03.51
if we think they
can do something for us
00:04:03.51\00:04:06.01
and we tend to
ignore them if they can't.
00:04:06.01\00:04:08.88
Maybe one of the reasons
we tend to idolize the rich
00:04:08.88\00:04:11.71
and famous is because we
somehow hope that we can hitch
00:04:11.71\00:04:14.52
our own wagons to their success
and go along for the run.
00:04:14.52\00:04:18.39
But you know, as soon as a
celebrity plummets from grace
00:04:18.39\00:04:22.02
or falls into hard times,
00:04:22.02\00:04:23.39
people drop them
like a hot potato
00:04:23.39\00:04:25.63
and move on to something else.
00:04:25.63\00:04:27.50
These people were being used.
00:04:27.50\00:04:29.50
I've noticed this happens
a lot to child actors who are
00:04:30.97\00:04:33.07
the darlings of the
entertainment world one day,
00:04:33.07\00:04:35.77
but then find
themselves on the outside
00:04:35.77\00:04:38.11
as soon as
they're no longer cute
00:04:38.11\00:04:39.64
or when they have to
live through the perils
00:04:39.64\00:04:41.88
of adolescence
under public scrutiny.
00:04:41.88\00:04:44.71
I mean, how many
child celebrities
00:04:44.71\00:04:46.75
haven't you seen
going off the rails
00:04:46.75\00:04:48.42
when the artificial life
they've been forced to live
00:04:48.42\00:04:51.45
suddenly catches up with them?
00:04:51.45\00:04:53.62
And they begin to suspect
00:04:53.62\00:04:55.32
that they're nothing more than
a product, a ticket to wealth
00:04:55.32\00:04:59.19
for somebody else.
00:04:59.19\00:05:00.73
And while it's painfully
visible on the stage of fame
00:05:00.73\00:05:03.50
and fortune, the same
does hold true for most of us.
00:05:03.50\00:05:06.84
At some point in our lives,
00:05:06.84\00:05:08.34
we get this nagging feeling
that people only value us
00:05:08.34\00:05:10.97
as long as we're useful to them.
00:05:10.97\00:05:13.31
The idea that somebody
might actually love you
00:05:13.31\00:05:15.78
just for who you are,
00:05:15.78\00:05:17.45
well most of us
realize that's actually
00:05:17.45\00:05:19.58
pretty hard to find.
00:05:19.58\00:05:22.05
It's an idea that you
find buried in a famous story
00:05:22.05\00:05:24.59
that Jesus told in the
pages of the New Testament.
00:05:24.59\00:05:27.79
The son of a wealthy man
demands his inheritance early
00:05:27.79\00:05:31.33
so he can go out and
make a life for himself.
00:05:31.33\00:05:34.10
And he stumbles into the
painful reality of a world
00:05:34.10\00:05:37.07
that only values you
if they find you useful.
00:05:37.07\00:05:40.47
Here's what it says.
00:05:40.47\00:05:41.60
"Then he said, a
certain man had two sons.
00:05:42.90\00:05:45.57
And the younger of
them said to his father,
00:05:45.57\00:05:47.64
father, give me the portion
of goods that falls to me.
00:05:47.64\00:05:51.01
So he divided to
them his livelihood.
00:05:51.01\00:05:53.21
And not many days after,
00:05:53.21\00:05:54.85
the younger son
gathered all together,
00:05:54.85\00:05:56.75
journeyed to a far
country and there wasted
00:05:56.75\00:05:59.32
his possessions
with prodigal living.
00:05:59.32\00:06:01.96
But when he had spent all,
there arose a severe famine
00:06:01.96\00:06:04.66
in that land and he
began to be in want.
00:06:04.66\00:06:07.40
Then he went and joined himself
00:06:07.40\00:06:08.53
to a citizen of that country
00:06:08.53\00:06:10.07
and he sent him into
his fields to feed swine.
00:06:10.07\00:06:13.10
And he would gladly have
filled his stomach with the pods
00:06:13.10\00:06:15.97
that the swine ate and
no one gave him anything.
00:06:15.97\00:06:19.97
It's a story that ends
on a really lonely note,
00:06:21.14\00:06:23.48
a note that
resonates with most of us.
00:06:23.48\00:06:26.15
Now, it doesn't
explicitly say this,
00:06:26.15\00:06:28.48
but when this boy had
money, he had friends.
00:06:28.48\00:06:31.15
And we know that because, well,
00:06:31.15\00:06:32.62
it's hard to live a
prodigal existence by yourself.
00:06:32.62\00:06:36.29
The old King James version
says he was in riotous living,
00:06:36.29\00:06:39.43
which is really
hard to do alone.
00:06:39.43\00:06:42.00
Now it is a fictitious story,
00:06:42.00\00:06:44.47
but the teller of
the story is giving us
00:06:44.47\00:06:46.23
an honest assessment
of the world we live in.
00:06:46.23\00:06:48.67
When you're able to
do something for people,
00:06:48.67\00:06:51.64
when you're
paying for the party,
00:06:51.64\00:06:53.78
you have lots of
so-called friends.
00:06:53.78\00:06:55.84
But the moment that's over,
00:06:55.84\00:06:57.21
those ephemeral
friendships just evaporate
00:06:57.21\00:06:59.88
and you find yourself
keeping company with pigs.
00:06:59.88\00:07:03.65
That's a painful
reality for most people.
00:07:03.65\00:07:06.12
We feel like we're only
valued for what we can do
00:07:06.12\00:07:09.02
for somebody else.
00:07:09.02\00:07:10.29
You know, a few years
back at the peak of my career,
00:07:11.76\00:07:13.73
I fell sick with this
mysterious illness and it became
00:07:13.73\00:07:17.13
severe enough that I
had to suddenly step down
00:07:17.13\00:07:19.53
from the job I had.
00:07:19.53\00:07:21.14
Just a few months previous
people wanted to be my friend,
00:07:21.14\00:07:24.37
but as soon as it was obvious
00:07:24.37\00:07:25.71
that I could no longer
carry on with my duties,
00:07:25.71\00:07:28.81
I could suddenly count the
number of real friends I had
00:07:28.81\00:07:31.58
on the fingers of one hand.
00:07:31.58\00:07:33.38
I mean, a handful of
people sent me get well cards
00:07:33.38\00:07:36.15
and then I never
heard from them again.
00:07:36.15\00:07:38.65
Now part of that is
just the reality of life.
00:07:38.65\00:07:41.36
Most of my acquaintances
were work acquaintances.
00:07:41.36\00:07:43.96
And so, I mean, of course
they had to get on with life.
00:07:43.96\00:07:46.90
That's perfectly normal.
00:07:46.90\00:07:48.76
And I've been guilty
of doing the same thing.
00:07:48.76\00:07:50.93
The mere act of
surviving in this world
00:07:50.93\00:07:53.30
is an all consuming task.
00:07:53.30\00:07:55.17
And when I was no
longer a regular part
00:07:55.17\00:07:57.37
of many people's work
lives, well, it only made sense
00:07:57.37\00:08:00.38
there was a drop
off, it makes sense to me.
00:08:00.38\00:08:02.68
I mean, you often see the
same thing happening at funerals
00:08:02.68\00:08:05.18
where the congregation has
to get back to the business
00:08:05.18\00:08:08.08
of living tomorrow and
the bereaved are left alone
00:08:08.08\00:08:11.05
when the service is
over, it just happens
00:08:11.05\00:08:13.56
and it's not
really anybody's fault.
00:08:13.56\00:08:15.89
But still underneath that,
00:08:15.89\00:08:19.19
we all have this nagging sense
00:08:19.19\00:08:20.83
that most people only
value us if we're useful.
00:08:20.83\00:08:24.07
Now I do have to take a quick
break, but when I come back,
00:08:24.07\00:08:27.07
we're going to talk
about the way the Bible
00:08:27.07\00:08:28.94
offers a
solution to that problem.
00:08:28.94\00:08:31.71
I'll be right back after this.
00:08:31.71\00:08:33.24
- [Narrator] Dragons,
beasts, cryptic statues.
00:08:36.58\00:08:40.55
Bible prophecy can be
incredibly vivid and confusing.
00:08:40.55\00:08:45.49
If you've ever read
Daniel and Revelation
00:08:45.49\00:08:47.69
and come away scratching
your head, you are not alone.
00:08:47.69\00:08:50.73
Our free "Focus on Prophecy"
guides are designed to help you
00:08:50.73\00:08:54.20
unlock the mysteries of
the Bible and deepen your
00:08:54.20\00:08:56.73
understanding of God's
plan for you and our world.
00:08:56.73\00:09:00.04
Study online or
request them by mail
00:09:00.04\00:09:02.37
and start bringing
prophecy into focus today.
00:09:02.37\00:09:05.91
- We're back.
00:09:05.91\00:09:06.74
Just before the break
00:09:06.74\00:09:08.24
I was talking about the way
we tend to value other people
00:09:08.24\00:09:10.18
and how we tend
to prize people more
00:09:10.18\00:09:12.65
if we think they
can do something for us.
00:09:12.65\00:09:15.88
Here in the west
00:09:15.88\00:09:17.39
people love celebrities
because somehow they feel
00:09:17.39\00:09:19.75
that they're tapping
into those people's success
00:09:19.75\00:09:22.56
just by making
contact with them.
00:09:22.56\00:09:24.89
I mean, just watch the
way that people name drop,
00:09:24.89\00:09:27.60
hoping that you will
place a higher value on them
00:09:27.60\00:09:30.80
because they once
met someone famous.
00:09:30.80\00:09:33.47
We have this awful
propensity for using people
00:09:33.47\00:09:37.67
instead of loving them.
00:09:37.67\00:09:39.04
And then
suddenly 2000 years ago,
00:09:40.21\00:09:41.74
a rather remarkable man
suddenly appeared in our midst
00:09:41.74\00:09:44.71
and started treating
people, well differently.
00:09:44.71\00:09:48.05
Let me read you a story
00:09:48.05\00:09:50.15
that appears more
than once in the pages
00:09:50.15\00:09:52.15
of the New Testament.
00:09:52.15\00:09:53.66
And I think we'll look
at the version that's found
00:09:53.66\00:09:55.46
in the gospel according to Mark.
00:09:55.46\00:09:57.79
Here's what it says
now in Mark chapter two,
00:09:57.79\00:10:00.96
As he, that's Jesus, "As
he passed by, he saw Levi,
00:10:00.96\00:10:05.93
the son of Alphaeus,
sitting at the tax office."
00:10:05.93\00:10:09.57
Now here's what we
should probably understand
00:10:09.57\00:10:11.87
about this story.
00:10:11.87\00:10:13.11
If we think nobody
likes the IRS today,
00:10:13.11\00:10:16.38
back in Jesus' day, tax
collectors were even more
00:10:16.38\00:10:20.18
unlikeable because
they worked for the Romans
00:10:20.18\00:10:22.92
and the Romans
were an occupying power.
00:10:22.92\00:10:25.95
A tax collector was
considered a traitor.
00:10:25.95\00:10:29.02
And of course,
nobody likes a traitor.
00:10:29.02\00:10:32.23
The story continues.
00:10:32.23\00:10:34.10
"And he said to him, follow me.
00:10:34.10\00:10:36.53
So he arose and followed him.
00:10:36.53\00:10:38.53
Now it happened as he
was dining in Levi's house
00:10:38.53\00:10:40.94
that many tax collectors
and sinners also sat together
00:10:40.94\00:10:44.81
with Jesus and his disciples,
00:10:44.81\00:10:46.64
for there were many
and they followed him.
00:10:46.64\00:10:49.24
And when the
scribes and the Pharisees,"
00:10:49.24\00:10:51.35
those were the respectable
religious leaders of the day.
00:10:51.35\00:10:54.42
"When the scribes and
the Pharisees saw him eating
00:10:54.42\00:10:57.45
with the tax
collectors and sinners,
00:10:57.45\00:10:59.09
they said to his disciples,
00:10:59.09\00:11:01.16
how is it that
he eats and drinks
00:11:01.16\00:11:03.66
with tax
collectors and sinners?"
00:11:03.66\00:11:07.20
Now let's be clear about
what's actually happening
00:11:07.20\00:11:09.76
in this story.
00:11:09.76\00:11:11.27
These tax collectors
have nothing to offer Jesus,
00:11:11.27\00:11:14.07
except, you know,
00:11:14.07\00:11:15.54
maybe letting Jesus
slide a little on his taxes,
00:11:15.54\00:11:17.67
something Jesus would never do.
00:11:17.67\00:11:20.58
These people have
nothing to offer Christ
00:11:20.58\00:11:22.81
except love and respect.
00:11:22.81\00:11:25.05
They can't advance
his public ministry.
00:11:25.05\00:11:27.12
They can't boost his
popularity in the polls.
00:11:27.12\00:11:30.29
In fact, hanging out with
Jesus is probably going to do
00:11:30.29\00:11:34.19
precisely the opposite.
00:11:34.19\00:11:36.22
And yet there he is
hanging out with these people
00:11:37.59\00:11:40.10
because he values them.
00:11:40.10\00:11:41.90
And they don't love
him because he's wealthy
00:11:41.90\00:11:43.83
or because he can help
them climb the corporate ladder.
00:11:43.83\00:11:47.10
In fact, the Bible
tells us Jesus wasn't wealthy.
00:11:47.10\00:11:49.77
He had nowhere to lay his head.
00:11:49.77\00:11:52.14
This is a story that
runs completely contrary
00:11:52.14\00:11:55.11
to our normal expectations.
00:11:55.11\00:11:57.65
I mean, imagine
someone who loves you
00:11:57.65\00:11:59.55
just because you're you.
00:11:59.55\00:12:01.08
Not after you change to
become something more lovable,
00:12:01.08\00:12:03.99
not because you can
do something for them,
00:12:03.99\00:12:07.02
but just because.
00:12:07.02\00:12:09.32
It runs completely
contrary to the way we
00:12:09.32\00:12:11.59
expect the world to operate,
00:12:11.59\00:12:13.46
which is obvious
from the outraged comments
00:12:13.46\00:12:16.10
of the influential
people who witnessed
00:12:16.10\00:12:17.87
Jesus eating with these people.
00:12:17.87\00:12:19.50
How is it that he eats
and drinks with tax collectors
00:12:19.50\00:12:22.70
and sinners?
00:12:22.70\00:12:24.84
You know, over the years,
00:12:24.84\00:12:26.34
I've had the opportunity
to do quite a bit of travel,
00:12:26.34\00:12:28.94
enough that I've
built a little bit of status
00:12:28.94\00:12:31.75
with some of the airlines.
00:12:31.75\00:12:33.45
And I'll admit, I
mean, psychologically,
00:12:33.45\00:12:36.25
the airlines really
know what they're doing
00:12:36.25\00:12:38.05
with those loyalty programs.
00:12:38.05\00:12:40.09
I mean, you get to
board the plane first,
00:12:40.09\00:12:42.22
they greet you by name,
00:12:42.22\00:12:43.89
they recognize your status,
you get a special check-in line.
00:12:43.89\00:12:47.60
And even the occasional
upgrade to first class.
00:12:47.60\00:12:51.67
And it works
because psychologically,
00:12:51.67\00:12:54.04
it feels really
good to be recognized.
00:12:54.04\00:12:56.84
But underneath it, you know
00:12:56.84\00:12:58.44
you're not being recognized
because the airline loves you.
00:12:58.44\00:13:01.44
You're being recognized
because you represent revenue.
00:13:01.44\00:13:04.98
And the moment you don't
fly enough is the moment you get
00:13:04.98\00:13:07.65
sent to the back of the plane.
00:13:07.65\00:13:10.49
And that's the world we live in,
00:13:10.49\00:13:12.49
the world we expect
where status is awarded
00:13:12.49\00:13:15.16
based on your utility.
00:13:15.16\00:13:17.09
And it's been that way since
the dawn of recorded history.
00:13:17.09\00:13:20.53
But then that history is
dramatically interrupted by a
00:13:20.53\00:13:23.93
man who operates by a completely
different set of rules.
00:13:23.93\00:13:27.40
When Jesus was challenged by
the temple authorities to prove
00:13:27.40\00:13:30.27
that he had the
authority to teach,
00:13:30.27\00:13:31.84
he responded by saying,
00:13:31.84\00:13:33.58
"Assuredly I say to you
that tax collectors and harlots
00:13:33.58\00:13:37.88
enter the kingdom
of God before you."
00:13:37.88\00:13:41.55
Now compare that to
the world we live in,
00:13:41.55\00:13:44.59
a world where personal
entitlement is the rule of the
00:13:44.59\00:13:48.02
day. I mean, we've all heard
those stories where customers
00:13:48.02\00:13:50.53
scream at a clerk,
don't you know who I am?
00:13:50.53\00:13:53.63
We are so
desperate to be valued.
00:13:53.63\00:13:56.73
And I find it interesting
that it's often celebrities
00:13:56.73\00:13:59.47
who act out like that.
00:13:59.47\00:14:00.90
And most of us
unfortunately love those stories
00:14:00.90\00:14:04.07
where celebrities
throw a public temper tantrum
00:14:04.07\00:14:06.88
because in our minds, they
just got taken down a notch.
00:14:06.88\00:14:09.61
And if they've
been taken down a notch,
00:14:09.61\00:14:11.68
maybe the rest of us can
prove we're just as valuable
00:14:11.68\00:14:14.38
as those people and
what, maybe even more valuable.
00:14:14.38\00:14:17.32
It's the double edged
sword of modern celebrity.
00:14:18.72\00:14:21.76
If we think
someone can do us a favor,
00:14:21.76\00:14:23.46
we treat them like gold.
00:14:23.46\00:14:25.36
But as soon as it's
obvious they can't or won't,
00:14:25.36\00:14:27.96
we suddenly want them
to fall off their perch.
00:14:27.96\00:14:30.40
And we experience a
great deal of schadenfreude
00:14:30.40\00:14:32.47
when they do, we love it.
00:14:32.47\00:14:34.47
Whether it's Miley Cyrus
who fails to get recognized
00:14:34.47\00:14:37.04
at a burger stand
00:14:37.04\00:14:38.54
or Faye Dunaway getting
her credit card declined,
00:14:38.54\00:14:40.78
part of us loves that
because the mighty get served
00:14:40.78\00:14:44.25
a slice of humble pie.
00:14:44.25\00:14:46.21
I mean, I'll be honest.
00:14:46.21\00:14:47.72
The fact that Jesus offended
the religious authorities
00:14:47.72\00:14:50.05
by fraternizing with the lowest
rung of the social ladder,
00:14:50.05\00:14:53.86
I kind of enjoy it.
00:14:53.86\00:14:56.02
But really we need
to ask ourselves why,
00:14:56.02\00:14:58.16
why do we bask in the
moment when the most celebrated
00:14:58.16\00:15:00.86
members of society suddenly
have that value stripped away?
00:15:00.86\00:15:04.17
I suspect that at least to
some degree it's because we all
00:15:05.53\00:15:07.84
fear the same
thing might happen to us.
00:15:07.84\00:15:10.97
We fear that our personal value
00:15:10.97\00:15:12.71
might be hanging by a thread.
00:15:12.71\00:15:15.34
And that's where
the person of Christ
00:15:16.58\00:15:18.55
suddenly grabs our attention.
00:15:18.55\00:15:19.91
I mean, who is this
man who turns social values
00:15:19.91\00:15:22.82
on their head and hangs
out with low life and hookers?
00:15:22.82\00:15:26.29
Who is this man who touches
lepers and has all the time
00:15:26.29\00:15:30.29
in the world for a
woman who has been condemned
00:15:30.29\00:15:32.59
by absolutely everybody
for being a home wrecker?
00:15:32.59\00:15:36.03
I mean, what kind of a leader
builds his personal cabinet
00:15:36.03\00:15:39.20
from uneducated laborers
and hot tempered fishermen?
00:15:39.20\00:15:43.17
Jesus is nothing at all
like the world we're used to.
00:15:43.17\00:15:47.18
So let's go back
to the prodigal son
00:15:47.18\00:15:49.38
sitting in that pig pen.
00:15:49.38\00:15:51.08
When the money runs out
and his friends disappear,
00:15:51.08\00:15:53.98
this is the thought
that pops into his head.
00:15:53.98\00:15:56.99
"But when he came
to himself, he said,
00:15:56.99\00:15:58.92
how many of my
father's hired servants
00:15:58.92\00:16:01.19
have bread enough and to spare?
00:16:01.19\00:16:03.16
And I perish with hunger.
00:16:03.16\00:16:04.86
I will arise and go to my
father and will say to him,
00:16:04.86\00:16:07.50
father, I have sinned
against heaven and before you
00:16:07.50\00:16:10.43
and I am no longer
worthy to be called your son.
00:16:10.43\00:16:14.04
Make me like one of
your hired servants.
00:16:14.04\00:16:17.11
And he arose and
came to his father.
00:16:17.11\00:16:19.01
But while he was
still a great way off,
00:16:19.01\00:16:21.04
his father saw
him and had compassion
00:16:21.04\00:16:23.58
and ran and fell on
his neck and kissed him."
00:16:23.58\00:16:27.58
Now, remember this,
00:16:27.58\00:16:29.05
this is the kid who
squandered his inheritance,
00:16:29.05\00:16:31.65
who abused his father's
kindness and who put himself
00:16:31.65\00:16:34.66
ahead of everybody else.
00:16:34.66\00:16:36.96
And then foolishly threw his
privileged life in the trash.
00:16:36.96\00:16:40.30
This is a spoiled rich kid
who shared his father's name
00:16:40.30\00:16:43.83
and dragged it through
countless bars and brothels,
00:16:43.83\00:16:47.07
doing untold damage
to the family reputation.
00:16:47.07\00:16:50.57
He quite literally has
nothing to offer his dad.
00:16:50.57\00:16:54.11
And yet he discovers his
father waiting in the road,
00:16:54.11\00:16:56.78
hoping he'll come back.
00:16:56.78\00:16:59.08
So who is this man who
walks among the rejects?
00:16:59.08\00:17:02.65
If you have seen me, Jesus
said, you have seen the father.
00:17:02.65\00:17:05.79
I'll be right back after this.
00:17:06.86\00:17:09.06
- [Narrator] Here at
the Voice of Prophecy,
00:17:12.46\00:17:13.93
we're committed to
creating top quality programming
00:17:13.93\00:17:16.43
for the whole family
00:17:16.43\00:17:17.90
like our audio adventure
series "Discovery Mountain".
00:17:17.90\00:17:21.00
"Discovery Mountain" is a
Bible based program for kids
00:17:21.00\00:17:23.94
of all ages and backgrounds.
00:17:23.94\00:17:25.87
Your family will enjoy the
faith building stories from this
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small mountain
summer camp and town.
00:17:29.04\00:17:31.48
With 24 seasonal
episodes every year
00:17:31.48\00:17:34.02
and fresh content every week,
00:17:34.02\00:17:36.15
there's always a new
adventure just on the horizon.
00:17:36.15\00:17:39.32
- You know, the real
question we should probably
00:17:42.72\00:17:44.39
be asking ourselves about
this story is what it says about
00:17:44.39\00:17:47.40
the way that you and
I treat other people.
00:17:47.40\00:17:50.37
I know that
Christians have developed
00:17:51.43\00:17:53.17
an unfortunate reputation
for treating people badly.
00:17:53.17\00:17:57.01
And unfortunately, I
think that to some extent,
00:17:57.01\00:17:59.74
Christians should
probably own that.
00:17:59.74\00:18:01.78
I mean, we can be
judgemental and we can develop
00:18:01.78\00:18:05.71
an us and them mentality
00:18:05.71\00:18:07.82
designed to
reassure ourselves that well,
00:18:07.82\00:18:09.95
we aren't as
bad as other people.
00:18:09.95\00:18:12.02
And because of that,
00:18:12.02\00:18:13.56
a lot of people have no idea
what this book actually says
00:18:13.56\00:18:17.09
because Christians sometimes
get in the way of that.
00:18:17.09\00:18:20.36
Not only do we have
the example of Jesus,
00:18:20.36\00:18:23.23
but we also have a
number of pointed statements
00:18:23.23\00:18:25.73
that remind us of how
God expects us to value other
00:18:25.73\00:18:29.97
people. I mean, just
listen to this statement
00:18:29.97\00:18:31.54
that comes from Paul's letter
00:18:31.54\00:18:32.97
to the Philippians
starting in chapter two.
00:18:32.97\00:18:37.08
It says, "Therefore, if there
is any consolation in Christ,
00:18:37.08\00:18:41.98
if any comfort of love, if
any fellowship of the spirit,
00:18:41.98\00:18:45.15
if any affection and mercy,
00:18:45.15\00:18:46.89
fulfill my joy by being
like-minded, having the same
00:18:46.89\00:18:51.53
love, being of one
accord, of one mind.
00:18:51.53\00:18:54.30
Let nothing be done through
selfish ambition or conceit,
00:18:54.30\00:18:57.50
but in lowliness of mind
00:18:57.50\00:18:59.93
let each esteem
others better than himself."
00:18:59.93\00:19:03.47
That's a good example.
00:19:03.47\00:19:04.71
How about this one
over in the book of James.
00:19:04.71\00:19:06.68
This is such a profound reversal
of the way we usually think
00:19:06.68\00:19:10.78
that I'm gonna read
quite a bit of this passage.
00:19:10.78\00:19:12.78
Here's what it says.
00:19:12.78\00:19:14.15
"My brethren,
00:19:15.25\00:19:16.48
do not hold the faith
of our Lord Jesus Christ,
00:19:16.48\00:19:18.59
the Lord of
glory, with partiality."
00:19:18.59\00:19:21.46
In other words,
00:19:21.46\00:19:22.89
you can't rightfully
call yourself a Christian
00:19:22.89\00:19:24.63
if you treat people the same
way the rest of the world does.
00:19:24.63\00:19:28.30
He continues, "For if there
should come into your assembly
00:19:28.30\00:19:31.77
a man with gold
rings and fine apparel
00:19:31.77\00:19:34.47
and there should also come
in a poor man in filthy clothes
00:19:34.47\00:19:37.84
and you pay attention to
the one wearing the fine clothes
00:19:37.84\00:19:40.61
and say to him,
00:19:40.61\00:19:42.04
you sit here in a good
place, and say to the poor man,
00:19:42.04\00:19:44.78
you stand there or
sit here by my foot stool.
00:19:44.78\00:19:48.52
Have you not showed partiality
among yourselves and become
00:19:48.52\00:19:52.12
judges with evil thoughts?"
00:19:52.12\00:19:54.99
Now notice that
language is really pretty blunt.
00:19:54.99\00:19:57.56
The Bible considers valuing
people who can do things for you
00:19:57.56\00:20:00.80
while devaluing the ones
who can't, to be an act of evil.
00:20:00.80\00:20:05.30
That's strong language.
00:20:05.30\00:20:06.97
It continues.
00:20:06.97\00:20:07.90
"Listen, my beloved brethren.
00:20:07.90\00:20:10.17
Has God not chosen
the poor of this world
00:20:10.17\00:20:12.34
to be rich in faith
and heirs of the kingdom,
00:20:12.34\00:20:14.68
which he promised
to those who love him?
00:20:14.68\00:20:16.91
But you have
dishonored the poor man.
00:20:16.91\00:20:19.08
Do not the rich oppress you
and drag you into the courts?
00:20:19.08\00:20:22.48
Do they not
blaspheme that noble name
00:20:22.48\00:20:24.52
by which you are called?
00:20:24.52\00:20:26.32
If you really
fulfill the royal law
00:20:26.32\00:20:29.06
according to the scripture,
00:20:29.06\00:20:30.56
you shall love your neighbor
as yourself, you do well.
00:20:30.56\00:20:34.36
But if you show partiality,
00:20:34.36\00:20:35.86
you commit sin and
are convicted by the law
00:20:35.86\00:20:39.07
as transgressors."
00:20:39.07\00:20:41.37
So according to James,
00:20:41.37\00:20:42.90
this is not just a
matter of courtesy or civility.
00:20:42.90\00:20:45.67
This is actually a matter of
breaking the moral law of God.
00:20:45.67\00:20:49.84
And to be honest,
00:20:49.84\00:20:51.41
this is a pretty bitter
pill to swallow for most people,
00:20:51.41\00:20:54.88
especially here in America.
00:20:54.88\00:20:57.39
I mean, don't get me wrong.
00:20:58.29\00:20:59.65
I'm a huge fan of
the American dream,
00:20:59.65\00:21:01.56
where people are said
to be equal before the law
00:21:01.56\00:21:03.93
and everybody has the
same shot at prosperity.
00:21:03.93\00:21:08.33
I like the idea
that we make room
00:21:08.33\00:21:10.33
for an individual's potential
00:21:10.33\00:21:12.23
and the idea that we want
to remove barriers to success.
00:21:12.23\00:21:16.17
But at the same time,
00:21:17.07\00:21:18.54
we seem to make idols of
people who actually make it,
00:21:18.54\00:21:21.34
placing them higher
up than everybody else.
00:21:21.34\00:21:25.78
And you've gotta wonder,
is that what God would want?
00:21:25.78\00:21:29.15
Listen, I've been
working for the nonprofit world
00:21:29.15\00:21:32.89
for decades,
00:21:32.89\00:21:34.39
which means that I have to
attend a lot of fundraisers.
00:21:34.39\00:21:37.26
And of course, when
it comes to fundraising,
00:21:37.26\00:21:39.06
people naturally
gravitate to the rich and famous
00:21:39.06\00:21:41.86
because, well,
00:21:41.86\00:21:43.40
it seems like those
kinds of people could probably
00:21:43.40\00:21:45.73
make our lives a whole
lot easier if they wanted to.
00:21:45.73\00:21:49.04
And years ago I was attending
a fundraising dinner where
00:21:49.04\00:21:51.94
somebody suddenly grabbed
me by the elbow and pointed
00:21:51.94\00:21:54.41
to this lady who
was sitting at a table
00:21:54.41\00:21:56.34
on the other side of the room.
00:21:56.34\00:21:58.81
You see her, they whispered?
00:21:58.81\00:22:00.75
She has a lot of money.
00:22:00.75\00:22:02.25
You should
probably go over there
00:22:02.25\00:22:03.42
and pay attention to that lady.
00:22:03.42\00:22:04.99
No, honestly, I kind of
understand the sentiment.
00:22:06.42\00:22:09.22
I mean, we were raising money
for a really important cause.
00:22:09.22\00:22:13.73
And personally,
00:22:13.73\00:22:15.16
I wanna believe this person
that said that really meant well
00:22:15.16\00:22:18.20
and was only trying
to find a way to help.
00:22:18.20\00:22:20.37
But there was
something about that
00:22:20.37\00:22:22.14
that didn't sit right with me,
00:22:22.14\00:22:24.04
not when the Bible demands
that we do not idolize the rich
00:22:24.04\00:22:27.48
and the powerful.
00:22:27.48\00:22:29.08
Now, again, it is a double
edged sword, let's be real,
00:22:29.08\00:22:31.81
because at the same time,
00:22:31.81\00:22:33.35
we need to recognize that
powerful people also need love.
00:22:33.35\00:22:37.39
And honestly, a lot of
them seldom get the real thing
00:22:37.39\00:22:40.76
and they live under
00:22:40.76\00:22:42.22
the awful impression
that people only love them
00:22:42.22\00:22:44.76
for their money.
00:22:44.76\00:22:46.39
I mean, you'll notice that Jesus
also made time for the rich
00:22:46.39\00:22:49.73
and famous, like
he did for Nicodemus.
00:22:49.73\00:22:52.97
But to treat people differently,
the Bible calls that sin.
00:22:52.97\00:22:57.94
Okay, I do have to
take one more quick break,
00:22:57.94\00:23:00.28
but when I come back,
00:23:00.28\00:23:01.48
I'm gonna show you a
story that demonstrates
00:23:01.48\00:23:03.28
exactly how God thinks about us.
00:23:03.28\00:23:06.15
- [Narrator] Are you
searching for answers
00:23:11.72\00:23:12.99
to life's toughest questions?
00:23:12.99\00:23:14.62
Like where is
God when we suffer?
00:23:14.62\00:23:16.86
Can I find real happiness?
00:23:16.86\00:23:18.66
Or is there any hope
for our chaotic world?
00:23:18.66\00:23:21.83
The "Discover Bible" guides
00:23:21.83\00:23:23.26
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00:23:23.26\00:23:25.20
Visit us at biblestudies.com
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00:23:25.20\00:23:29.34
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00:23:48.86\00:23:51.13
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00:23:53.26\00:23:55.63
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00:23:58.30\00:24:02.37
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life's deepest questions.
00:24:02.37\00:24:06.24
- In the moments that
we still have together
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let me show you another
story that really illustrates
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what God expects us to do.
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This one is found in
the gospel according to Mark
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and it's in chapter 12.
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Here is what it says.
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"Now Jesus sat opposite the
treasury and saw how the people
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put money into the treasury.
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And many who
were rich put in much.
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Then one poor widow
came and threw in two mites,
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which make a quadrans.
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So he called his disciples
to himself and said to them,
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assuredly I say to you that
this poor widow has put in more
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than all those who
have given to the treasury,
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for they all put in
out of their abundance,
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but she out of her
poverty put in all that she had,
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her whole livelihood."
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You and I tend to value
the powerful because we think
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they can somehow help us.
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And to be honest,
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there are lots of powerful
people who do help the world
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as much as they can.
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I mean, the powerful and
the rich are not all out there
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evicting widows and tying
people to the train tracks.
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I never want to feed
the unfortunate stereotype
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of the self-absorbed
wealthy because well,
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it is a stereotype.
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In reality, the rich
and powerful are no more
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self-absorbed
than the rest of us.
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We just pick on them because
well, they're more visible.
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And many of them, I
can tell you firsthand,
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are profoundly generous,
I have experience with that.
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But at the same time,
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take a look at how Jesus
viewed the subject of giving.
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Lots of people were
dropping by the temple
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to make a donation.
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And some of those
donations were very impressive.
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They impressed the disciples.
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But then Jesus sees a
widow who drops in two mites.
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That's 1/64 of
an average day's pay
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or 15 minutes of work.
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And that's what grabs
the son of God's attention.
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She gave me
everything she had, he said.
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And it warmed his heart because
that was the image of God.
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Most of us, at some point,
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wake up and realize that
we're sitting in the pig pen
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of this world
with the prodigal son.
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And we're only allowed to
be there because the owner
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of the pig pen thinks
we're barely useful enough
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to feed some pigs.
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We're utterly
miserable the way we are.
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But still in that condition,
we're still being used.
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So maybe it's possible that
you've been looking for love
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in all the wrong places.
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Maybe it's possible
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you've been asking the
wrong people for an estimate
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of your worth.
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And maybe it's time to open
this old book and discover that
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things are worth what people
are willing to pay for them.
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And this book says,
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the son of God was willing
to pay for you with his life.
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Maybe it's time for all of
us to start looking at people
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the way God sees them,
whether they're rich or poor,
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famous or infamous.
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Maybe it's time to reexamine
the words of the carpenter
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of Nazareth, who said,
this is my commandment,
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that you love one
another as I have loved you.
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Maybe you haven't read
this book in a long while.
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Maybe you've been
taking people's word
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for what this book says.
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So I'm gonna encourage
you, no, I'm gonna challenge you
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to pick this up and read
the words of Jesus for yourself
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and see if they don't ring true.
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And I want you to discover
for yourself that God values you
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much differently
than the way people do.
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I'm Shawn Boonstra.
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This has been "Authentic".
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[energetic music]
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