The attacker stealthily inched his way forward. Finally, in range, he bashed Max on the back of the head—a blow sufficient to give him a concussion. When Max's friend Michael attempted to help him up, attackers broke Michael's wrist, requiring surgery.

It all happened on November 6, 2024, on a public plaza at one of Chicago’s most respected campuses, DePaul University. Though police know there were two attackers, only one has been arrested, while the other is still at large. The attacker they did arrest wasn’t even a student.

So, what was it that fueled this assault? What was there to hate about Max Long and Michael Kaminsky?

They are Jewish students, one of whom has served his time in the Israel Defense Forces (ironically defending his nation after the October 7 attack in Israel).

While Max and Michael have always been willing to engage in respectful dialogue, their attackers wanted to silence them. But the story gets uglier. In speaking with the two of them, I learned that there were other students on that plaza when the assault took place. And what did those students do? They fled. No help. No rescue.

Worse, a lawsuit claims that a DePaul public safety officer stationed just a few feet away at the time did not intervene when Long and Kaminsky were attacked. At that point, a different Public Safety Officer stopped one of the assailants but then inexplicably let him go, the lawsuit claims.

And the harassment has not ended. Long's face has since appeared on flyers around the campus, calling him an "IDF Butcher who got what he deserved."

Ironically, this attack occurred within inches of a statue adorned with a caption asking, "What are you doing for justice?"

Since when is cowardice justice? How can we call ourselves followers of Jesus and not be outraged by this attack? If our society continues to tolerate this sort of thuggery, you can be sure that Bible-believing Christians are next in line.

Enough is enough. It’s time to speak up and stand up. Our Jewish friends and neighbors deserve nothing less.

He has told you, mortal one, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? Micah 6:8

The dark side of repetition is numbness. When we hear things often enough, we cease to hear them. What should be foreground becomes background. Given time, even the profound becomes mundane.

Perhaps that’s why I was taken aback by the simple declaration eight-year-old Ava wrote recently. Scrawled on a scrap of paper were these words: “I Love Jesus—and He Loves Me.”

We pepper our prayers and praise music with the first half of Ava's message, "I love Jesus." But how often do we ponder—really contemplate—the second half of her message, "And He loves me.”

I suspect that many of us know this is “supposed” to be true, that it is biblically and theologically accurate. We believe all this in our heads. Yet, we struggle to feel it in our hearts.

If you were raised in a "performance-based" home, where doing and achieving opened the doors to acceptance and love, you might well struggle to believe, "And He loves me."

Be at rest! Christ really does love you. He says it over and over again. Remember that God chose to demonstrate or prove His love dramatically: "While we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8). What's more, 2 Timothy 2:13 assures us, "If we are unfaithful, He remains faithful." In going to the cross, He loved you with everything He had!

But back to the first half of Ava's declaration, "I love Jesus." How do we know that we DO love Jesus? Is it the words we say, or the feelings we feel?

Jesus Himself gave us the litmus test in John 14:15, “If you love me, obey my commandments.” Which means, it’s not about the words we write or the songs we sing. Jesus spells love O-B-E-Y. Much obedience equals much love.

Do you love Jesus? How much?

Recently, I picked up a copy of The Hypochondriac’s Guide to Horrible Diseases You Probably Already Have. It is equal parts informative and hilarious. From the back cover:

Do you suffer from insomnia?

Not good…soon your whole body might attack your brain.

Are you bothered by a persistent fever and swelling?

Beware…maggots are likely crawling beneath your skin.

Have you noticed skin tenderness and discoloration?

Yikes…a small horn is probably going to sprout from your head.

Funny—for sure. But there’s nothing humorous about the sickness afflicting many Christ followers today. Let me explain.

We've just experienced the Easter season. As believers, we did our best to focus on Christ's sufferings when we…

• Winced at His beatings
• Flinched at His whipping
• Cringed at His crown of thorns
• Grieved at the nails bashed through His hands and feet

But when this same Jesus asks us to make disciples by telling others about Him and all He did on the cross, we often respond with:

• “That’s not really my spiritual gift.”
• “It just makes me uncomfortable.”
• “Others should do this—but not me.”

Talk about sick!

Whether by words or inaction, we tell Jesus, “No thanks,” we are stomping on His highest hope for us—and His world. “Go into all the world and preach the gospel” is the Great Commission, not the Great Suggestion.

What if we dropped the excuses and chose one friend or neighbor—just one—that we committed to praying for (asking for their salvation) every day for a month? And what if we asked God to show us simple ways to connect with them and show them some love?

You don’t have to preach a sermon or blast your Bible at ‘em. Just share a snippet of what God has done for you, or something from His Word.

It’s spring! So, plant a seed and pray a prayer. Then watch the adventure unfold!

If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.

-Jesus, John 14:15

How many times a day do you reach for your phone?

Surveys suggest we grab our phones between 144 and 205 times every day.

• In one study, 57%—more than half of all Americans—admitted they were addicted to their phones.

• While 54% of smartphone users report feeling more informed, 54% also report a sense of eye strain from all that screen time.

• 50% concede that checking in with their phones makes them less productive.

• Another 43% admit their phones cause them to struggle to pay attention.

• 30% say their phone use leads to anxiety. And 21% report all that phone time contributes to a sense of depression.

The problem is not just that we check our phones too often—but that we gawk at them too long. In fact, the average person spends 4 hours and 37 minutes on their phone every day. That's the equivalent of more than 1 day per week or 6 days per month. Across a year, that's approximately 70 days spent looking at a phone.

https://explodingtopics.com/blog/smartphone-usage-stats

Sadly, most of us sneak a peek at our phones while eating with our spouse, playing with our kids, or talking with our friends. And every time we do that, we communicate something we never intended to say: “My phone is more important than you. Any ping, ding, or chime is ahead of you in line.”

I'm as guilty as the next person. If an in-person conversation is running "slow," or I'm wondering if Amazon has finally delivered my package, you might catch me looking at my phone.

How could a hunk of plastic and glass hold such sway? Why can’t we/won’t we give people the thing they need the most: our undivided attention?

Lord, deliver us from being phone-wise and soul-foolish. Because when it takes away from real connection with real people, there’s nothing smart about a smartphone.

 “So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets."     -Matthew 7:12

Americans are starving—not so much for food, but for fame. Driven by fads and fueled by social media, we are desperately trying to “be somebody.”

The Inaugural Success Index study found that 92% of respondents believed fame and fortune come closer to society's definition of success.

In a Pew Research survey, analysts discovered that among 18–25-year-olds, even getting rich is less important than becoming famous.

After surveying a group of 1,032 sixteen-year-olds, a team of UK researchers determined that more than half had no desire to go into professions that didn’t involve being a celebrity.

But believers are different. Way different!

In Christ—and because of Christ—you are already all the somebody anybody could hope to be! If Christ is your Savior, that’s a verifiable fact.

• Ephesians 1:4 says, “He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love.”

• 2 Corinthians 1:21,22 declares, “Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and anointed us is God, who also sealed us and gave us the Spirit in our hearts as a pledge.”

• 2 Timothy 1:9 speaks of God “who saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace, which was granted to us in Christ Jesus from all eternity.”

There's much more! God is actively at work—on your behalf—now! Consider…

• Romans 8:26, "Now, in the same way, the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know what to pray for as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words;"

• Psalms 103:3-5, “Who pardons all your guilt, who heals all your diseases; who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with favor and compassion; who satisfies your years with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle.”

Are you tracking all this? God says of us who know Christ that He…

• Chose us

• Establishes us

• Anointed us

• Sealed us

• Saved us

• Called us

And if that’s not enough, He...

• Intercedes

• Pardons

• Heals

• Redeems

• Satisfies

• Renews

Bottom line: In Christ, you are all the somebody ANYBODY could hope to be! (Can I get an Amen!). So, stop trying to be a somebody, because God already made you one!

P.S. Shoot me an email, and I'll send you a PDF of the graphic seen below that you can use as a wallet card, bookmark, or fridge favorite. Just say, “I need the reminder!” when you email Jon.gauger@moody.edu.