Mark Bauerlein at First Things had a short book review of French author Pascal Bruckner’s recent book entitled “The triumph of the slippers: on the withdrawal from the world.” The phrase, “The triumph of the slippers,” caught my eye. I knew I had to do a blog using this phrase as a springboard, challenging men to stay in the fight. This is not a time for Christian men to fade away into a lifestyle of personal peace and comfort. The awareness of being in a fight, should energize us to get out of our slippers. May we say with Paul, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” (II Tim. 4:7). We can identify with Ps. 149:6. “May the praise of God be in their mouths and a double-edged sword in their hands.”
Bruckner contends, “the triumph of fear and the paradoxical enjoyment of a fettered life” is the result of the Covid pandemic lockdown. Covid, along with 9/11, climate alarm, and the Ukraine conflict, encouraged retreat from the public square and (non-Digal) social life.” Bruckner is concerned with the closing of minds and spaces. We no longer seek and aspire, imagine and invent. We rather survive. Living in the past with closed doors was viewed as an impoverishment. Now it seems to give safety and leisure. This is especially true when we are diverted with screens.
According to Bruckner, “We have entered a sterile era, a time of weakened eros and banal experience.” If we don’t have a widespread recovery of active public involvement, despair and dissipation will only continue. The forces of defeat are strong, as are the temptations on the screen.” Bruckner’s advice: “Accept risk, avoid dependency, be with others (friends and strangers).” In short, “get out of your slippers.”
I thought of Psalm 112:7, which I read recently in my devotions. “They will have no fear of bad news: their hearts are steadfast, trusting in the Lord.” In Psalm 34, David while pretending to be insane in front of Abimelech speaks about not being afraid. “I prayed to the Lord, and he answered me. He freed me from all my fears. Those who look to him for help will be radiant with joy; no shadow of shame will darken their faces. In my desperation I prayed, and the Lord listened; he saved me from all my troubles. For the angel of the Lord is a guard; he surrounds and defends all who fear him.” (Ps. 34:4-6).
Jesus warns of the world’s respond to His followers. “If you find the godless world is hating you, remember it got its start hating me. If you lived on the world’s terms, the world would love you as one of its own. But since I picked you to live on God’s terms and no longer on the world’s terms, the world is going to hate you” (John 15:18-19 MGS). If we accept “God’s terms” as our blueprint for living in our contemporary culture, we will be hated for not embracing the “world’s terms.” We will need to surrender wanting only to survive, while playing it safe with a focus on leisure and personal peace.
Jesus tells us, “I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore, be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves” (Matt 10:16). “We are not to be sheeplike in our attitude but sensible and prudent. We are not to be gullible pawns, but neither are we to be deceitful connivers. We must find a balance between wisdom and vulnerability to accomplish God’s work” (NLT application Bible). In other words, we need to be tough-minded and tender-hearted.
while we crochet or do crafty things.
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