Homes Without People Are Empty

Homes without people are empty. We open with that hard truth and follow the thread through marriage, Scripture, history, and national character, asking what kind of legacy we’re really building. Jesse reflects on the blessings of children and the quiet cost of chasing comfort over covenant, showing how a culture that sidelines family winds up with full garages and hollow tables. From the romantic urgency of the Song of Solomon to the everyday grit of sustaining a household, we paint a practical picture of what faithful love looks like when it is tested by time.

The heart of the episode digs into the Parable of the Sower. Are our lives rocky, thorny, or fertile? We examine how worry and the lure of wealth starve spiritual growth, how shallow roots can’t survive heat, and how good soil multiplies life—discipleship, service, even the courage to welcome children. Scripture from Psalm 17 and Proverbs sharpens that vision, reminding us that upright homes attract blessing while pride invites ruin. It’s a blueprint for daily faithfulness: prayer, humility, and the steady embrace of sacrifice.

History adds weight. A brief Medal of Honor profile highlights Alexander Bradley’s leap into a strong tide to save a shipmate—a snapshot of courage that still convicts. Then Theodore Roosevelt’s fiery words about “the foes of our own household” push us to consider how nations unravel from the inside before they fall to threats abroad. Selfishness, comfort addiction, and moral drift are not private vices; they are public hazards. We connect those warnings to today’s challenges and make the case that strong families, rooted in faith, are a frontline of national renewal.

If this conversation meets you where you are—questioning priorities, hungry for deeper roots, ready for a braver love—tap play, share it with a friend, and leave a review. Subscribe for more faith-centered reflections on marriage, culture, and character, and tell us: what seeds are you planting this week?

Chapters

• 0:00 Welcome And Opening Prayer
• 3:03 Children As Blessings, Not Burdens
• 5:37 Song Of Solomon And Marriage Devotion
• 7:28 Matthew’s Parable Of The Sower Explained
• 11:20 Psalm 17 And Proverbs On Upright Homes
• 13:40 Medal Of Honor: Alexander Bradley
• 15:33 Theodore Roosevelt On Enemies Within
• 18:50 Modern Threats And Moral Foundations
• 22:40 Book Plug, Donations, And Closing Prayer

Transcript

SPEAKER_01: 0:01

Hey folks, this is Jesse Cope, back with another episode of the American Soul Podcast. Hope y'all are doing well wherever y'all are, whatever part of the day you're in.

SPEAKER_00: 0:12

Sure do appreciate you joining me. Giving me a little bit of your day, a little bit of your time. I will try and use it wisely.

SPEAKER_01: 0:23

For those of y'all who continue to share the podcast with others, tell others about it. Thank you. For those of y'all who continue to pray for me and for the podcast, thank you. Very much. Very, very grateful for your prayers.

SPEAKER_00: 0:40

Father, thank you for today. Thank you for you, Father, and your son Jesus Christ and your Holy Spirit. Thank you for this day that you have made. For all the blessings that you bestow upon us, the ones we admit and the ones we don't for whatever reason. Thank you for the time to record this podcast and the people that listen to it and share it. Please be with them, Father. Be with their families. Bless the marriages of those who are married. God knows. Who are hurting. Who are alone. Who are sick. Injury, illness, who are anxious, depressed, who are bitter, hard hearted, angry. Forgive us our sins, Father, guide us closer to you. Be with our leaders in the pulpit and in the state.

SPEAKER_01: 1:54

Give them wisdom and courage. Be with their families, their wives and their children. Be with our military, our law enforcement firefighters.

SPEAKER_00: 2:03

Keep them safe. Keep them safe, Father, please. Protect them. Be with their families. Their wives and their children. Help us to seek you first, Father, to seek your kingdom first each day.

SPEAKER_01: 2:23

To love you with our whole heart, mind, soul, and strength.

SPEAKER_00: 2:27

To love our neighbors as ourselves. Help us to be still before you. To be quiet and to listen. Help us to make our priorities your priorities, Father, to focus on being on your side.

SPEAKER_01: 2:48

Because we know that you are always on the right side.

SPEAKER_00: 2:51

And please guide my words here, Father, in your Son's name we ask and pray. Amen.

SPEAKER_01: 3:03

I think one of the things, folks, that we've done to really aid in the destruction of marriage and family inside the church is not focus on God telling us to be fruitful and multiply, not focusing on telling on God telling us the blessings of children.

SPEAKER_00: 3:29

There's some people out there that just know that they absolutely don't want children. And I suppose that it's better for them not to than to have children that they would resent. But I can't warn you, folks, enough in this day and age about how much more important children are than a new car, fancy clothes, a bigger house, more land. And you won't know it. You won't realize it until it's too late. But homes without people are empty.

SPEAKER_01: 4:16

And that's that's literally true, obviously, but it's also figuratively true. I was thinking about a dear friend of mine recently. He and his wife have decided not to have any kids, and uh it breaks my heart because I just can't imagine that they see what their life is going to be like when they're 70 years old. God tells us what a blessing children are, right? Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them. Also, this proverb is a little off, but it struck me when I was thinking about this. Proverbs 14, 28 a large population is a king's glory, but without subjects, a prince is ruined. You talk about uh husband and wife being king and queen of their home, of their castle.

SPEAKER_00: 5:10

Without children, folks, it just takes so much of the joy of life away.

SPEAKER_01: 5:20

And if you have them, be grateful for them.

SPEAKER_00: 5:24

Um and if you're thinking about having them, I would highly recommend it.

SPEAKER_01: 5:37

So the marriage verse for today, we're gonna go back into Song of Solomon three The Young Woman One night as I laid in bed, I yarn I yearned for my lover. I yearned for him, but he did not come. So I said to myself, I will get up and roam the city, searching in all its streets and squares, I will search for the one I love. So I searched everywhere but did not find him. The watchmen stopped me as they made their rounds, and I asked, have you seen the one I love? Then scarcely had I left them when I found my love, I caught and held him tightly. Then I brought him to my mother's house into my mother's bed where I had been conceived. Promise me, O women of Jerusalem, by the gazelles and wild deer, not to awaken love till the time is right. Young woman of Jerusalem, who is this sweeping in from the wilderness like a cloud of smoke? Who is it fragrant with myrrh and frankincense and every kind of spice? Look, it is Solomon's carriage, surrounded by sixty heroic men, the best of Israel's soldiers. They are all skilled swordsmen, experienced warriors. Each wears a sword on his thigh, ready to defend the king against an attack in the night. King Solomon's carriage is built of wood, imported from Lebanon. Its posts are silver, its canopy gold, its cushions are purple. It was decorated with love by the young women of Jerusalem. Young women, come out to see King Solomon, young women of Jerusalem. He wears the crown his mother gave him on his wedding day, his most joyous day. More or less we'll go to Matthew, start chapter twelve, verse forty-six. As Jesus was speaking to the crowd, his mother and brothers stood outside asking to speak to him. Someone told Jesus, Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, and they want to speak to you. Jesus asked, Who is my mother? Who are my brothers? Then he pointed to his disciples and said, Look, these are my mother and brothers. Anyone who does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother. Later that same day Jesus left the house and sat beside the lake. A large crowd soon gathered around him, so he got into a boat. Then he sat there and taught as the people stood on the shore. He told many stories in the form of parables, such as this one. Listen, a farmer went out to plant some seeds. As he scattered them across the field, some seeds fell on a footpath, and the birds came and ate them. Other seeds fell on shallow soil with underlying rock. The seeds struded quickly because the soil was shallow. But the plants soon wilted under the hot sun, and since they didn't have deep roots, they died. Other seeds fell among thorns that grew up and choked out the tender plants. Still other seeds fell on fertile soil, and they produced a crop that was thirty, sixty, and even a hundred times as much as had been planted. Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand. His disciples came and asked him, Why do you use parables when you talk to the people? He replied, You are permitted to understand the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but others are not. To those who listen to my teaching more understanding will be given, and they will have an abundance of knowledge. But for those who are not listening, even what little understanding they have will be taken away from them. That is why I use these parables. For they look, but they don't really see. They hear, but they don't really listen or understand. This fulfills the prophecy of Isaiah that says, When you hear what I say, you will not understand, when you see what I do, you will not comprehend. For the hearts of these people are hardened, and their ears cannot hear, and they have closed their eyes, so their eyes cannot see, and their ears cannot hear, and their hearts cannot understand, and they cannot turn to me, and let me heal them. But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. I tell you the truth, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, but they didn't see it, and they longed to hear what you hear, but they didn't hear it. Now listen to the explanation of the parable about the farmer planting seeds. The seed that fell on the footpath represents those who hear the message about the kingdom and understand it. Then the evil one comes and snatches away the seed that was planted in their hearts. The seed on the rocky soil represents those who hear the message and immediately receive it with joy. But since they don't have deep roots, they don't last long. They fall away as soon as they have problems or are persecuted for believing God's word. The seed that fell among the thorns represents those who hear God's word, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life and the lure of wealth. So no fruit is produced. The seed that fell on good soil represents those who truly hear and understand God's word, and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as has been planted. Psalm seventeen verses one through fifteen. O Lord, hear my plea for justice, listen to my cry for help. Pay attention to my prayer, for it comes from honest lips. Declare me innocent, for you see those who do right. You have tested my thoughts and examined my heart in the night. You have scrutinized me and found nothing wrong. I am determined not to sin in what I say. I have followed your commands which keep me from following cruel and evil people. My steps have stayed on your path, I have not wavered from following you. I am praying to you because I know you will answer, O God. Bend down and listen as I pray. Show me your unfailing love and wonderful ways. By your mighty power you rescue those who seek refuge from their enemies. Guard me as you would guard your own eyes. Hide me in the shadow of your wings, protect me from wicked people who attack me, from murderous enemies who surround me. They are without pity. Listen to their boasting. They track me down and surround me, watching for the chance to throw me to the ground. They are like hungry lions eager to tear me apart, like young lions hiding in ambush. Arise, O Lord, stand against them and bring them to their knees. Rescue me from the wicked with your sword. By the power of your hand, O Lord, destroy those who look to this world for their reward. But satisfy the hungry of your treasured ones, the hunger of your treasured ones. May their children have plenty, leaving an inheritance for their descendants. Because I am righteous I will see you. When I awake I will see you face to face and be satisfied. Proverbs three verse thirty three through thirty five. The Lord curses the house of the wicked, but he blesses the home of the upright. The Lord mocks the mockers, but is gracious to the humble.

SPEAKER_00: 13:27

The wise inherit honor, but fools are put to shame. Medal of Honor for today is somewhere.

SPEAKER_01: 13:48

Alexander Bradley, also known as Cornelius Neil Bonner. It's a pretty different name. Rank Landsman Conflict Interim 1871, 1899, Unit Command USS Watch a set. US Navy August seventh, eighteen seventy two off Cows, Isle of White. On board the USS Washit off Cows, 7 August, 1872. Jumping overboard into a strong tideway. Bradley attempted to save Philip Casty, Landsman of the USS Wabash from drowning. Accredited to Massachusetts, not awarded posthumously, born September 19, 1851, Boston, Suffolk County, Massachusetts, died March 6, 1925, Akron, Ohio. Buried Holy Cross Cemetery, 7Tac 110, Akron, Ohio, United States. I would like to know what the rank of Lansman is, and I would also like to know if Mr. Bradley was successful. It says attempted to save Philip Casty. Either way, Alexander Bradley, one of our Medal of Honor winners, a name we would do well to remember more than the names and statistics of or lyrics of pop singers and athletes, entertainers. So we didn't get to read the second quote I wanted to try on a previous podcast because we had already gone too long. And so we're going to go back. This is, I want to read a couple things out of Theodore Roosevelt's The Foe of Our Own Household. I think there's going to be some good stuff out of this book. It was published in 1917 by the George H. Durand Company in New York. And the first thing I want to read is a little bit of poetry. I don't read that often enough on here. This is by Emerson. In an age of thops and toys, wanting wisdom, void of right, who shall nerve heroic boys to hazard all in freedom's fight, break sharply off their jolly games, forsake their comrades gay, and quit proud homes and youthful dames for famine, toil and fray. Yet on the nimble air benign, speed nimbler messages that waft the breath of grace divine to hearts and sloth and ease. So nigh as grander to our dust, so near is God to man When duty whispers low thou must, the youth replies I can. Emerson, that was at the beginning of this, and this is the foreword that we were gonna read by President Roosevelt. You gotta remember this is 1917, World War I, right? The man who still asks why we are at war, or apologizes in any way for Germany, should look to his own soul. He is neither a patriot nor a true American, nor a lover of mankind. And the foes of his own household are the folly and cowardice and the cold selfishness of his own heart. We should hold Germany in horror for what she has done, but we should regard with contempt and loathing the Americans who directly or indirectly give her aid and comfort, whether they do so by downright attack on our own country, by upholding Germany, by assailing any of our allies, by trying to discourage our people from vigorous, resolute, unyielding prosecution of the war, or by crying on behalf of peace peace when there ought not to be peace. In the long run we have less to fear from foes without than from foes within. For the former will be formidable only as the latter break our strength, the men who oppose preparedness in our military and our industrial life, the business or political corruptionist or reactionary, and the reckless demagogue who is his nominal opponent, the man of wealth and greed, who cares for nothing but profits, and sinister creature, and the sinister creature who plays upon and inflames the passions of envy and violence, the hard materialist, the self indulgent lover of ease and pleasure, and the silly sentimentalist. All these are the permanent foes of our own household. From their ranks are drawn our immediate foes, the faint hearted who fear Germany, the puzzle headed who refuse to understand her, and the men of foul soul who do her evil bidding. The hun within our gates masquerades in many disguises. He is our dangerous enemy, and he should be hunted down without mercy. High minded men and women should brace their souls against the menace of peace without victory for the right. It is worse than idle to talk of a league to enforce peace for the future, unless we, who are now partners in the League to smite down wrong. In the present with iron will carry the war through to overwhelming triumph. We don't have people who well, we don't have very many people who speak in this fashion anymore. Folks, the Huns inside the gate, the enemies within. That is, without a doubt, without even a close second, the greatest enemies, the greatest threat to our republic are the enemies within. You go back, you think about Jesus Christ talking about when the Pharisees tried to accuse him of casting demons out because he was using the power of the Prince of Democrats and he said a house divided cannot stand. Foes from the outside of America are only a threat in the long run. You hear Teddy Roosevelt talking about it here. They're only really a threat so long as the foes on the inside are, right? Because it's the foes on the inside of our house today that are weakening us, that make us vulnerable to China, Russia, North Korea, Iran, right? Muslim fighters around the world, not fringe or extreme or far because they're not, they're mainstream, right?

SPEAKER_00: 21:42

So what are the foes that we ought to easily identify?

SPEAKER_01: 21:52

Christless conservatives, first and foremost, and then followers of leftism, which includes socialism, communism, Nazism, fascism, and followers of Islam. Because it's impossible to truly love America and reject the principles of Jesus Christ, and each one of those groups of people, of men and women, do those are the enemies within.

SPEAKER_00: 22:24

That is the greatest threat to our American Republic, to freedom, to liberty, peace, safety, security.

SPEAKER_01: 22:40

If you are looking for a family-friendly middle grade read along the lines of Narnia, Harry Potter, Percy Jackson, The Hobbit, but hopefully with quite a bit more bent toward God and Jesus Christ and away from the world, if you would check out the countryside series, I would appreciate it. And if you enjoy either books, if you leave a review for one or for both, I would be very grateful for that too. Those help immensely. And if you feel like you're getting something out of the podcast, if you have, you know, if you're getting something out of the marriage verses or scripture, medal of honor citations or the American heritage that we read. If you have five or ten dollars a month that you can donate to the podcast, there's a link down at the bottom of the show notes where you can set up that monthly donation. And I would be very grateful for that as well. Also, if you would rather listen to the podcast on YouTube, or you know people that rather listen to their podcast there, uh the podcast is up and live on YouTube now. Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not to temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory forever and ever. Amen. God bless y'all, God bless your families, God bless your marriages if you're married. God bless your nation, wherever you are around the world listening. God bless America. We'll talk to you all again real soon, folks. Looking forward to it.