Biblical Roles, Cultural Clashes, And A Call To Courage

A stranger’s comment at a dinner table sparked a bigger question: who taught us that covenant and kids are obstacles, not gifts? We walk through Titus 2 and Proverbs 31 to recover a vision of marriage and family that pushes against the “live your life first” script, without shaming those whose paths differ. Then we hold up the mirror for men—self-control and integrity should shape our conduct in public as much as in private. If our sons see adults raging from the bleachers, what do they learn about strength and restraint?

We head into Matthew 13 and let Jesus’s parables set our priorities. The weeds among the wheat warn us against impatient crusades that uproot the good with the bad. The mustard seed and the yeast reveal how the smallest act of faith can shelter many and permeate a culture. The treasure in the field and the pearl of great price confront our halfhearted bargaining with God: the kingdom is worth everything, so why do we offer so little?

Psalm 18 and Proverbs 4 give us the language and posture of courage. God thunders, rescues, and teaches; wisdom guards those who guard it. We honor that ethos with a Medal of Honor moment—Amos Bradley holding the wheel under fire—and a bracing excerpt from Theodore Roosevelt’s “The Hun Within Our Gates,” a reminder that nations corrode from within when leaders ignore sedition and citizens shrug at virtue. Faith, family, and civic duty are not competing loyalties; they are a braided cord. Listen for a frank, scripture-rooted conversation about marriage, manhood, moral clarity, and the quiet power of small, faithful choices that grow into shelter for many.

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Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:02

Okay, folks. This is Jesse Cope, back with another episode of the American Soul Podcast. Hope y'all are doing well, wherever y'all are, and whatever part of the day you're in. I'm sure to appreciate you joining me, giving me a little bit of your time and attention, a little piece of your day. I will try and use it wisely. For those of y'all who continue to pray for me and for the podcast and to support the podcast and tell others about it, thank you very much. Very grateful for your actions, particularly your prayers. Need them and want them. And hopefully y'all are getting to listen to this with someone else. Father, thank you for today. Thank you for you, Father, and your son Jesus Christ and your Holy Spirit. Thank you for your love and your mercy, your grace, and your forgiveness of sins.

SPEAKER_01 0:57

Through the merit of your son, Jesus Christ. Thank you that we can turn to you directly to you through no one else besides your son Jesus Christ. He's the only mediator that we need. Thank you for those men and women who have gone before us and left us such great examples of courage, patriotism, love, mercy, faith.

SPEAKER_00 1:34

Help us to follow their example, to most of all follow the example of your Son Jesus Christ. To follow his commands, to love you with our whole heart, mind, soul, and strength. To love our neighbors and ourselves. Forgive us when we fail, Father. Forgive us our greed and our selfishness, pride, arrogance, judgment of others, rash words and actions, cowardice and our unbelief.

SPEAKER_01 2:06

Be with those listening to the podcast, Father, please. Surround them with your angels. Protect them from evil of any kind. Bless those who are married, bless their marriages, be with those who have children.

SPEAKER_00 2:21

Help them to raise them to know you and your son Jesus Christ.

SPEAKER_01 2:26

Be with our leaders in the pulpit and in the state. Be with our military law enforcement firefighters. EMS. Particularly, Father, these days it seems like be with our law enforcement as they try and bolster rule of law.

SPEAKER_00 2:52

And be with those senators and representatives as they do the same. Keep them safe, protect them. Be with those in our nation and the culture and society who are clinging to your name, the Son of your the name of your son Jesus Christ, and spreading your gospel and so many other things, Father.

Dinner Conversation On Marriage

SPEAKER_01 3:16

And please guide my words here. Your son's name. We ask and pray. Amen. So I had the privilege of sitting down at a dinner recently with a couple of elder members of the church. It wasn't our church, not that that really matters, but uh they're Christians.

SPEAKER_00 3:47

And it was with a family that had a few kids at the dinner table, and a conversation came up about marriage. And one of the daughters of this family was asking about the age their parents got married, and uh the older lady in this couple immediately made the comment that she felt like very strongly and contentiously made the comment that oh well they got married way too young. That that was way too young for the for the woman to get married, particularly.

SPEAKER_01 4:39

And it obviously irritated me, uh, because that's not uh biblical teaching.

Titus 2 And Proverbs 31 Applied

Examples For Men And Public Conduct

SPEAKER_00 4:50

There's certainly nothing wrong with getting married when you're older, but what does God actually say, right? And and and the inference, of course, was you you threw your life away because you didn't use that college degree, you know, you didn't go out and chase your own dreams professionally, athletically, academically before you got married. But what does Titus II actually say to older women, right? It says, these older women must train the younger women to love their husbands and their children, to live wisely and be pure, to work in their homes, to do good, and to be submissive to their husbands. Then they will not bring shame on the word of God. And what is the Proverbs 31 woman always doing? She's always looking to the needs of her husband first and her family. Right? And of course, what was inferred at this dinner from the older woman again was that it was a waste. What a waste to get married. Uh you need to go out and live your life first, do the things that you want to do, and then maybe if you want to later get married. And I felt sorry for her husband. And I felt sorry for this family. Uh, but the really the tragedy here is that this young girl that is being raised in the church, I know that about the family, is being instructed by this elder woman in the church, not in a godly biblical way, but in a worldly secular way, away from family, away from marriage, away from kids. And thankfully, I happen to know this particular family well enough to know that that girl gets some pretty good biblical training from her parents, uh, at least from the outside looking in. So I think that that's going to be countered. But it was just frustrating. It was a moment where I saw a clear example of an older woman doing the exact opposite of what God says in Titus 2 and Proverbs 31. Uh and we've just we've done a real disservice to both our young men and women by not talking about the biblical roles in marriage. And what are the roles right here, right from Titus 2 again? What are the roles for the men? Teach the older men to exercise self-control, to be worthy of respect, to live wisely, to have sound faith and be filled with love and patience. Encourage the young men to live wisely, be an example to them by doing good works of every kind. Let everything you do reflect integrity and seriousness of your teaching, teach the truth. Right? You see a lot of these so-called leaders on social media. Are they doing that with men? And you look inside the church, right? You go to a, I'm getting way off track here, folks, but I'm going to go ahead and finish this train of thought because I picked on uh the women in the church a little bit. I need to pick on the men a little bit too, not because we have to all the time. We certainly, I would argue, have more of a problem today in society with feminism than we do the reverse of this. But I happened to be at a basketball game recently. And it was starting to get out of control. It was a high school basketball game. And the referees did a pretty good job of bringing things back under control, but it was getting out of. And who was leading it?

SPEAKER_01 8:39

It was the adults, men and women.

SPEAKER_00 8:44

And there were some men in the stands, there are often, that I know from our community go to church, and they're in the stands making an absolute course's rear end of themselves. What example does that set to the young men? Well, you're supposed to have self-discipline. You're supposed to be serious and sober-minded, you know, have self-control to teach the truth, to exemplify Christ. Are you exemplifying Christ when you're in the stand screaming at the referee or the coaches or the players?

Parables Of Wheat, Mustard Seed, Yeast

SPEAKER_01 9:23

All right.

Treasure, Pearl, And Psalm 18

SPEAKER_00 9:24

We're going to jump right into the scripture today, since that took way longer than I thought it was going to. Maybe there was a good reason for it. Sure there was. That's why we pray at the beginning of each podcast for a little bit of guidance, or rather a lot from God. Matthew 13, starting with verse 24. Here is another story Jesus told. But that night as the worker slept, his enemy came and planted weeds among the wheat, then slipped away. When the crop began to grow and produce grain, the weeds also grew. The farmer's workers went to him and said, Sir, the field where you planted that good seed is full of weeds. Where did they come from? An enemy has done this, the farmer exclaimed. Should we pull out the weeds? They asked. No, he replied. You'll uproot the wheat if you do. Let both grow together until the harvest. Then I will tell the harvesters to sort out the weeds, tie them into bundles, and burn them, and to put the wheat in the barn. Here is another illustration Jesus used. The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed planted in a field. It is the smallest of all seeds, but it becomes the largest of garden plants. It grows into a tree and the birds come and make nests in its branches. Jesus also used this illustration. The kingdom of heaven is like the yeast a woman used in making bread. Even though she put only a little yeast and three measures of flour, it permeated every part of the dough. Jesus always used stories and illustrations like these when speaking to the crowds. In fact, he never spoke to them without using such parables. This fulfilled what God had spoken to the prophet. I will speak to you in parables. I will explain things hidden since the creation of the world. Then, leaving the crowds outside, Jesus went into the house. His disciples said, Please explain to us the story of the weeds in the field. Jesus replied, The Son of Man is the farmer who plants the good seed. The field is the world, and the good seed represents the people of the kingdom. The weeds are the people who belong to the evil one. Sorry, I lost my place. The enemy who planted the weeds among the wheat is the devil. The harvest is the end of the world, and the harvesters are the angels. Just as the weeds are sorted out and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the world. The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will remove from his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. And the angels will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in their father's kingdom. Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand. The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure that a man discovered hidden in a field. In his excitement he hid it again and sold everything he owned to get enough money to buy the field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant who on the lookout for church choice pearls. When he discovered a pearl of great value, he sold everything he owned and bought it. Psalm eighteen. I love you, Lord, for you are my strength. The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my savior. My God is my rock in whom I find protection. He is my shield of the power that saves me, and my place of safety. I called on the Lord who is worthy of praise, and he saves me from my enemies. The ropes of death entangled me, floods of destruction swept over me. The grave wrapped its ropes around me. Death laid a trap in my path. But in my distress I cried out to the Lord. Yes, I prayed to my God for help. He heard my cry he heard me from his sanctuary, my cry to him reached his ears. Then the earth quaked and trembled, the foundations of the mountains shook, they quaked because of his anger. Smoke poured from his nostrils, fierce flames leaped from his mouth, glowing coals blazed forth from him. He opened the heavens and came down. Dark storm clouds were beneath his feet. Mount mounted on a mighty, angelic being he flew, soaring on the wings of the wind. He shrouded himself in darkness, veiling his approach with dark rain clouds. Thick clouds shielded the brightness around him, and rained down hell and burning coals. The Lord thundered from heaven. The voice of the most high resounded amid the hell and burning coals. He shot his arrows and scattered his enemies. Great bolts of lightning flashed, and they were confused. Then at your command, O Lord, at the blast of your breath, the bottom of the sea could be seen, and the foundations of the earth were laid bare. Proverbs four six. My children, listen when your father corrects you. Pay attention and learn good judgment, for I am giving you good advice, don't turn away from my instructions. For I too was once my father's son, tenderly loved as my mother's only child. My father taught me, take my words to heart, follow my commands, and you will live. Get wisdom, develop good judgment. Don't forget my words or turn away from them. Don't turn your back on wisdom, for she will protect you.

SPEAKER_01 15:07

Love her and she will guard you.

Proverbs 4 And Seeking Wisdom

SPEAKER_00 15:16

Medal of Honor for today is Amos Bradley, Landsman, US Civil War USS Varuna, US Navy april twenty fourth, eighteen sixty two, Fort Jackson and St. Philip, Louisiana. Served on board the USS Verona in one of the most responsible positions during the attacks on Fort Jackson and St. Philip. And while in action against the rebel ship Morgan, twenty fourth, April, eighteen sixty two, although guns were raking the decks from behind him, Bradley remained steadfast at the wheel throughout the thickest of the fight, continuing at his station and rendering service with the greatest courage until his ship repeatedly holed and twice rammed by the rebel ship Morgan, was beached and sunk. Accredited to New York, not awarded posthumously, born eighteen thirty seven, Dansville, Livingston County, New York, died July June ninth, eighteen ninety four, Spokane, Washington. Buried Greenwood Memorial Terrace, eighty nine, Tac eight, Tac one, Spokane, Washington.

SPEAKER_01 16:27

Amos Bradley. So I wanted to go back into this book by Theodore Roosevelt from 1917, The Foes of Our Own Household.

Medal Of Honor: Amos Bradley

SPEAKER_00 16:50

And there's an appendix in here E titled The Hun Within Our Gates. The Hun Within Our Gates is the worst of the foes of our own household. Whether he is the paid. Let me stop real quick and go back. When I'm reading this, I want you to think about the citizens that we have in the United States who follow Christless conservatism or leftism, that whole bucket of isms. Socialism, communism, Nazism, fascism, leftism, right? They all fall under that umbrella. And Islam.

SPEAKER_01 17:28

Okay?

Roosevelt’s “Hun Within Our Gates”

Modern Parallels And Warnings

SPEAKER_00 17:29

The Hun within our gates is the worst of the foes of our own household. Whether he is the paid or the unpaid agent of Germany, whether he is pro German or hoses as a pacifist, or a peace at any price man matters little. He is the enemy of the United States. Senators and congressmen, like Messrs Stone, La Follette, and McLamore, belong in Germany, and it is a pity they cannot be sent there, as Valingham was sent to the hostile lines by Lincoln during the Civil War. Such men are among the worst of the foes of our own household, and so are the sham philanthropists and sinister agitators, and the wealthy creatures without patriotism who support and abet them. Our government has seemed afraid to grapple with these people. It is permitting thousands of allies of Berlin to sow the seeds of treason and sedition in this country. The IWW boasts its defiance of all law, and many of its members exultingly proclaim that their war against industry in the United States, they are endeavoring to give the government so much to do that it will have no troops to spare for Europe. Every district where the IWW starts rioting, should be placed under martial law and cleared up by military methods. The German language papers carry on a consistent campaign in favor of Germany against England. They should be put out of existence for the period of this war. The Hearst papers, more ably edited than the German sheets, play the Kaiser's game in a similar way. When they keep within the law they should at least be made to feel the scorn felt for them by every honest American. Wherever any editor can be shown to be purveying treason and violation of law, he should be jailed until the conflict is over. Every disloyal German born citizen should have his naturalization papers recalled, and should be interred during the year. During the term of the war, action of this kind is especially necessary in order to pick out the disloyal but vociferous minority of citizens of German descent from the vast but silent majority of entirely loyal citizens of German descent, who otherwise will suffer from a public anger that will condemn them all alike. Every disloyal native born American should be disfranchised and interned. It is time to strike our enemies at home heavily and quickly. Every copperhead in this country is an enemy to the government, to the people, to the army, and to the flag, and should be treated as such. This pro German anti American propaganda has been carried on for years prior to the war, and its treasonable activities are performed systematically today. The great majority of men and women of German blood are absolutely good Americans, and we owe it just as much to them as to the rest of our fellow countrymen with the utmost severity to suppress the tens of thousands of German and German Americans who, having taken the oath of allegiance, yet intrigue and conspire against the United States and do their utmost to promote the success of Germany and to weaken the defense of this nation. These men support and direct the pro German societies. They incite disloyal activities among the Russian Jews. They finance the small groups of Irish Americans whose hatred for England makes them traitors to the United States. They foment seditious operations among the German American socialists and the IWWs. They support the German language periodicals. Their campaigns range from peace movements and anti draft schemings to open efforts in favor of sedition and civil war. These traitors are following out the vicious teachings of Prussian philosophers. There is no cause for surprise at their treasonable course. Unfortunately, there is cause for surprise at the license which the administration extends to their detestable activities. In this attitude, the administration is repeating its course of indifference to world threatening aggression and of submission to studied acts of murderous violence which resulted after two and a half years of injury and humiliation and are being dragged unprepared into war. If during those two and a half years a policy of courage and of consistent and far sighted Americanism had been followed, either the brutal invasion of our national rights would have been checked without war, or else if we had been forced into war, we would have been brought. We would have brought it instantly to a victorious end. Our failure to prepare is responsible for our failure now efficiently to act in the war. In exactly the same fashion it may be set down as certain that continuance of the present craven policy of ignoring sedition and paltering with treason will encourage and aid German autocracy and will be translated either into terrible lists of Americans slain and crippled on the battlefield, or else into an ignoble peace which will leave Germany free at some future time to resume its campaign against America and against liberty-loving mankind. If you get a chance or you have time, go back and listen to that by Teddy Roosevelt, by our president back in 1917. He wasn't president then, he was just Colonel Roosevelt.

SPEAKER_01 23:55

And remember again, folks, when you're when he's talking about the citizens inside the United States inciting sedition, riots, treason, supporting Germany, think about the modern Christless conservatives, leftists and Muslims doing the exact same things listed in this paper.

Lord’s Prayer And Blessing

SPEAKER_00 24:27

If you are looking for a family-friendly middle grade fantasy series that hopefully uh promotes the principles of Jesus Christ over the principles of the secular world that we see so often in entertainment for children today, if you would check out the countryside series, just give it a chance, I would appreciate it. And if you find that you enjoy it, if you would leave a review for the first or second book, I would be very grateful for that. Also, if you feel like you're getting something out of the podcast on a at least semi-regular basis, marriage versus scripture, medal of honor citations, or our American heritage tying us back to God, right? Because that was the thing with Teddy Roosevelt. And you look at today, what's the common denominator here? The common denominator is followers of supporters of anti-Christ, right? That's the key thing to focus on there. But if you feel like you're getting something out of the podcast, if you have five or ten dollars a month that you can donate to the podcast, I would be very grateful for that. There's a link in the bottom of the show notes where you can do that on the Buzz Sprout website. And if you would rather listen to the podcast on YouTube, it's up there now. Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thou 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 that 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 y'all again real soon, folks. Looking forward to it.