"The trouble about argument is that it moves the whole struggle onto the Enemy's own ground." - Screwtape
1. Use your imagination and describe Screwtape and Wormwood. Take into account their appearance, personalities, and demeanor. Who would you rather have a conversation with and why?
I see both Screwtape and Wormwood as being very prideful. The appearance in my mind is that Uncle Screwtape is a large, grossly fat man - aging, old clothes, fat stubby fingers. His face is craggly and old, deep crevices, mangled skin and a bit disfigured. His clothes are mainly neat, but ill fitting. I imagine his voice to be firm, forceful, thundering, strong, sarcastic and commanding, condescending. As for Wormwood, physically I see him as taller, slender, but his figure has had less disfiguration. His hands have long slender fingers, but with darkened nails and tips with long fingernails. He always has a smug look on his face, like he knows everything, but at least he tries to listen to his uncle and sort of thinks his uncle is a bit of a nag and pompous. He has contempt for his uncle.
Personally, I would like to have a conversation with Uncle Screwtape. He has a great deal of experience and knowledge and I would like to glean this knowledge from him and get help from Uncle Screwtape's Enemy (God) to combat his own schemes.
Both my kids saw Uncle Screwtape as slender. But we all agreed that they were both prideful.
2. SCREWTAPE'S GAME PLAN - Which action of Screwtape below do you think would be most effective in keeping teens from knowing Christ today? Why?
a. Convincing teens that "real life" is just like their favorite reality show.
b. Convincing teens that they are immortal and will never die.
c. Replacing "right" or "wrong" with "what's trending".
d. Acting without considering any consequences.
e. Distracting teens with media and other forms of technology.
I would choose E, to distract teens with media and other forms of technology. If you keep them distracted, they don't have time to think about anything. Their time is consumed with frivolous things that take up time, waste time, and have no eternal value, yet they'll think it's important.
My son chose B and my daughter chose C. We had a nice discussion on this and this is where we saw things differently.
3. True or false. Satan wants you focused only on spiritual matters not non-essential matters.
False. Satan wants you to focus on the non-essential matters making you think they are really important. He doesn't want you to think at all about spiritual matters, so if he can distract you to not think of things, the better.
We all agreed on this.
4. Have you ever known someone who refused to come to church because of their disappointment with another Christian or the church? How does that change the way you talk to them about church?
Yes. Actually much of my family is like this because Christians they have seen have a worse testimony than the lives they personally live, why would they need to go to church? I don't really talk much about church to them, but really just try to live my life correctly, in a way that pleases God, but not necessarily like people expect or think Christians should be like. Our actions and how we live life will speak much louder than the words we say. At some point, however, you do need to say some things, but your life should already show the words in action.
The kids shared about different people they knew specifically that this is applicable to.
5. BIBLE STUDY QUESTION - Read Luke 10:39-42. 39 She had a sister named Mary, who seated herself at the Lord’s feet and was continually listening to His teaching. 40 But Martha was very busy and distracted with all of her serving responsibilities; and she approached Him and said, “Lord, is it of no concern to You that my sister has left me to do the serving alone? Tell her to help me and do her part.”41 But the Lord replied to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered and anxious about so many things; 42 but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part [that which is to her advantage], which will not be taken away from her.” What ordinary, everyday distractions was Martha concerned with? Who did it make her resent? What did she miss out on?
Martha was concerned with preparing dinner, cleaning house, getting things ready for dinner. How that looks like for each of us may be different, but it's really those things that have no eternal value that we put all our focus on so there is no time to think about or do what is important, that has eternal value. Martha resented Mary for not pitching in to help her because she thought getting things done was more important than to pay attention to what Jesus was wanting. Martha missed out on a lot in terms of really getting that doing all the dinner & other stuff was trivial in the grand scheme of things. Not saying those things didn't need to be done, but maybe it could have been done to a less perfectionistic standard so there could be time listening to what Jesus wanted to share.
How this looks like in real life, in my life, is I can be like Martha a lot, taking care of things and then being resentful of my family for not cooperating. But, when all is said and done, though it's still important for my family these things get done, maybe I can minimize the "stuff" that needs to be done and really love and listen to them, take time to spend with them instead of always being so busy.
We all were in agreement here.
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