IT ISN'T JUST THE PASSION OF CHRIST

I had a pastor friend tell me that if he wants to know what God is trying to help him see, he reflects on the words he is saying to those who come to him for help. I realize that could get you off track if you always followed that advice. I certainly know that, in my case, the words I speak aren't always spirit-led! Yet, my pastor friend had a point. 

I was talking with a young man some time ago and felt prompted to ask him, "How much do you think about God as your Father? Is that important to you?" He probably said something like, "Oh yeah. I know I'm born again." I kept drilling. "Yes. But how big of a deal is it that the Father is thinking about you right now?" I could tell he just didn't think about God like that. 

And a few hours later, I heard the same question in my own heart: "Shawn, how big of a deal is it that I'm thinking about you right now?" 

I find myself slowly drifting from this reality. Like an elementary kid that graduates from reciting the ABCs. "I don't need that anymore. It's time for higher learning." But is there anything higher or more important than this? The Father of Jesus Christ loves you and is thinking about you right now. This should stop us in our tracks. This should melt us and cause us to drop to our knees. But we get bored with it. Like the Gateway Arch in my city, St. Louis, I can drive by it and stop seeing what a massive structure it is. Or like that toddler in your house that exasperates you, although when he was born, you held him, examined the tiny fingers, and cried. We drive by the everlasting love of God and don't even see it anymore because "there are more important things to learn." 

But listen to a couple of guys who were captured by God's love: 

David, the warrior king, the man after God's own heart, penned these song lyrics: 

"How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! If I would count them, they are more than the sand." (Psalm 139:17,18 ESV)

And in the words of John, the beloved friend of Jesus:

 

"See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!" (1 John 3:1, NIV)

How much do you make of that? Is it boring to you? Think again. 

As we enter Passion Week, it's fitting that we reflect on the cross of Christ, Jesus' self-sacrificial love displayed through the torture of Roman crucifixion. But Jesus didn't do it by Himself. It wasn't like Jesus had to convince the Father that you and I were worth it. God the Father loved you. He wanted to be with you. He was thinking of you when He ordered the events leading to the birth of His Son in a stable. He thought of you when He handed His Son over to the torturers. How much is that on our minds during Passion Week? To paraphrase John the Beloved, "Listen up! Look again at the kind of love this is! The kind that causes the eternally self-existent, all-powerful One, who needs nothing, to go to extreme measures so that you might be called his beloved boy, his precious girl."  

In Knowing God, the late J.I. Packer writes, 

"If you want to judge how well a person understands Christianity, find out how much he makes of the thought of being God’s child, and having God as his Father. If this is not the thought that prompts and controls his worship and prayers and his whole outlook on life, it means that he does not understand Christianity very well at all." 

Don't make the mistake this week of thinking that Jesus loves you, but the Father puts up with you. That the angels got the attention of that cranky God of the Old Testament and said, "You really need to do something to improve your image among human beings, to spice up your reputation. Jesus, can you talk to your Father?" And then God the Father agreed and came up with the idea of sending Jesus. No. It's not just the passion of Jesus Christ. It's the passion of God, the Father that motivated Him to give His only Son because He so loved you. 

How much will you make of that today? 

THINGS I'D LIKE TO NEVER HEAR AGAIN:

I have a few songs that if I never heard again, I would be fine:

"I've Got Friends in Low Places" by Garth - How many hotels have I been in while trying to sleep with this song playing in the bar downstairs?!!

"Pachelbel's Canon in D" - Every wedding and every music station in the doctor's office has used this song. Pachelbel's estate must be worth a zillion dollars with all the royalties.  

"My Heart Will Go On" by Celine - I never saw the movie TITANIC and will never see it. So don't start. This song gives me major cringe. 

Delete them. To think that those writers are getting royalties for those awful songs. It's a waste of hard-earned money. Okay. I'll stop ranting. 

Things Christians say that they need to stop: 

"Sending out prayers and wishes to you..."

Or....

"You're in my thoughts and hopes."

Vague. Bland. Unhelpful. 

Don't send any prayers to me. I appreciate your wishes. It shows you care and that you think kind thoughts about me. I'm glad you have hopes for me now and then in the middle of your thoughts about what you're having for dinner or how disgusted you are with the weather. 

But if you really love me? If you really care? 

Tell me you'll get on your knees even for 60 seconds and plead that God will have mercy on me. Pray that He will shower me with grace and enable me to be the man God wants me to be. 

Or pray the blessing that Aaron prayed, "Shawn, may the Lord bless and keep you; make His face to shine upon you and give you peace."  But don't give me platitudes. Don't flatter me with affection that has no diligence behind it. 

I'm not inferring you need to be a pro at prayer. 

The apostle Paul is helpful with this very thing when he wrote, 

"And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests." (Ephesians 6:18a  NIV)

There is room for all kinds of prayers and requests: childlike wonder, simple questions, pleading, cries, intercession, or an emergency "Help!" I also believe this includes praying with spiritual languages we don't comprehend. 

What is clarifying is the next directive: 

"With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people." (Eph 6:18b)

When he says, "keep on praying for all the Lord's people", he is calling for perseverance and passion. Why does he remind us of this? Because of our tendency to give up, to lay it aside, to defer prayer in favor of "thoughts and wishes." Or because it takes faith and effort. Circumstances and the battle in the mind have a way of numbing us to the power of prayer. Voices that say, "It doesn't matter. God is going to do what He's going to do." Or even worse: "Everything happens for a reason." 

Yes, God is sovereign. His ultimate purposes will not be derailed. But as followers of Jesus, we are partners in intercession. When we stay alert to this and persevere, we are joining in the work of the Holy Spirit who "prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words." (Romans 8:26 NLT).     

FOUR REASONS THE WORLD IS NOT AS CRAZY AS YOU THINK

On a gray Monday I sometimes dream about a different life. As a pastor, I may lament over the indifference of people, the "I wish I wouldn't have said that" moments in the sermon, the volunteers that don't show up, or the lower offerings one week. Even though I know those kind of thoughts do nothing to change life, it's a real temptation to wallow in disillusionment, disappointment or any number of "dis" words. I rarely stay there long. But now and then I wonder what it would be like to have a working farm, somewhere in the rolling hills of Tennessee with a 1,000 acres, a spring-fed creek with trout, a few cows slowly munching on grass while wandering a spacious pasture, and several border collies protecting my orchard from squirrels and deer. I picture myself making the morning rounds in a dependable used pickup with a cup of stiff coffee in my hand--talking with Jesus about all the things I have to be grateful for while the morning mist is rising on the open fields. But somewhere during those five minutes of dreaming, I'm interrupted by another email or notification on my phone about one more reason why the world is crazier than ever. 

I don't know if I can prove it but it seems like I hear it more often, "This world has gone crazy." A quick web search of those three words, world-gone-crazy, will immediately pull up countless articles on why the world is more crazy today: 

- We're more divided than ever
- Children's stress levels are skyrocketing
- The church is more apathetic
- Politicians are more corrupt
- Racism is at an all-time high

But I wonder if it's true. I think our memory is sketchy at best. 

For example: 

"Racism is at an all-time high." I vividly remember school during desegregation with daily riots between blacks and whites. Razor blades tucked in afros. Whites using the "n" word all day long. One steamy afternoon in my Louisiana middle-school, I recall the teacher asking us to put our heads on the desk while we could hear the screaming and fighting going on outside our door. 

I hate racism. But it's not new. Watch West Side Story. Immigration has always brought tension. It's not new. Tribal warfare in the middle East? It's gone on for centuries. People acting like barbarians? Read Churchill's history of Great Britain. People acting like animals? Read about the early history of your city. The things that happened in St. Louis, my home, between settlers and native Americans will make your skin crawl. Abuse? Read "Twelve Years a Slave" and the treatment of slaves in the South will make current racism seem like a walk in the park. Human neglect and child abuse? Consider how upstanding everyday citizens in the Roman Empire would put a newborn baby outside their door, exposing it to the elements until it died. We're shocked at that behavior today but then it was common. 

When I say these things, I'm not saying that current abuse, racism, and mistreatment of human beings doesn't matter. I'm saying the world has always been crazy. 

What's different? 

1. We have instant access to everything that's happening in the world. 

A few decades ago, it took weeks to find out what was happening on the other side of the world. Now we know in seconds. And not only do we know it quickly, we have access to all of it: a new strain of virus in Africa, an earthquake in India, a kidnapping in Seattle, a Ponzi scheme in Minneapolis, four murders in a college frat house. That's all at your fingertips in ten seconds. 

2. Our memory is short. We may laugh about how we can't remember where we put our keys five minutes ago, but we also forget what happened five years ago. We prove this by the way we keep repeating the same dumb mistakes like selling when the market plunges and buying when it's overpriced. We forget that what goes up like a rocket will land again soon and it likely won't be pretty. Whether it's the internet bubble or the real estate market. 

3. We have insulated ourselves from death and suffering. This isn't true worldwide, but it's certainly true in the Western world and especially in America. While we have the bad news in seconds, the worst of it is rarely seen up close and personal. While the third world still gets a front-row seat to death and suffering, here in America, suffering loved ones are often out of sight in a facility that specializes in care. Dead bodies are quickly put in refrigeration, made up, dressed up, and buried or quickly cremated so that we never see the worst of what death does to bodies. Our predecessors had "wakes" when they stayed awake all night with their dead loved ones in the living room, laid out, until the memorial service the next day. Stillborn babies were buried in shoeboxes in the backyard. Today, funerals and wakes are becoming obsolete in favor of celebrations of life with no actual dead body present.   

4.  We've normalized comfort. My home is temperature controlled 24/7. The car has seat warmers for the winter and air-cooled seats for the summer. We have memory foam mattresses and pillows. Instant hot water and indoor plumbing. I can buy groceries and have them on my front porch in a few hours without ever leaving the couch. Pain meds are over the counter and I can enjoy the best coffee in the world in my own kitchen. My parents grew up without all of those things and considered themselves blessed. My normal would be considered the life of the rich and famous just 50 years ago. Not having those things today is called suffering.  

So I'm not saying the world isn't crazy. But this Thanksgiving and beyond, maybe we can have a moratorium on that phrase for awhile. How about a thirty-day break from, "This world's gone crazy" and rather thirty days of gratitude? Let's challenge one another to be grateful for everyday comforts. Let's pause between swipes on our screens and pray. Let's take a break from counting likes and count blessings. 

A Case for Old Friends

I've often wondered how the other disciples felt when Jesus went up the mountain of Transfiguration with only Peter, James and John. Did the others feel jealous? Did Andrew (Peter's brother) say, "There they go again. The special three. And Peter wouldn't even be present if it hadn't been for me." 

There is evidence of a lust for power among the disciples. All the way until their last meal together, they were arguing about who was the greatest. The 10 were indignant over James and John putting up their Mom to ask Jesus about front-row seats to the new Kingdom (Matthew 20:24). But if there were other conversations directly related to the unique relationship of the three (Peter, James and John) with Jesus, I don't know about them. 

We can't argue from silence, scholars tell us. We can't make a case that it never happened just because we don't read about it. What we can say is that if God wanted us to know more about the disciples and their feelings, He would have included it in the scripture.

What is clear is that Jesus as a man, valued friendship and stuck with the same guys to the end. Not only the Twelve. He also felt at home with His friends, Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. That is where He stayed as He entered Passion week. And who did He hang out with on the night before His darkest day? The Twelve.  

"...Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end" (John 13:1 NIV). Jesus stuck with his friends. 

Relationships are work. I can relate to people who say they are moving somewhere where they can start over: a new job, new church, new friends. I understand. And some relationships are so toxic that distance is necessary. 

But we miss something when we cycle people like clothes in our closet; when we treat friends like shoes that are out of style or a restaurant that "just isn't what it used to be." People aren't to be consumed. They are to be loved. And love isn't revealed in one-night stands. Love is like a tree, not a mushroom. Mushrooms appear overnight. Mushrooms may be great on your pizza but a tree with roots takes years to offer shade.

All of us know that couple where the wife is bored while the husband, who seems oblivious, is content to sit in his recliner and eat caramel popcorn. To her, the culture screams, "You go, girl. Life is short. Don't die without having really lived." And I say, by all means, do something to rekindle the fire in your marriage if you can. But the solution may not be to trade your old shoes in for a new pair. 

There's a misconception that long-term friendships and marriage always deteriorate over time. Or, 'Happiness slowly fades the longer we're together.' Yeah, sometimes that's a reality. But there's also strong evidence that when couples stick together through difficult times, working to resolve problems, positive outcomes are more common than rare. Could it be that part of our happiness depends on simply staying together? 

I know that God has wired some of us for adventure. If that wasn't the case, how would the gospel advance? What place would missions have in our churches? Who would welcome new friends if we only have old friends? But it’s good to ask if it’s mission or selfishness that’s driving us.

As a Christian, I'm a big believer in small groups. I just don't see how we can obey the commands of Jesus without having a group of friends who are following Jesus together. But group life can be clunky. Why should I want to get in a group and stay with those people for years? Because people aren't to be consumed and then recycled. When we can, we should push back against the urge to find exciting new friends just because "life is short." If all your friendships end in 3-5 years, you have a problem. Get a counselor and began to ask why this is happening. The problem isn't always the world, the culture, this city, my family, my friends. Sometimes it's me. 

If the Son of God, didn't get bored doing life with fishermen, tax collectors and a carpenter, surely He can give me the grace to find happiness in relationships that last. I think the apostle Paul was on to something when he said, "Love suffers long" (1 Cor. 13.4). There's something comfortable about old shoes. They may not be the latest style, but they feel good on tired feet. 

Jesus loved them to the end.  

      

AN ESSENTIAL QUALITY OF A GREAT LEADER: VULNERABILITY

Last November, Frank Reich was back in the news.* He's the guy who led the Buffalo Bills to the greatest comeback in NFL history. Talking to news reporters, he mentioned the song "In Christ Alone" which I had written and credited the lyrics as inspiration for the comeback. At the Dove Awards the following year, I got to meet him. Previously, when I saw Frank on the field on the TV screen, I thought he seemed "smallish." When I stood next to him on that occasion, I felt like a kid in Jr. High. He was actually not smallish at all. He just appeared that way on the screen next to linebackers. Some people are that way. The closer you get to them the bigger they are. 

It's disappointing to get closer to some people. They seem larger than life--that is, until you meet them and they get smaller in your eyes. I'm not talking about physical stature now. But because of their large view of themselves, and how they treat those they consider to be "little people," they actually become smaller. 

How beautiful it is when you get close to others and find them getting bigger in your eyes. You see how they stay flexible when someone disrespects them. You see the kindness they give to the tech team or the audio engineer. Or, how they take time with those the world might view as "little people." 

Recently, we had a guest speaker at our church that has traveled the world. His books are translated into eight languages and have sold multiple thousands. When the meeting was over, instead of hiding in the green room, he was one of the last ones to leave the building, spending time with one teary-eyed Mom who had questions. I saw compassion. I saw humility. 

Later, I commended him on his patience with yet one more who asked questions he had already answered in his lecture. His response? "Ministry off-stage is just as important as on stage." He then asked me to continue to pray for him. He grew bigger in my eyes. 

I've heard and seen this in different ways. I was in a session with Terry Virgo who has preached at meetings of 10,000 plus and impacted 100's of churches around the world. He founded the New Frontiers family of churches which has grown to over 1500 churches in 70 countries. When asked to give an essential quality of a lead elder (pastor), without hesitation he replied, "vulnerability." I would have expected him to say vision, calling, or passion. But vulnerability? He went on to say how vulnerability is essential in order to convey to others how essential their gifts are, how important a team is. If someone thinks themselves self-sufficient, they are disqualified. It's the one who is self-aware enough to know their inadequacy that is actually qualified to lead. Wow. 

There's a scene in "Prince Caspian" when  Lucy sees Aslan after quite a long time. She observes how he has gotten bigger. 

“That is because you are older, little one,” answered he.
“Not because you are?”
“I am not. But every year you grow, you will find me bigger.”
C.S. Lewis, Prince Caspian: The Return to Narnia The Chronicles of Narnia (Harper Collins, 1994)  

Maybe this is what happens when we grow up. We become more aware of our smallness--not our greatness. God gets bigger and we realize as Francis Schaeffer says, with God "there are no little people or little places." 

Here are some tests to discover one's greatness:

 

-- How do you talk to the server at the restaurant when she gets your order wrong? 

-- How do you treat the custodian in the bathroom airport? 

-- How do you react when someone doesn't give you the respect you rightfully deserve? 

-- How do you respond when a child interrupts you? 

-- How do you converse with the phone attendant whose English is difficult to understand? 

Anyone can give honor to the beautiful, the intelligent, or the powerful. But the truly great demonstrate the greater reality: "There are no little people or little places." 

 *https://www.indystar.com/story/sports/nfl/colts/2021/11/21/colts-frank-reich-encourages-in-christ-alone-after-bills-win/8714255002/

  

DON'T OVERREACT TO SPIRITUAL BULLIES

Being bullied is a horrible thing. I've been in those shoes and it's traumatic. I was never much of a fighter, except with my brothers. I never suffered horrible physical abuse, so I can't speak with any authority there. But I've sat in a chair while a spiritual leader reamed me out about what a sorry leader I was. There was a bit of truth in what he said. But his attitude was arrogant, condescending and controlling. At the moment, I was too shocked to defend myself. When confronted by an angry person or a bully, I usually take the "soft answer turns away wrath" approach. When people are angry with good reason, this usually is the best path. But with a bully, you walk away scarred with long-term anxiety and possibly some level of trauma--that is, trauma with a little "t". 

Spiritual abuse is a wicked tool. It combines spiritual authority with control. It can be heavy-handed and insulting, or manipulative and passive-aggressive. Either is sinister and destructive. 

The Jesus-way of leadership is the opposite:  

Then they began to argue among themselves about who would be the greatest among them. 25Jesus told them, “In this world the kings and great men lord it over their people, yet they are called ‘friends of the people.’ 26But among you it will be different. Those who are the greatest among you should take the lowest rank, and the leader should be like a servant. (Luke 22:24-26 NLT)

Jesus calls his disciples to servant leadership. The greatest shall be like a servant. 

The current generation is reacting to several decades of bad leadership. We've witnessed high-profile leaders, pastors, parents and politicians, coaches and sports physicians who have used their position to take advantage of those in their care or tutelage. We've admired strong leaders only to look under the hood and discover secret physical or sexual abuse. I believe God is allowing the exposure of this darkness for the sake of those who need justice. God sees abuse and although He is merciful, He will not suspend His justice forever. 

Andrew Wilson, author and teaching pastor of Kings Church London, relates our current milieu to patterns in the book of Numbers: 

"But perhaps the most striking feature of Numbers, when it comes to pastoral ministry, is the way it warns of opposing dangers at both ends of what we might call the confidence spectrum. Throughout Israel’s history, and indeed the history of the church, God’s people have tended to oscillate between overconfidence (pride, arrogance, self-importance) and underconfidence (unbelief, timidity, fear). Generations typically swing from one to the other, as young people see the flaws of their parents and overreact. Our generation is currently witnessing this sort of pendulum swing..." (Andrew Wilson, "Seven Trials, Two Dangers, and One Underappreciated Book", CT, April 18, 2022)

Until hearing Andrew speak on this, I thought of Numbers as a book of details; of tribes, offerings, civil justice, and prescribed duties. There is also the theme of Israel blowing it and turning to God for deliverance from their enemies. When they repent, God delivers them. In times of prosperity and safety, Israel forgets God and turns to idols. God allows their enemies to oppress them. They turn back to God and say, "Where are you, God?" God saves them. Then the cycle repeats. 

But an equally important message is one regarding leadership and authority. On one hand, there is evidence of overconfidence in Miriam and Aaron's opposition to Moses' leadership in Numbers 12. The tone is, "Moses, who do you think you are? You're too power hungry. You're flawed. We can lead as well as you." Then there is the evidence of underconfidence in Numbers 13-14. "We can't move forward. Compared to our enemies, we're just grasshoppers." While Joshua and Caleb try to inspire the tribes to move out in confidence, the other voices are of despair and faithlessness: "We're gonna die." 

As I stated earlier, there has been a needed correction with regard to heavy-handed leadership tainted with spiritual abuse. God's church has reacted by calling for accountability, transparency, with more layers of people who make decisions. The superman or superwoman leader with multiple gifts is almost seen as a liability today rather than a blessing. Team ministry is celebrated with no one having ultimate power. Again, I think this is mostly a good thing. Correction was needed. 

The downside is the inevitable pendulum swing that Andrew refers to--including a mistrust of anything that smells like authority or looks like an established institution. There is also a danger in nurturing a climate of suspicion for anyone who says, "I'd like to lead. Is there a path to leadership?" 

Spiritual abuse is horrible. Insecure dictators who make decisions behind closed doors without accountability are dangerous. But so is an organization, a church, a family or a business without a leader. If every decision is groupthink, the mission will stall and gifted leaders will disappear or turn to enterprise that may be good, but not where they are needed most. 

We must find our way humbly forward, recognizing this tension. How do we guard against unhealthy egos and rogue dictators? Yet how do we follow commands such as this one:

Have confidence in your leaders and submit to their authority, because they keep watch over you as those who must give an account. Do this so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no benefit to you. (Hebrews 13:17 NIV)

Or this one...

Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to acknowledge those who work hard among you, who care for you in the Lord and who admonish you. 13Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other. (1 Thes 5:12,13)

As Timothy Keller often says the answer is not found in a middle way, but a third way. We still need leaders. We still need humble followership. Authority is not an evil concept. Abusive authority is. Aspiring to leadership isn't all selfish ambition. Toxic leadership is well...toxic and sinful. But humble leadership is necessary and helpful. 

God help us not overreact.   

 

FOUR WAYS TO A BETTER MARRIAGE THAT MAY SURPRISE YOU

I have a shelf designated for books on marriage. I'd say I've read 20 or more of them. Some are stellar and worth reading more than once. My top three would be:

• Sacred Marriage by Gary Thomas
• The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman
• Love and Respect by Emerson Eggerichs

If those authors are much more experienced and knowledgeable than I am, why then would I propose four things regarding marriage? Isn't that…presumptuous? Or worse…pretentious? Maybe. But here goes. 

1. Get godly, biblically-literate friends. I don’t mean someone to do coffee with or watch the game. Neither do I mean someone who will commiserate with you about how much of a devil your spouse is. I mean someone you can tell the worst about yourself and then will not shame you but pronounce forgiveness to you and call you to forsake your sin. Whether it’s someone in your small group or a friend from another church. Get one or two “dung buddies” who know the best and worst about you. 

Girl, your spouse cannot be your everything. He's not your girlfriend. Don't expect him to act like one. You need someone else. And guy, you do too. Your wife can be your best friend. But she should not be your ONLY friend. 

2. Read your Bible and pray everyday. Yep. You knew I would say it. And you think, “Gosh, I’ve tried that. It didn’t help.” That's your problem. You tried and then you stopped. I mean it. Open the Book and talk with God EVERYDAY. Yeah, you can miss now and then but don’t quit. Over time, the presence of the Holy Spirit will correct you, shape you and point out what needs to change in you. How do I know? Because it happens to me all the time. 

(I put this as #2 not because it's a second level priority, but so you wouldn't shut me down and say, "He's a pastor. Here he goes about Bible and prayer. I've heard all this before!")

3. Pray together as a couple at least once a week for 30 minutes. Satan will fight you on this! He will find every reason in the world why you can't:

• “I’m not good at praying out loud.” To which I say, “being good at it" is not the point. If you think you’re good it, then you have other problems. 
• “We have nothing to say after 5 minutes of praying for the money and the kids.” Okay. Then wait there in His presence and thank Him for 50 things! Sit on your deck with your coffee and talk with God about all you're experiencing as a couple. Share your gratitude, your worries, and your griefs. You’ll find deep emotional connection with your spouse after pursuing this practice for more than a month. Jesus isn’t impressed with your words and neither is He nervous about silence.
• “We have too much to do to pray.” Maybe you do. So eliminate a TV series or a game app and pray for 30 minutes once a week. 

Guys. Here's a question: Would you take a bullet for your wife? Mostly likely you'll say, yes. Then you have enough courage to pray publicly! Get over yourself. 

4. Get a hobby you both like and do it together. It may be taking a class on photography. Might be deer hunting, cooking or beekeeping. But get at least one hobby you can both enjoy. The best ones are ones you can discover together. But old hobbies work too.  

So there you go! Surprised? Disagree? Then sound off.