Richard Franz

Did you know that you’ve been playing a game your entire life, maybe without even realizing it? Every morning, you wake up with a full pitcher of water. Throughout the day, you pour that water into various cups. By the time you go to sleep, the pitcher is empty. The goal? Pour the water into the right cups!

At its core, graciousness is an echo of divine character. When Jesus began His ministry, He declared not only “the gospel of the kingdom of God” (Mark 1:14–15) but also modeled a manner of speech that disarmed hostility and drew out the best in people (John 8:1–11). He chose words not of contempt but of truth and compassion. That same mix of honesty and respect is the very lifeblood of true graciousness.

The convergence of multiple global crises in 2025 presents a sobering picture of an Almighty God who is preparing the world for end-time events.

According to a recent study, more than half of today’s teenagers regularly communicate with generative artificial intelligence companions, fueled by the appeal of constant companionship and even mental-health support. Yet experts caution that these digital confidants, however attentive, can foster unhealthy dependency, deepen loneliness, and offer unpredictable or harmful responses. To the unsuspecting or unaware, A.I. can take on many human-like traits.

According to a recent social media post from workers of Israel’s Temple Institute, efforts continue unabated to find what Jewish authorities might consider an “unblemished” red heifer, indicating the failure of a batch of specimens brought to Israel from Texas in 2022 to pass examination. The recent disqualification of the last of these five red heifers represents a setback for the Temple Institute’s preparations.