The Daily Briefing highlights the news of the day and research that reveals the spirit of the day.
The Daily Briefing is a newsletter sent straight to your inbox every morning that provides biblical insight on today's news.
Top News
6. U.S. intends to seize oil from tanker captured near Venezuela, White House says (NBC News)
“The United States on Thursday issued new sanctions on Venezuela’s oil sector and on members of President Nicolás Maduro’s family, while taking steps to keep tens of millions of dollars’ worth of oil from a large tanker that U.S. forces seized off the country’s coast. Venezuela’s economy depends on oil and has been hurt by U.S. sanctions, leading Mr. Maduro’s government to smuggle and sell crude through a web of tankers and middlemen. The new sanctions target three nephews of the wife of Mr. Maduro and six shipping companies.
“Separately, the Trump administration is seeking the legal authority to seize the oil from the Skipper, a tanker that U.S. forces boarded and took possession of on Wednesday in international waters near Venezuela, according to Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary. The oil had come from a state-owned Venezuelan company. American authorities have so far obtained a seizure warrant for the tanker — saying that it had been used in the past to smuggle Iranian oil — but not for the cargo currently on board.”
America First…especially in the Western Hemisphere. Earlier this week, the Trump administration released a 33-page document (National Security Strategy) that serves as a formal explanation of their foreign policy worldview. When it comes to understanding what is happening in Venezuela, consider the “Trump Corollary” to the Monroe Doctrine. “The United States must be preeminent in the Western Hemisphere as a condition of our security and prosperity — a condition that allows us to assert ourselves confidently where and when we need to in the region,” the document states.
In Authoritarian Consolidation in Times of Crisis, John Polga-Hecimovich highlighted how the Maduro regime has survived at least 9 failed mutiny attempts between 2017 and 2020. How so? According to his work, Maduro has surrounded himself with a host of lieutenants and other officials whose fortunes and future are tied to his. Promoting based on loyalty over competence, Maduro has allowed these individiauls to enrich themselves – either unethically (through state-run companies) or illegally (allowing drugs to flow freely through the system).
Remember the wisdom (and patience) of Jehoshaphat… When the Moabites, Ammonites, and some of the Meunites approached Judah with the intention of attacking the people of God, the King paused before he pounced. He prayed to God for wisdom and asked the people to fast for understanding. “We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.” Today, between 8 and 12 percent of the cocaine sent from Venezuela makes its way to the US. While they are pouncing through the drug trade, we have the privilege of praying. (2 Chron. 20)
5. Senate blocks Democrats’ bill to extend expiring Obamacare subsidies (WaPo)
“The Senate blocked a bill Thursday to extend Affordable Care Act health insurance subsidies, all but ensuring they will expire at the end of the year. The vote was the culmination of Democrats’ months-long push to extend the subsidies and prevent premiums from rising for millions of Americans — a campaign that helped trigger the longest federal government shutdown in history. Republicans promised to hold the vote as part of a deal to end the shutdown.
“Four Republicans — Sens. Susan Collins (Maine), Dan Sullivan (Alaska), Josh Hawley (Missouri) and Lisa Murkowski (Alaska) — voted for the Democratic bill, which needed 60 votes to advance. It got 51, with 48 senators voting against. The Senate also blocked a Republican health care bill that Sens. Bill Cassidy (Louisiana) and Mike Crapo (Idaho) drafted as an alternative to the Democratic one. That bill, which also needed 60 votes to advance, failed 51-48, with Sen. Rand Paul (R-Kentucky) joining every Democrat in voting no.”
We find ourselves living in Infinite Browsing Mode, according to Pete Davis. In his book Dedicated, he compares our unwillingness to commit to our browsing proclivities with Netflix, endlessly scrolling through countless options without ever settling on anything. But in this instance, Republicans fulfilled their commitment to hold a vote.
What accounts for our inability to commit? 3 fears: regret, association, and missing out. “First, we have a fear of regret: we worry that if we commit to something, we will later regret having not committed to something else. Second, we have a fear of association: we think that if we commit to something, we will be vulnerable to the chaos that that commitment brings to our identity, our reputation, and our sense of control. Third, we have a fear of missing out: we feel that if we commit to something, the responsibilities that come with it will prevent us from being everything, everywhere, to everyone.”
Broken promises are easy to remember, and fulfilled ones are hard to forget. Consider before you commit. As people who are to be known by our love, we should be the most committed creatures in our communities. David Brooks was right: "Making a commitment simply means falling in love with something, and then building a structure of behavior around it that will carry you through when your love falters." (Lk. 14, Jn. 13)
4. Sherrone Moore remains in custody after his firing, subsequent arrest (WaPo)
“Sherrone Moore remains in custody at a Washtenaw County, Michigan, jail Thursday, a day after the University of Michigan announced the firing of the second-year coach in a moment of stunning upheaval at a college football empire. The situation became public Wednesday afternoon, when Michigan announced Moore’s sudden firing three weeks ahead of the Wolverines’ bowl game against Texas in Orlando. It’s the 10th coaching change in the Big Ten or SEC this fall, and it’s the most shocking of the lot.
“Sherrone Moore has been terminated, with cause, effective immediately,” Athletic Director Warde Manuel said in a statement with an unusual level of specificity. “Following a university investigation, credible evidence was found that Coach Moore engaged in an inappropriate relationship with a staff member.”
“Later Wednesday, authorities in Pittsfield Township, Michigan, appeared to confirm reports that Moore, 39, a married father of three, had been detained by police after they responded at 4:10 p.m. to investigate an alleged assault. In response to a request for comment, Pittsfield police shared a news release stating that an unidentified suspect was taken into custody after officers responded to a call.”
A third are tempted to cheat on their spouse, and roughly 20 percent actually do, according to a pair of surveys. The numbers vary concerning infidelity but one study found that 23 percent of men and 12 percent of women have broken their vows. People who have cheated before are 350 percent more likely to cheat again.
Many love their work, and some fall in love at work. A study found that there were two key components in an affair: the lack of love in a marriage and an emotional connection with another partner. About 17 percent of people have a "work spouse," who they constantly message, talk to about the stresses of work, and hang out with.
Infidelity, according to Leo Tolstoy in Anna Karenina, is like eating a satisfying meal and then going to a bakery to steal a roll. Cheating hurts your partner and harms your witness. Cheating reveals your unfaithfulness and tells a watching world God is not faithful. It says his love is contingent upon particular circumstances. But in marriage, each partner forsakes the others to know the one. In the biblical narrative, we read of a love that narrows more than it broadens (Song of Solomon 2:3). It prefers deep to wide (Song of Solomon 1:4). To one person, it says yes an infinite number of times; to everyone else, it says no every time (Ephesians 5:22-31). Russell Moore makes a stinging point on infidelity: “Jesus will forgive you. Your wife might. Your children will not.”
Cultural News
3. Young Daters Confront a Relationship Killer: The ‘Swag Gap’ (WSJ)
“Escourse is wrestling with a dating obstacle that members of his generation call the “swag gap.” The term refers to a fundamental difference in the way two people carry and present themselves that goes beyond the beauty-meets-brain dynamic long depicted in popular culture. It’s more of an “I’m dressed for a cocktail hour and my partner is dressed for a remote workday” situation. And if the cautionary tales on social media are any indication, it’s a misalignment that should serve as a flashing signal to get out before someone gets hurt.
“Iterations of the swag gap have plagued couples for centuries. Cave men and cave women probably wrestled with style imbalances. But Gen Z is putting its own stamp on it, turning an age-old relationship strain into an instantly diagnosable flaw. Like most movements, this one was powered by an internet meme about women in heels and men in Crocs.”
Love Hurts…. but one study identified what kills relationships. Topping the list was weight gain/lack of exercise, followed by money, antisocial working hours, and hygiene issues.
When it comes to the swag gap, consider the concept known as enclothed cognition. This consists of the symbolic meaning fashion has and its influence on our mental state. People often embody the abstract meaning of the clothing they are wearing, influencing the way they hold themselves and communicate with others.
The swag gap can kill a relationship, but a faith gap can rob you of life. A good partner is a treasure to find, and a tough partner is difficult to endure – like water dripping from the roof (Pro. 27:15). While there are a variety of data points worthy of examination when considering a partner, the chief among them is their faith direction. Paul encouraged the Corinthians not to be unequally yoked. A yoke is a wooden bar that joins two oxen to each other, sharing the burden as they work the field. To be unequally yoked means you cannot perform the task before you because of the differences between you. For the Christian couple, while there are a variety of tasks before them and a swag gap may separate them, a singular goal unites them as they work the field: God's glory, their joy, and the world's good. (2 Cor. 6:14)
News You Can Use
2. Banjo player goes viral for using 'jig doll' in social media videos
Watch it here. “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms.” (1 Pet. 4:10)
1. Meet the Florida Runner Who Has Been on the Move for 50 Years
Watch it here. “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it.” (1 Cor. 9:24)
