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. US household debt ticks up to new all-time high as inflation continues to rise (ABC News)
“U.S. household debt, including mortgages, credit cards, auto loans and student loans, reached an all-time high of $18.8 trillion in the first three months of the year, according to new data Tuesday from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. The increase in overall debt was driven by higher balances on mortgages and auto loans.
"Student loan debt slightly decreased to $1.66 trillion. However, many borrowers are falling behind on their payments, with more than 10% of student loan balances now past due, nearing pre-pandemic levels, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York said.
“The record-high household debt comes amid rising inflation, which rose for a second consecutive month, government data on Tuesday showed. Prices rose 3.8% in April compared to a year earlier, marking an increase from a year-over-year inflation rate of 3.3% in the prior month. Annual inflation jumped to its highest level in three years, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data showed.”
During the Great Depression, John Steinbeck noted how Americans were “not very interested in socialism.” He went on, saying the “trouble was that we didn’t have any self-admitted proletarians; everyone was a temporarily embarrassed capitalist.” Despite being down in tough times, Steinbeck observed that most Americans believed that those times were temporary and the best was yet to come.
Today seems different… This was most recently illuminated by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, when she observed that “you can’t earn a billion dollars.” She went on: “You just can’t earn that… You can break rules. You can abuse labor laws. You can pay people less than what they’re worth. But you can’t earn that.”
Poverty or inequality? Rep. Ocasio-Cortez demonstrates the scarcity mindset, animated by a persistent, fear-based belief that there is never enough time, money, or energy. This leads her to focus on inequality over poverty. However, this focus on attacking the top (billionaires, in this case) fails to take into account that there will always logically be a top to attack. Instead of focusing on inequality, a better metric would be poverty. Yes, there are billionaires in this world, but we are also seeing historic lows of people living below the poverty line.
Silver and gold I do not have… A beggar once encountered Peter and John on their way up to the temple. He wanted money from Peter, but he got what he needed through Peter: the ability to walk again. “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” Times are tough for many right now, and thankfully, the Ancient of Days is still in the business of providing for every need – regardless of market conditions. (Acts 3)
5. Iran hangs another man amid wave of executions since war broke out with U.S. and Israel (CBS News)
“Iran on Tuesday executed a man convicted of armed rebellion, the judiciary said, the latest in a wave of hangings since war broke out with the United States and Israel. "The death sentence for Abdoljalil Shahbakhsh, son of Jalal, a trained member of the Ansar al-Furqan terrorist group, was carried out this morning," the judiciary's Mizan Online website said. He had been charged with rebellion "through armed attacks on police headquarters and membership in the Ansar al-Furqan rebel group," the authorities added.
“Iran is the world's most prolific executioner after China, according to rights groups. Iran Human Rights and Paris-based Together Against the Death Penalty said last month in their joint annual report on the death penalty in Iran that at least 1,639 people were executed in 2025 — including 48 women… The Iran war is estimated to have cost $29 billion, acting Pentagon comptroller Jules W. Hurst III told lawmakers Tuesday morning during a House Appropriations hearing. Two weeks ago, Hurst testified it was $25 billion, much of which was attributed to munitions costs.”
While Iran continues to perpetuate evil, some are alleging Israel is following suit. Nicholas Kristof of the NY Times asserted earlier this week that Israel’s alleged use of sexual violence against prisoners is “organized state policy.” This includes the alleged use of trained dogs to rape prisoners. “There is no evidence that Israeli leaders order rapes… but in recent years they have built a security apparatus where sexual violence has become a major element in the ill treatment of Palestinians.”
Kristof relies on a report from Euro-Med, which has “documented links to Hamas and a long record of extreme, unverified accusations against Israel,” according to HonestReporting. Euro-Med has also put forward unfounded accusations that Israel was stealing organs from the bodies of dead Palestinians and that Israeli forces have trained dogs to rape prisoners. This may seem outlandish, but it sadly isn’t new, with Israel in the past being accused of deploying sharks, rats, lizards, cows, dolphins, hawks, and pigs to torture its enemies.
Remember Susanna. There is an old story of 2 elders falsely accusing Susanna of adultery, a capital offense. A young Daniel intervened and demanded they be examined separately, rooted in the command to diligently search and thoroughly inquire (Deut. 13:14, 19:18). He asked each elder under which tree the alleged crime occurred. The first said a mastic tree; the second said an oak tree. Because their testimonies differed on that specific detail, the accusation was found to be false. I have great hesitations regarding the veracity of Kristof’s claims, but I know the old saying is true: "Just as the sun cannot be hidden by a hand, the truth cannot be hidden by a lie."
4. FDA chief resigns after weeks of pressure (WaPo)
“Dr. Marty Makary, the commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, resigned on Tuesday after weeks of pressure and rumors that President Trump was planning to fire him. Dr. Makary ultimately left over concerns about the administration’s decision to authorize fruit-flavored e-cigarettes, an action he opposed, according to four people familiar with the matter. Dr. Makary told those close to him that he could not in good conscience approve flavored vapes, given their appeal to young people, and would not do something he did not believe in.
“His departure caps a tumultuous run at the helm of an agency that regulates medical treatments, vaccines and much of the U.S. food supply. Dr. Makary came to the F.D.A. as a reformer, instituting so many new initiatives that he became known — and sometimes mocked — for his white board on wheels, festooned with Post-it notes lining up announcements that he promoted on frequent television appearances.”
Alan Jackson has Gone Country but it looks like Mr. Makary is just gone. But which focus does he have while he walks away? Recent research out of Northwestern identified 2 mentalities individuals often possess when walking away from an opportunity: promotion or prevention. With a promotion focus, you think about what you have to gain through this move. This person is most comfortable making mistakes and accepting losses. Then there is prevention focus, which concentrates on what you have to lose. More sensitive to sunk costs, this person thinks about goals in terms of what they have to lose if they don’t find success.
Like Lenny Kravitz, how bad do you want to Fly Away? A fascinating study asked participants to imagine being the CEO of an aviation company developing a $10 million plane. After spending $9 million, they were then told a rival company had already built a competing plane (cheaper and superior). So then the participants were asked: do you invest the remaining $1 million to finish your plane or cut losses and move on? 80 percent of those with a prevention focus invested the remaining $1 million in their inferior plane.
Jonah eventually gave up, Balaam changed his plans, and Paul quit to pursue other options. There are times when we need to persist despite the odds, and there are other times when we need to hang it up. Adam Grant put it well: “Refusing to quit is not always heroic resilience… Walking away from a losing battle is not a failure of grit. It's a triumph of wisdom. Service is not only about stepping up to lead. It’s also about having the courage to step aside.” (Jonah 3, Num. 22, Phil. 3)
Cultural News
3. College students overestimate starting salaries by $24K: Survey (The Hill)
“College students’ salary expectations are out of step with reality, a new survey suggests. Undergraduates pursuing a bachelor’s degree expect to earn roughly $80,000 one year after graduation — about $24,000 more than the average starting salary of $56,153, according to Clever Real Estate.
“Although teachers have historically been underpaid, education majors still anticipate making a starting salary of $75,186 — about 62% more than the $46,526 they will likely receive,” the report said. Nursing majors expect a starting salary of $83,219 or 32 percent more than a “realistic salary” of $63,000 for nurses with one year of experience, according to Clever.
“Starting salaries weren’t the only misjudgment — students’ mid-career expectations were off, as well. Ten years after graduation, the students surveyed expected to make around $145,000 on average, but the average mid-career salary is only $95,521, Clever said.”
Tom Petty doesn’t Know How It Feels, but do you want to know how much your colleagues make? 51 percent of employees believe they are underpaid when they are actually paid at market or above market rates.
It never hurts to ask… Research shows that 75 percent of raise requests result in some kind of salary bump. In a study out of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, researchers concluded that neglecting to negotiate just $5,000 more could mean the loss of more than $600,000 over the course of a career.
Jesus tells the story about a landowner hiring some workers. Some start at the beginning of the day, others at midday, and a few at the end of the day. When it is time to pay the workers, the owner pays those who started at the end of the day a full day’s wages. When it comes time to pay those who started at the beginning of the day, the landowner pays them the same as those who started at the end. Out of frustration, they say it isn’t fair – even though they are paid what they expected at the start. Comparison, in this instance, is the thief of joy, robbing them of the satisfaction that comes with an honest day’s work. (Mt. 20:1-16)
News You Can Use
2. The World Doesn’t Need Another Cover, But An Original: Eric Church’s Incredible Commencement Address
Watch it here. “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind…” (Rom. 12:2)
1. Pope Leo gets hung up on by customer service
Watch it here. "But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors." (James 2:9)
