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. Louisiana father kills 7 of his children plus another child in shooting at house, police say (AP)
“Eight children were killed and two other people were gravely wounded in a shooting spree that spanned at least three locations in Shreveport, La., and ended with the gunman shot dead after a police chase on Sunday morning, the authorities said. The gunman, XXX, 31, had mental health problems and had recently expressed suicidal thoughts, family members said in interviews.
“The children ranged in age from 1 to 14, officials said, and seven of the eight were his. He shot them execution style, according to a spokesman for the Shreveport Police Department. XXXX also shot two other people, including his wife, who was hospitalized with life-threatening injuries on Sunday, officials and relatives said.
“In interviews, relatives described XXXX as someone who was recently struggling with his mental health and who was stressed about his relationship with his wife, Shaneiqua Pugh. Earlier this month, on Easter Sunday, he called his mother, Mahelia Elkins, and his stepfather, Marcus Jackson. Ms. Elkins and Mr. Jackson said in interviews that their son sounded despondent. They said they could hear his children playing in the background during the call.”
‘There are no words’ acts as a perfect conversation killer, according to Colin Campbell. In his book Finding the Words, Campbell tells the story of how he and his wife survived a car crash that ended up taking the lives of his 2 teenage kids. In the days and weeks after, Campbell came to believe the phrase “there are no words” revealed how poorly our society handles grief. In an effort not to cause any more pain, friends and family were unknowingly adding to it.
Enter the grief spiel. Colin defines this as a personal, practiced narrative that allows someone to express their loss, love, and needs to others. The spiel includes 3 important points: no eggshells (nothing friends could say could trigger them because those suffering were thinking about it anyway); say their names (memories may disappear, but there is no need to accelerate the process by not talking about them); and let’s talk (discussing other subjects can be a great distraction but pain eventually demands attention).
The testimony of Rizpah… When the concubine of Saul lost her sons, she stood guard over their bodies, sleeping on a rock on a bed of sackcloth, and chased away birds and wild animals. Rizpah did this “from the beginning of the harvest till the rain poured down from the heavens,” protecting them from a sign of dishonor and a potential curse. Moved by her devotion, David ordered that her sons be given a proper burial. David and Rizpah didn’t shy away from loss; they embraced it as the testament to love that it was. In this instance, Campbell put it well: “Our instincts tell us to run from pain. But in the case of grief, our instincts are wrong. The reason it hurts so badly is because we love them so much. If we look at it that way, the pain can be understood not as a bad thing to avoid, but as a beautiful tribute, a sign that our hearts are still working.” (2 Sam 21)
5. Trump says U.S. seized Iranian ship trying to bypass blockade of Strait of Hormuz (WaPo)
“President Donald Trump said Sunday that the U.S. military seized an Iranian-flagged cargo ship that tried to bypass the American blockade of the vital Strait of Hormuz, hours after he renewed his threats of broad attacks on Iran’s infrastructure if no deal is reached in talks expected this week in Pakistan. “The U.S. Navy Guided Missile Destroyer USS SPRUANCE intercepted the TOUSKA in the Gulf of Oman, and gave them fair warning to stop,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post.
“The operation marks the first ship boarding by U.S. forces since the naval blockade took effect April 13, as part of Trump’s effort to exert pressure on Tehran. As of Sunday, 25 vessels have been turned back due to the blockade, including the Touska, said U.S. Central Command, which oversees military operations in the Middle East.
“President Trump on Sunday also announced the U.S. will continue peace talks with Iranian representatives in Pakistan on Monday — even as he continued to threaten striking civilian infrastructure in the region. “We’re offering a very fair and reasonable DEAL, and I hope they take it because, if they don’t, the United States is going to knock out every single Power Plant, and every single Bridge, in Iran. NO MORE MR. NICE GUY!” Trump said.”
Do we suffer from a kind of end-of-history utopianism? Victor Davis Hanson writes how in this postmodern moment (after the fall of the Soviet Union), war is “deemed anachronistic and the result of misunderstanding and miscommunication.”
He goes on: “Westerners live in an age where they have fewer children (and thus cannot imagine losing an only child), expect to live until our late eighties (and thus feel robbed if some extraneous event deprives anyone of our 21st-century birthright), and rarely see any more the once daily violence of killing animals (much less preparing their meat).” However, to survive, Hanson writes that we must be “educated that the only thing worse than war is defeat or a permanent enemy sword of Damocles hanging over its collective head. Militaries must return to the ancient confidence that it is better to kill more of the aggressors’ population than to have lost some of its own.”
We live in the tension of the "already but not yet,” knowing that eternal peace has been secured, but making peace is still our duty, which sometimes involves military endeavors. While we long for the day when swords are beaten into plowshares, the current brokenness of our world requires the responsible use of the "sword" to restrain regional aggression and protect the vulnerable. This isn’t an open invitation to make war but to consider the reality of war. As GK Chesterton noted: "War is not 'the best way of settling differences;' it is the only way of preventing their being settled for you." (Romans 13)
4. ‘America Reads the Bible’ kicks off in DC as hundreds gather on red carpet for weeklong event (Fox News)
“The organization Christians Engaged is hosting “America Reads the Bible,” a weeklong reading celebrating the U.S.’s 250th birthday. People will be reading from the Museum of the Bible in Washington each day from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. EDT. Readers include faith leaders, politicians, celebrities and ordinary Americans. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson framed the kickoff of “America Reads the Bible” as a moment of national “rededication” rooted in the country’s founding principles during remarks on Saturday.
“Speaking at the Opening Celebration in Washington, D.C., Johnson pointed to the role of faith in shaping the nation, arguing that America’s founding principles are grounded in the belief that rights come from God. “We’re the first nation in the history of the world that boldly proclaimed that,” Johnson said, referencing the Declaration of Independence. “That is the foundation of what made us the greatest nation in the history of the world.” Johnson told attendees the weeklong public reading of Scripture is an opportunity to “defend and restore the foundations” of the country. “This is more than symbolism,” he said. “It’s a rededication.”
Like Phil Collins, our bookshelves are singing Take a Look At Me Now, desperately crying out for attention. Daily reading for pleasure in the US has declined by more than 40 percent over the last 20 years. In 2004, 28 percent of Americans reported reading for pleasure on a given day. Today, that number is 16 percent. When it comes to the Bible, 25 percent of Americans describe themselves as “Active Bible Users,” meaning they read the Scripture at least once a week outside of a church service. That is down a percent from last year.
Reading is the ultimate path to liberation, according to Frederick Douglass. Descartes compared it to joining a conversation with the finest people of the past centuries. But while you may avail yourself of these rich conversations, this isn’t sufficient, according to Mortimer Adler. He goes a step further: “In the case of good books, the point is not to see how many of them you can get through, but rather how many can get through to you.”
Ezra’s Story Time… After the Israelites returned from exile, Ezra the priest gathered the entire community to read the Law of Moses from daybreak until noon. The people stood the entire time out of respect, with Ezra helping them understand what was being read. It wasn't just about the words; it was about the collective understanding that unified the people after a period of displacement. As Ray Bradbury noted: “You don’t have to burn books to destroy a culture. Just get people to stop reading them.” (Neh. 8)
3. Federal judge blocks Nexstar-Tegna TV station merger until antitrust suit is settled (ABC News)
“A federal judge has blocked a $6.2 billion merger of local television giants Nexstar Media Group and rival Tegna until an antitrust lawsuit is resolved. U.S. District Court Chief Judge Troy L. Nunley in Sacramento, California, made the ruling late Friday afternoon, finding that eight attorneys general and DirecTV were likely to prevail in their legal bid to stop the merger. The attorneys general, all Democrats, and DirecTV contend the merger will lead to higher prices for consumers, stifle local journalism and that the deal runs afoul of federal laws designed to protect against monopolies.
“The deal, announced last year and approved by the Federal Communications Commission, would create a company that owns 265 television stations in 44 states and the District of Columbia, most of them local affiliates of one of the “Big Four” national networks: ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC.”
Like MC Hammer, a federal judge said U Can’t Touch This… but would you want to? Social media has officially overtaken television as the top news source for Americans, with 54 percent now accessing news via platforms like Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok, up from 27 percent in 2013. TV news came in second at 50 percent, and news websites/apps came in third with 48 percent.
Welcome to the clip economy. Ed Elson coined the term, referring to “snippets of long-form content — things like podcasts, livestreams, and TV shows — a byproduct of something else.” The podcasts, livestreams, interviews, etc., aren't so much the main product but a vehicle for generating clips. “Clips are no longer the byproduct of the main product — they’re the main product. Once you grasp this you start to realize how the entire media ecosystem is being flipped on its head.” While the show/podcast generates thousands of views, the clips can generate millions.
Runners swiftly delivered the news, lepers reluctantly shared it, and angels gloriously heralded it. The news in the biblical narrative, much like today, was shared in a variety of ways. However, how we get the news is less important than how we discern it. Consider Daniel. When he heard the news of the king’s food, he didn’t loudly protest it but quietly tested it. In an era of instant clips and breaking updates, our strength lies not in how fast we react to the news, but in the wisdom we use to discern the path forward… especially for those dealing with a potential merger. (Dan. 1, 2 Kings 7, 2 Sam. 18)
News You Can Use
2. Luke Combs On Fatherhood
Watch it here. “Train up a child in the way he should go…” (Pro. 22:6)
1. Watch the moment a high school principal tackles a gunman to stop a shooting
Watch it here. “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous.” (Josh. 1:9)
