When I was growing up many, many, many, many years ago, there was a sort of "insult" that was typically used amongst kids. "Everybody knows that!" was a phrase often touted in playground conversations. Another phrase we often used was "Oh, well that's just common sense." 

It seems like only a few decades ago that common sense was either something everyone had or knew they should be acquiring -- even children on playgrounds knew it. My favorite morning radio talk show these days is Rick & Bubba out of Birmingham, hosted by Rick Burgess and Bill "Bubba" Bussey. They often refer to common sense as a "super power" and I tend to agree. In order to have common sense, you must first have things in common and you must have some sense of value and worth. I fear that, as a nation, we are rapidly losing both. Those of us who may have any lingering common sense are often shouted down by those who seem to be offended by, well, everything! 

So, I thought that I would spend a little time jotting down some old-timer common sense bullet points to help us all see how life should work. Here we go: 

• Hollywood movie stars and multimillionaire athletes are not super elite, wise and all-knowing. It's usually best to admire their abilities, but not glean from their knowledge. 
• The President of the United States really shouldn't insult or name call. He can do this all he wants once he's out of office. 
• The easiest way to do something is not always the best way. Extreme discipline and hard work are often needed in order for something to be done right. Just ask all of the players who work tirelessly under Coach Nick Saban. (Roll Tide Roll!) -- Matthew 7:13-14
• Your emotions do NOT determine your gender. God created male and female for a reason and "the peek test" -- as Bill Bussey refers to it -- is the best way to be sure which you are. 
• Texting with someone is not the same thing as having a conversation with that person face-to-face. Watching an event on YouTube is not the same as having actually been there in-person. Virtual reality is not reality. 
• Students capable of passing a college entrance exam should be able to handle disappointments, discouragements and ever-changing political landscapes without resorting to whining for their "safe spaces." Real life is full of disappointment and discouragement and it's time to grow up. 
• The American flag and the National Anthem are important to most people in our country and patriotism is not dead. (See: empty seats at several NFL games every Sunday.) 
• Journalism (reporting facts for the sake of facts) is officially a thing of the past. Most media outlets now try to control your thinking, philosophies and political leanings. 
• Millionaires kneeling on a football field will not help young black children and families be safer or more successful in life. Investing in churches, building communities, reaching out to neighborhoods and mentoring kids will. 
• Parents should re-learn how to tell their children that they are bad at something. If your daughter is not a good singer, do not tell her that she is. If your son is bad at baseball, don't tell him that he's good. (Millennial parents were lied to way too much.) - Colossians 4:5-6
• Keeping kids from feeling bad about things that they should feel bad about is a very bad idea. (And it makes me feel bad!) 
• Tearing down historical statues might cause everyone to forget about the things that we need to remember so that we will not repeat the mistakes of our past. 
• Boys should join Boy Scouts and girls should join Girl Scouts. (Duh.) 
• Everybody is not special. Most of us are normal, common and average. Stop giving trophies to kids just to avoid hurting feelings. 
• Socialism, communism and liberalism have never worked for any country and always end in disaster and poverty. 
• Government legislation, political maneuvering, social engineering and college education will not stop Evil or stop people from acting in evil ways. Only Jesus can change a person who is evil. 
• People who are capable of working and do not, but instead demand and expect free handouts are stealing. (A good example of government legislation enabling evil rather than solving it.) 
• Seeing how close you can get to sin, bad or wrong is never a good idea. - 1 Timothy 6:11-19
• Dr. Seuss' writings and Harper Lee's "To Kill A Mockingbird" are not dangerous, bad, harmful or evil. There are a lot of books in schools in libraries that ARE harmful and evil. 
• Law enforcement officers are heroes. Some are not good, but the majority are amazing, self-sacrificing, people-loving, God-fearing men and women. 
• You simply cannot remove prayer from schools. A lot of students pray before and during big tests. I know I did. 
• Removing God from curriculums in schools at all levels is inherently bad for society. - Proverbs 14:12 
• Quitters never win. Ever! You can't win or finish or accomplish something if you quit just because it gets "really hard." 
• Mercy wins over condemning and judging others and it will build strong and healthy communities. - James 2:12 
• Grace covers sins and helps heal broken relationships, no matter how badly things have been broken. 
• Good people do not go to Heaven. Heaven is filled with sinners saved by grace. - Romans 3:10-11 and Ephesians 2:8-10
• You can't go to Heaven just because you used attend church or because your momma or grandmomma attended church! You must have a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. 

Sometimes in life -- and our spiritual lives -- we face giants. They're big, obvious, ugly and often lethal. But, at other times, we face tiny thorns that are seemingly small and insignificant. However, they're usually all the more dangerous and incredibly crippling. 

Throughout the month of October I want to lead you on a brand new series (based in part on "The Little Things" by New York Times bestselling author/speaker Andy Andrews) examining the little things that can hurt us, as well as the things that can repurpose our lives and improve our futures. 

I hope you'll join me at Northside every Sunday at 10:30AM or by listening via the podcast!