What convictions do you stand firm on, and when do you exhibit flexibility? This can apply to politics, parenting, social interactions, and tons of other situations. One of our favorite guests, Marc Benedict, brings that very timely topic to the table.  We talk it out on today’s podcast.

We’ll be bringing you these shorter, one-topic Quick Hits episodes every other week! Stay tuned for more great content!

Podcast Transcription:

Hey everyone, glad you could join us for another episode of core for life. Where your hos Andrew Ryan, Matt and Mike, we bring you another episode every Thursday to discuss four key pillars in our lives, be fit be driven by Noble and Beach shell and how our faith is a backbone behind each of these pillars, will be talkin to some awesome. Guess, as we tackle different topics, at stay accountable with each other to live our lives. The way God intended. Tune in each week to see if they may be something missing in your life. Lets jump into todays episode after quick, add for our sponsor. Alright, welcome to the core for Life. Quick hits podcast to. We are here at Lake Mohawk and joined with a guest previously here with us before. Mark, Benedict of fidei architecture actually recorded at Lake Mohawk the last time also 242. So Mark, you want to kick us off here? You had brought a topic that were going to discuss here for a little bit. Thanks for having me again, guys. Mark is on tomorrow, so one thing I thought might be good to talk about, I kind of chose the phrasing to be conviction versus flexibility and I think theres a lot of things in our life, whether it be the way we approach parenting or politics or, you know, religion the way we act in in business, or with are wiser, and it could be any rain. That but we we all tend especially as men to want to have firm conviction and in the way we approach certain things but I also feel theres an important to have flexibility within that will there be, you know, when youre presented with new information that new information might be just new to you or it might be new information to the general public but its almost I think equally important to have conviction that you stick with but also flexibility in the way that you are adapting and let that new information, those conversations that reading whatever it might be too, to formulate you as as you evolve as a, as a as a man. Yeah, thats interesting. I think, my first thought is, like, what Im thinking about that is like, what are your, like, your non-negotiables may be, like, in your life, you say, I like, my, my faith, the vows, I made to my wife, my commitment, to my kid, like, one of those things that are like, no matter what happens, like, those those shouldnt change in your life. There is maybe, you know, your opinion on. I dont know what any of the economy here. The way. It should be wrong or something. Different things like valak. As you learn new information, youre more flexible that you can change in that. Is that, what youre saying? And thats a great way to reiterate it. I think, what I always say is, you know, the one thing the one absolute truth for me is that Christ died for our sins. Hes our savior died, for our sins, and basically, aside from that, I live my life in the gray area. Thats what I always say. Like, I kind of live in the Great clearly. I feel strong Only in certain areas, you know some of those things like you mentioned some great things in terms of vows to tell my wife and certain things. That that I hold dear, that obviously more convicted on but I just see myself generally as a type of person that is probably more on the flexible side and then more like I said, theres always I feel, theres always new ones to every conversation. Theres always another side thats that you can eat some good Knowledge from and and an understanding of, and its important to see that other side. So if anything, I probably struggle, may be more with being so firmly convicted on certain things. Aside from that one, that I hold true. But, but again, it I think being educated on a number of topics are making sure that youre taking any good information, so that you could eventually formulate conviction on things, it is important as well. So thats that you really Where you asked that I think really strikes the court. Why I brought them as a topic because I do feel like I live so much in the gray So I think what this topic strikes on for me, it just immediately when you start talking about it immediately brings the the to my grace, you know, thinking where do I extend Grace have War, people who have different opinions than me, for people who live different than me. And I know that thats an important topic for us as Christian men. Its weird, we extend that Grace versus where we hold fast to the line of our conviction, as you, as you put it. I think thats thats about on yet because I think theres there is a lack of that in our society. Now, theres a lot of divisiveness and so you dont necessarily have to bend or be flexible and something to, you know, appreciate and and have that Grace give Grace and give that understanding to someone. So it is definitely I think an encompassing conversation of having a conviction having the flexibility but youre right. Theres also just that if you have conviction on Something that doesnt mean you need to completely set set that other set of beliefs or feelings aside. So what are those topics right now that you would say that youre flexible on versus convicted on pretty much everything. Everything, besides what you said you again, Eileen certain ways on a lot of the, the topics that are in our, our current environment right now, the things that, you know, are prevalent in 2020, a lot of other people are very hard on their opinions on if you have a different opinion and youre a terrible person, I meant this whole conversation is leading to exactly to where I thought. It might be a good topic because If, as much as I say, Im in the Greer, great area this year, has led me to some pretty firm convictions and certain topics. And I want to make sure that some of those Topics. By the way, I have changed pretty drastically from where I was a year ago or 4 years ago or 6 years ago or 10 years ago, whatever it might be. So Ive had some flexibility and coming to a certain conviction that I have now, but again, like what, what Ryan mentions as far as Grace, and I think its, its important to have. Even those things that youre most firmly convicted on to have that compassion for, for the other sign. That understanding of that other side, I think humility is a big part of it too. So if you, if you think, you know everything usually went like right before I realize, Im completely wrong with something because Im not the humble at all. And Im humbled because I didnt know this topic. So they part of being flexible is saying, hey, I dont know if I dont know all these answers yet and its easy to look at just one side, Im definitely guilty of that, but approaching it humbly that allows you to have more of an open mind, and actually taking some of that information for it to actually start working on you and maybe changing those view. So, I think it sounds like youre having a humble approach. And I think thats wise, right? I love the way that you mention that because that again hits on another thing. So I feel like theres certain people that walk through life. That think man if everyone just agreed with me this world would be a great place. Where is I walk around him? Like man if everyone agrees with me this As much as I feel that strongly about something we need that open. Like we need that yin and yang. We need differing opinion. Thats how I think we grow and how well, you know, our culture can operate and function in in the best way. So I would never want to walk through life thinking. I wish everyone agreed with me. I love the fact that theres a counterbalance and, you know, I think its just as much as its important to have conviction. Its definitely important to understand. Respect other peoples sides have the flexibility when youre presented with new information to to, to change your mind and formulate a new opinion. I think thats something that we as men are generally not good at, its not easy to get introspective to to look inside ourselves and to see what bias is we have, what opinions we have that arent necessarily based in Yeah, complete logic or more sense. You know, there were even Faith, you looking back and seeing like, man, I I feel this way strongly, but should I be taking that step back to actually see why you believe what you believe? I think thats a good thing just to do on a regular basis. Just look back and see. Is this belief or is this thing that I hold? So valuable, is it worth it number one? And number two in my right about it I think that its a great question and I dont know if well get into specific things that we actually go hold to that degree but I think just taking a look at encouraging ourselves and our listeners to look at back at what we believe in what we kind of knew you hold dear and taking a second, look at it. I think thats good. Good Posse just in general as meant to take a step back and look at that head. Dont be complacent in your conviction right now. Something I think a lot of non Christians and people in the world will look at Christians and think that we are very rigid in our views and very one-sided. One minded and wont even open up to listening to what what they have to say. But, you know, that the key is what you started with. Like our conviction is the fact that we know and understand that Jesus died for our sins and thats where we base everything on after that. You know? Yeah, we can dialogue and we talk about where were all of the other opinions will go but You know, its its always going to come back to that for us. Thats the anchor that giant ground Sam. Youre not going to negotiate a non-negotiable. The one thing that you would hold on to it for a convicted on. Yeah. So and thats where it gets tough because youve got people asking questions on, what do you feel about this topic in this issue and that issue? And there can be different opinions and different thoughts on whether it be politics or whatever. But at the end of the day, what is it? Come back to from a Biblical standpoint and a Biblical view on what it means for that topic. And thats where, you know, its its you you either have something to stand on or youre just thinking like a while. I think this is right or I think this is wrong and well, where does that come from the important part? I think of that is his definitely we, as Christian men, sure. That same lens that everything we understand that every decision we make every opinion, we form every interaction, we have with someone should be in. And is ultimately, you know what, stems from that lens of of Christianity, Christs example. And and the things we find the good book. But the, The Compassion, the grace comes in, in understanding that not, everyone is doing things from that lens. So how can we stay true to that that conviction? In that? The way that we live through that lens and understanding that, not every person shares that same lens that theyre walking through life with. So I think ultimately, you describe this as your topic, the way you brought in was conviction versus flexibility and I think ultimately its conviction plus flexibility because while we stand firm in our beliefs, based on the Orr, From the Bible in and what we believe is Christian men. There still has to be Grace. Theyre there still has to be an extension of love and understanding for people who dont necessarily share the same beliefs. So yeah, I love this topic and its, its something that we could for sure, dive into that youve been here with, OK, Google having me. Glad you could join us for another core for Life podcast. If you like what youre hearing, please share this with your friends and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter at core for life or check out the website core for life.com. Thats core four life.com to next Thursday for another brand new episode. Google for Life For Life