Christians and Pool Tables

A lot of my readers are probably curious about a unique post title like Christians and Pool Tables. What this is a reference to is the fact that pool hauls have long been thought of as unsightly places where there's excessive drinking and smoking going on and maybe even worse things that I'd prefer not to even think about it. Places like this are generally thought of as the types of low class locales that devout Christians like your author and a sizable amount of the readership of this blog consider themselves to be a part of.

The title of this post could just as easily have been Christians and Bars or Christians and Strip Clubs, or even Christians and Bordellos but I wanted to go with the PG title instead of the PG-13, R, or X rated options that I just threw out there. The crux of this article is to examine both what drives men and women alike to frequent these sorts of unsavory places that are on the opposite end of the holy spectrum from a peaceful Sunday church service.

The lesson that I would like readers to take away from this post is that while it is easy to turn ones nose up at supposedly lower level Christians who seemingly succumb to vices that are possibly beyond their control the Christian thing to do is to help these wayward souls find redemption and grace and beauty as we are all children of Christ.

There's no doubt that in pool hauls in the plains of Texas troublemakers are shooting pool and the same thing is undoubtedly going on across the bible belt and down through the bayous of Florida where men who never had the opportunity to go to college proudly pump quarters into a University of Florida pool table in some bar on the outskirts of town and are ordering up beers and puffing on cigarettes when they should be home with their wives and children.

The lesson to be learned is to spread the gossip of Jesus Christ and the virtues that any man or women regardless of religious affiliation can attest to. Simple mantras like the golden rule that teaches us to do onto others as we would have others do onto us are in many instances quite literally words to live by.

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Christ Quotes "Teaching a Man to Fish"

Of all the Christ quotes "teaching a man to fish" is perhaps the most popular because of how classic and timeless the expression can be. The quote most famously uttered by Jesus Christ is the sort of wisdom that crosses religious barriers and makes logical reasonable sense to most anyone regardless of background or belief structure. Christian fish jewelry and silver Christian rings are nice but for my money I want a Christian necklace with a truly memorable quote that reminds me and the people I give jewelry gifts to of the inspirational words of our lord and savior Jesus Christ.

Even in the twenty-first century the words are as meaningful today as they were two thousand years ago. There is a lesson for all of us to take to heart when it comes to education and the long lasting impact it can have on the sustained quality of life that everyone one of us hopes to past along to our children so that they may have a better life than we did. The quote of "teaching a man to fish so he'll eat for a lifetime" is so powerful because it appeals both to our desire to help others and our sense of personal accountability. The saying says:

If you give a man a fish he'll eat for a day. If you teach a man to fish he'll eat for a lifetime.

The above quote credited to Christ is noteworthy because it relates to so many philosophies adapted by the modern world in today's society. There is a common understanding education is the key to unlocking situations that otherwise present perpetual poverty. Educational opportunities are believed to be the key to breaking the terrible cycles of impoverished communities. Without educational opportunities it is extraordinarily difficult for a family to improve its position in life in terms of social economic situation. Many times these issues manifest themselves as a result of communities being formed that encourage the status quo with no reasonable plan for improving quality of life.

This is all particularly interesting because knowledge is truly power and not just in terms of organized schooling and degrees. While certifications and degrees are extremely important for opening up doors where opportunities otherwise wouldn't be there. The real power though is in knowledge and no in formal degrees. The ability to make informed wise decisions is extremely important in terms of improving ones position in life and reaching an optimal level of happiness. While there are no guarantees that things will always work out for the best being informed creates the best opportunities for success. In many ways life is like a baseball game where the variables are constantly changing . Your mind is like the manager of that baseball team and you have to make all the right decisions to give yourself the best chance of winning and being successful. What it all comes down to is playing the odds.

It is for all of the reasons just mentioned that I encourage everyone to give their children a Christian necklace with the wonderful Christ quote inscription that reads: "teaching a man to fish." Keep this message in mind the next time you are wondering how to pick a Christian necklace. In my world this is a constant reminder to live, learn, and help others do the same for themselves.

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