When the world’s noise weighs on your heart and your thoughts feel crowded with fear or distraction, this prayer helps you invite God’s truth to clear the clutter and renew your mind in His peace and purpose.

Matthew’s infancy narrative ends with a passage that has baffled biblical scholars: “And [Joseph] went and lived in a city called Nazareth, so that what was spoken by the prophets might be fulfilled, that he would be called a Nazarene” (Matt. 2:22–23). The problem is that the Old Testament never says the Messiah would be called a “Nazarene.” In fact, Nazareth isn’t mentioned in the Old Testament, and it’s believed that the town didn’t even exist when the Old Testament was written. Various theories have been suggested for Matthew’s meaning here, but I suggest the clue is to be found in the mystery (and even foolishness) associated with a Messiah coming from the obscurity of this small town in Galilee. ‘Nazarene’ Points to the Messianic ‘Branch’ Perhaps the most popular guess at Matthew’s meaning is that the name “Nazarene” is a play on words, as the Hebrew word for “branch” is nezer. This nezer or “branch” contains messianic connotations, or so it’s thought, based on the prophecy in Isaiah 11:1–3 of a coming Messiah: There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit. And the Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD. And his delight shall be in the fear of the LORD. Jesus is that Branch, that nezer, and his being called a Nazarene evokes that messianic image. Other passages also contain the image of a messianic “branch” but use a different Hebrew word (Jer. 23:5; 33:15; Zech. 3:8; 6:12). Was this the connection Matthew wants us to make? We can’t be sure, but another view is now gaining traction, and it has much in its favor. ‘Nazarene’ Points to Messianic Rejection Matthew’s citation in 2:23 differs in two ways from his typical formula when citing the Old Testament. First, he speaks of “the prophets” (plural), hinting that he isn’t referring to any particular prophecy but to a broader idea to which the prophets spoke. Second, the citation is introduced with the term “that” (hoti), rather than his usual term “saying” (legontos), suggesting a more general idea is in mind (cf. 4:6; 21:16). The word “that” merely introduces the general content of a prophetic tradition. The NIV rightly captures this thought: “So was fulfilled what was said through the prophets, that he would be called a Nazarene.’” The clue is to be found in the mystery (and even foolishness) associated with a Messiah coming from the obscurity of this small town in Galilee. During his life, Jesus is known as “Jesus of Nazareth” instead of “Jesus of Bethlehem.” But how could the Messiah come from such an insignificant village of probably less than 500 people, way up in the hill country of Galilee? In John’s Gospel, Philip tells Nathanael, “We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” Nathanael replies, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” (John 1:45–46). A Messiah coming from Nazareth seems inconceivable and even foolish to Nathanael, as it would to any Jew. For Jesus, to be called a Nazarene seems nothing but an insult. Instead of labeling Jesus a Bethlehemite, Matthew identifies him as a Nazarene, one who would inevitably be misunderstood and ultimately rejected. This is precisely what the prophets predicted would happen. Consider the description of the Suffering Servant in Isaiah 53: “He grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground” (v. 2). The Servant’s origin would be unexpected and surprising. Isaiah continues, He had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. (Isa. 53:2–3) In the first-century Jewish mind, it would be foolish to think the Messiah could come from Nazareth, but doesn’t such an origin reflect the very foolishness of the gospel itself—the message of a crucified Messiah? Jesus describes as “foolish” those who were slow to believe all that the prophets had spoken, that the Messiah would have to suffer before entering his glory (Luke 24:25–26). In God’s mysterious design, his Son’s birth wouldn’t take place in a royal palace but in a cattle stall. He wouldn’t be raised in the luxury of a prince but in the humble home of a carpenter. He wouldn’t come from the political capital of Jerusalem, much less Rome, but from a tiny, obscure village outside the corridors of power. He’d be scorned by the religious leaders; he’d be despised and rejected, being held in low esteem; and he’d suffer the shame and agony of a Roman cross. He’d be, as the apostle Paul describes it, “a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles”—nothing but a Nazarene (1 Cor. 1:23). The Messiah must first suffer before entering his glory. ‘Nazarene’ as a Discipleship Calling “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” You wouldn’t think so—but God arranged the events of Jesus’s birth so he’d be called a “Nazarene.” And in Acts 24, that’s just what Paul’s Jewish opponent derisively called Jesus’s followers—“Nazarenes” (v. 5). The Messiah must first suffer before entering his glory. That’s what it means to be a Christian. Take up your cross and follow Jesus, in his obscurity and humility, bearing his reproach, as he bore yours. Cast off all that would cause you to boast in the world—all your achievements and all your good deeds—all that would bring you honor and glory in the world’s eyes. In fulfilment of the words spoken by the prophets, Jesus was called a Nazarene. Are you willing to be called one, too?

After 10 years, five seasons, and 42 episodes, the hit Netflix show Stranger Things has now concluded. Directed by the Duffer Brothers, Stranger Things follows a group of kids (and a few adults) in Hawkins, Indiana, during the 1980s as they battle supernatural threats from the “Upside Down.” The show is both an extraordinary accomplishment and a thudding disappointment. Its success stemmed from the nostalgia, mythology, and theme of friendship that was its heart and soul. But the show’s recent emphasis on sexual identity undermined the thematic core that the Duffer Brothers spent years constructing. Christians need not be shocked to see these themes in secular entertainment—even “family” entertainment. The LGBT+ plotline has become all too predictable. That Stranger Things followed this script too is another reminder that we’re living in a “strange new world.” However, Christians can respond by pointing out how an obsession with sexual identity flattens otherwise interesting characters and sucks the narrative life out of otherwise compelling stories. Thematic Clarity Fans love Stranger Things because of its thematic clarity. The Duffer Brothers created a consistent world. The show isn’t only set in the 1980s but also recreates the feel of the ’80s, reminding viewers of some of their favorite childhood movies from Steven Spielberg and George Lucas. Stranger Things recalls a time before helicopter parents, when kids were frequently on bicycle adventures with their friends. The show’s sci-fi-meets-horror mythology also creates intrigue. The dark and foggy Upside Down is both terrifying and underexplained. A preserved sense of mystery—an unabashedly enchanted world—contributes to the show’s refreshing appeal in a secular age. The supernatural elements also clearly distinguish between good and evil. But friendship forms the show’s core. At the most important moments, the episodes return to this theme. The series begins and ends with four friends playing Dungeons & Dragons. Every season concludes with the same lesson: The protagonists need each other to defeat the darkness. Even Eleven (a girl with superpowers) can’t do it alone. True strength comes not from solo heroes but from tight-knit relationships and committed community. Rise of Sexual Identity Unfortunately, as the kids mature and the series wears on, these elements become undercut by a growing fixation on sexual identity. This culminates in a poorly written six-minute “coming out” scene in episode 7 of the final season. My negative assessment isn’t simply a Christian calling out a theme that clashes with my worldview; the episode is the series’ worst-rated. Many viewers have found the “coming out” scene forced and artificial. Will Byers (Noah Schnapp) occupies a paradoxical role. He’s the first kid captured and kept in the Upside Down, and the monsters continually target him as a victim. It isn’t until the last season that he figures out his greatest weakness can also be used as a strength. Because he’s so tapped into the “hive-mind” of the Upside Down, he can use this connection to subvert the enemy. However, Vecna (the Upside Down’s archvillain) also uses Will’s secret—that he’s gay—as a weapon. Therefore, to continue helping his friends, Will has to let them know his secret. This neuters Stranger Things’s most powerful themes. When Will confesses, everyone awkwardly rallies around him in acceptance, confessing their continued love for him. The anachronism is hard to miss. Stranger Things suddenly doesn’t seem set in a 1980s Indiana small town. It rather feels like a scene from a Los Angeles DEI meeting today. Previously, to conquer the Demogorgons, the kids had to band together and combine their strengths. But with Will’s coming out, the show seems to suggest that to defeat evil, they really just need to know who they are in terms of sexual identity. The idea that expressive individualism is what helps defeat Vecna is hard to take seriously. Does the fate of the world really rest on Will’s coming out? Hollywood’s reliance on this trope is both predictable and mind-numbing. Does the fate of the world really rest on Will’s coming out? Hollywood’s reliance on this trope is both predictable and mind-numbing. Worse, Will’s coming out nearly topples the theme of friendship. Questions surrounding Will’s relationship to best friend Mike (Finn Wolfhard) complicate what had been the relational heart of the show. Was their relationship truly a friendship or a one-sided romantic crush? If previously community and friendship were paramount, now sexual identity becomes the group’s focal point. This plot development didn’t resonate because the Duffer Brothers had anchored their series around something deeper than sexual identity––friendship. Upside-Down World of Christ A Christian anthropology encourages us to think of ourselves not primarily in terms of our sexuality but in terms of our friendship with God and others (John 15:15). We’re defined not by what we think of ourselves or how we define ourselves but by how we relate to God and others. When we reduce relationships to sexuality, we miss so much of what God has for us. A deeper and wider view of our relationships has been lost in a culture obsessed with sex and self-expression. Christianity challenges our culture’s obsessions. When Paul entered Thessalonica, the city accused him of “[turning] the world upside down” with his teaching (Acts 17:6). His proclamation of Jesus’s gospel—and its implications for all of life—disrupted social norms. When we reduce relationships to sexuality, we miss so much of what God has for us. Will’s coming-out scene is framed as a cathartic confession. But in Christianity, confession’s liberating power comes when we name the darkness within us and repent from it—rather than embracing it and asking others to accept it. We expose the monster inside us so it might be conquered through the power of a loving God, and with the help of our friends. Our Christian brothers and sisters who struggle with same-sex attraction, or other disordered desires, know this is where true life is found. Stranger Things initially captivated audiences because it was genuinely strange—a throwback to a Goonies-style innocence of childhood friendship and adventure. But as the series pressed into themes of sexual identity, it began to feel less strange and more strangely familiar—yet also empty. What Hollywood misses is that identity politics is too thin an account of who we are. Screenwriters imagine this move as courageous, but audiences can see through the tiresome sexual haze. The rise and triumph of stranger times has arrived. And it’s surprisingly boring.

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Dog behavioral problems frustrate owners and strain the bond you share with your pet. At DogingtonPost, we’ve seen firsthand how aggression, excessive barking, and anxiety can turn daily life into a challenge. The good news is that most behavioral issues are manageable with the right approach. This guide walks you through proven techniques, environmental fixes, and when to call in a professional. What Causes Dogs to Act Out Aggression and Fear-Based Behaviors Aggression ranks as the most serious behavioral problem dog owners face, and it takes multiple forms that require different responses. Conflict-related, fear, possessive, protective, territorial, and maternal aggression all demand distinct strategies. The ASPCA emphasizes that aggression always warrants a veterinary evaluation first to rule out medical causes like pain or neurological issues. Once medical problems are eliminated, you must identify your dog’s specific triggers. A dog that guards food bowls behaves differently than one reacting to strangers, and treating them the same way wastes time and money. Fear-based behaviors often stem from insufficient socialization or past trauma, making gradual exposure to triggers paired with positive rewards the most effective approach. Punishment-based methods backfire spectacularly with fearful dogs, intensifying anxiety rather than resolving it. The AKC recommends avoidance of trigger situations while you work with a qualified professional to build your dog’s confidence through counterconditioning. Excessive Barking: Identifying the Root Cause Excessive barking typically signals unmet needs rather than defiance. Dogs bark for distinct reasons: alerting, attention-seeking, boredom, or fear. The AKC notes that identifying the function of barking before attempting correction prevents wasted effort on wrong interventions. A dog barking at the window needs environmental management and mental enrichment, not punishment for noise. Destructive Chewing and Separation Anxiety Destructive chewing serves multiple purposes. Puppies explore their world through their mouths, while adult dogs chew to relieve stress, combat boredom, or self-soothe. You should provide appropriate chew toys, puzzle feeders, and rotate toys to keep dogs engaged. Separation anxiety creates destructive chewing patterns, often accompanied by house soiling, pacing, and escape attempts. The ASPCA recommends counterconditioning by pairing your exit with high-value items like frozen peanut butter-filled toys or puzzle feeders. Jumping and Anxious Behaviors Jumping on people and separation anxiety frequently overlap with anxious dogs that seek reassurance through contact. These behaviors worsen without structured management and consistent training. You should ignore jumping while rewarding calm greetings, since attention of any kind reinforces the jumping behavior. This approach works faster than any corrective technique. Understanding what drives your dog’s behavior sets the stage for selecting the right training method. The techniques you choose matter far more than the intensity with which you apply them, and the next section reveals which approaches actually produce lasting results. What Actually Works: Training Methods That Stick Reward-Based Training Produces Superior Results Reward-based training produces measurably better outcomes than punishment-based approaches. Research consistently shows that dogs trained with positive reinforcement develop fewer behavioral problems and display less fear compared to those subjected to punishment or dominance-based methods. The reason is straightforward: your dog learns what to do rather than what not to do. When you reward calm behavior during greetings, your dog understands that sitting quietly earns treats and attention. When you punish jumping, your dog only learns to fear the moment someone arrives at the door. Clicker Training and High-Value Rewards Clicker training, a form of positive reinforcement using a secondary reward marker, helps dogs understand exactly which behavior earned the reward. You click the moment your dog performs the desired action, then immediately deliver a treat. This precision accelerates learning significantly compared to delayed rewards. High-value rewards matter tremendously. A piece of kibble fails to motivate a dog distracted by another dog or a squirrel, but freeze-dried liver or cheese often does. Rotate your rewards to prevent habituation, and always use the highest-value item when training around distractions or introducing new behaviors. Consistency and Clear Training Criteria Consistency transforms training from frustrating to effective. If you reward your dog for sitting sometimes but not others, your dog stops sitting reliably. The CCPDT certification standard requires trainers to maintain clear criteria for what earns rewards, and this same principle applies to your home. Everyone in your household must enforce the same rules using identical cues. Inconsistent expectations undermine learning faster than nearly any other mistake owners make. Your dog’s brain doesn’t distinguish between your leniency on Tuesday and strictness on Friday; it only recognizes unpredictable outcomes. Building Behaviors Through Gradual Progression Start training in low-distraction environments where your dog can succeed, then gradually increase difficulty as the behavior becomes automatic. Short, frequent sessions work better than long, sporadic ones because dogs retain information more effectively through repetition spaced over time. This approach builds strong foundations that transfer to real-world situations. When Professional Expertise Becomes Essential When aggression, severe anxiety, or safety concerns emerge, professional intervention becomes non-negotiable. A board-certified veterinary behaviorist holds a DACVB credential and completes years of post-veterinary training before certification. Certified Applied Animal Behaviorists hold CAAB credentials requiring either a doctoral degree with five years of professional experience or a veterinary degree with a residency plus three additional years. Both can assess your dog’s specific issues and design tailored plans, often combining behavior modification with medications like fluoxetine or clomipramine when anxiety or aggression warrants pharmaceutical support. General trainers lack this scope and cannot prescribe medication or diagnose underlying medical causes. Your next step depends on your dog’s specific situation-some issues respond well to owner-led training, while others demand expert assessment before you proceed. The Hidden Causes Behind Problem Behaviors Most dog owners skip the most important step when tackling behavioral issues: ruling out medical causes. A sudden change in behavior often signals pain, thyroid dysfunction, or neurological problems rather than a training failure. Your veterinarian must evaluate your dog before you invest time in training techniques that won’t address an underlying illness. Dogs experiencing pain from ear infections, dental disease, or arthritis frequently display aggression, excessive barking, or destructive chewing as their only way to communicate discomfort. The ASPCA emphasizes that a full veterinary workup prevents months of wasted effort on behavioral training when medication or treatment would solve the problem in weeks. Exercise and Mental Stimulation Drive Behavior Beyond medical issues, exercise and mental stimulation directly determine whether your dog develops behavioral problems in the first place. Dogs require daily physical activity tailored to their breed and age, and insufficient exercise ranks as the primary driver of destructive behavior, jumping, and excessive barking. High-energy breeds like Border Collies require 1.5 to 2 hours of vigorous activity daily, while low-energy breeds like Bulldogs may only need 30 minutes. The AKC recommends matching exercise intensity to your dog’s breed characteristics: herding dogs need jobs and mental challenges, retrievers benefit from swimming or fetch, and working breeds thrive with structured activities like agility training or dock diving. Puzzle toys, sniff games, and rotating enrichment toys prevent boredom-driven destruction more effectively than any correction technique. These tools occupy your dog’s mind and body simultaneously, addressing the root cause rather than treating symptoms. Try introducing new toys weekly to maintain your dog’s interest and prevent habituation to the same items. Nutrition’s Impact on Behavior Nutrition matters equally to exercise when addressing behavioral problems. A diet lacking essential fatty acids, adequate protein, or balanced micronutrients can intensify anxiety and aggression, yet few owners connect food quality to behavior. Feed your dog high-quality protein sources, maintain consistent meal schedules to reduce anxiety around food, and avoid feeding table scraps that create begging behaviors. Poor nutrition compounds stress responses and makes training significantly harder. Predictable Routines Calm Anxious Dogs A predictable daily routine calms anxious dogs and prevents many behavioral problems before they start. Dogs thrive on knowing when meals arrive, when walks happen, and when your departure is coming. This predictability allows your dog’s nervous system to relax rather than remain in constant uncertainty. For dogs with separation anxiety, hide kibble around your home before leaving, use puzzle feeders that occupy them for 20–30 minutes, and practice departures without actually leaving so your dog stops anticipating abandonment. The ASPCA found that dogs given frozen peanut butter-filled toys or long-lasting chews immediately before their owner’s departure showed significantly reduced destructive behavior. Environmental Design Reduces Stress Your home environment itself influences behavior: excessive noise, chaotic schedules, and constant activity stress dogs into reactive states. Establish a quiet space where your dog can retreat, maintain consistent feeding and potty times, and reduce environmental chaos that triggers anxiety-driven behaviors. A calm home with clear boundaries and predictable patterns prevents many issues from developing in the first place. Dogs living in structured environments with designated rest areas and consistent schedules display fewer behavioral problems than those in unpredictable, high-stress households. Final Thoughts Handling dog behavioral issues successfully requires patience, consistency, and a willingness to address root causes rather than symptoms. Medical problems, insufficient exercise, poor nutrition, and unpredictable routines create the foundation for aggression, anxiety, and destructive behavior. Fix these fundamentals first, and many behavioral problems resolve without formal training. Reward-based training works because it teaches your dog what to do instead of what not to do. Your dog learns faster when you mark correct behavior with a clicker and follow with high-value rewards. Consistency matters more than intensity-everyone in your household must enforce identical rules using the same cues, or your dog receives conflicting signals that undermine learning. When aggression, severe anxiety, or safety concerns emerge, professional help becomes essential rather than optional. Board-certified veterinary behaviorists and Certified Applied Animal Behaviorists possess credentials and expertise that general trainers lack. They can prescribe medication when behavior modification alone proves insufficient and design tailored treatment plans based on your dog’s specific issues. Your veterinarian can refer you to qualified professionals in your area who understand how to handle dog behavioral issues properly.

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