The Wired Word for 09/13/2026  🔗 **Source:** [The Wired Word for 09/13/2026]() > [!note]+ Document Notes > --- > tags: [bible-study-curriculum, disaster-preparedness, congregational-safeguarding, nepal-floods, discernment-and-authority, pastoral-practice] > author: The Wired Word > source: The Wired Word (weekly lesson email) > reference: https://www.thewiredword.com/ > date created: 2026-09-10 > --- > > [!info] Generated analysis — not the author's words. Sections below are machine-written > > from the captured source. Only text inside `> [!quote]` blocks is verbatim from the author. > > Do not quote or attribute any other line to the named author. > # 🏷️ Title: The Wired Word for 09/13/2026 — Teacher Evacuates 900 Children Before Nepal Flood > ## 🧭 Table of Contents > - [📝 Summary](#-summary) > - [📖 Main Content](#-main-content) > - [🗒️ Notes](#️-notes) > - [📚 References](#-references) > - [🗣️ Paraphrase](#️-paraphrase) > - [📰 Newsletter](#-newsletter) > - [✅ Action Items](#-action-items) > - [🧪 Hypotheses](#-hypotheses) > - [📊 Methodology](#-methodology) > - [❓ Questions](#-questions) > - [🔮 Future Research](#-future-research) > - [💡 Implications](#-implications) > - [🧠 Learning Styles Assessment](#-learning-styles-assessment) > - [📊 Accessibility Assessment](#-accessibility-assessment) > - [🌍 DEIB Assessment](#-deib-assessment) > - [✅ Logical Validity](#-logical-validity) > - [🛡️ DARVO Analysis](#-darvo-analysis) > - [🎯 Conclusion](#-conclusion) > - [🔄 Refactor Appendix](#-refactor-appendix--the-wired-word-for-09132026) > ### 🔗 References > - [🗒️ Notes — the lesson's structure and the reporting behind it](#️-notes) > - [💡 Implications — the one question here that is directly actionable](#-implications) > - [🔄 Refactor Appendix — atoms and permanent candidates](#-refactor-appendix--the-wired-word-for-09132026) > ## 📝 Summary > - **What happened.** The Wired Word's lesson for the week of September 13, 2026 builds a Bible study around Rajendra Dawadi, head teacher of Tribhuvan Trishuli Secondary School in Nuwakot, Nepal, who evacuated roughly 900 students about ten minutes before the August 26 flash flood buried the school. It pairs that with the Camp Mystic wrongful-death suit in Texas, then moves to four scripture passages on discerning and responding to danger. > - **Why it matters.** This is teaching material, not reporting, and its purpose is to move a class from a news story to a decision. One of its five Big Questions asks a congregation directly what emergency plans it has — which, set against the Camp Mystic finding that a camp lacked written emergency plans, is the sharpest thing in the lesson and the part with actual consequences. > - **Key stakeholders.** Adult Sunday-school classes and their teachers; congregational leadership responsible for safety policy; anyone in a church that has never written down what it would do in a fire, flood, or violent incident. > - **Risks and tradeoffs.** The lesson's structure works by analogy, and analogies between a flash flood and "spiritual danger" can flatten a real disaster into a metaphor. It handles this better than most — it keeps the Nepal reporting factual and sourced before turning to application — but a class could still slide from 1,385 dead into abstraction if the teacher lets it. > - **Bottom line.** Take the practical question seriously and let the metaphor stay secondary. The Matthew 10:16 section, with Calvin on refusing "slavish obedience to the depraved wishes of men," is the passage that connects to accountability and authority rather than to weather — and it is the one worth sitting with longest. > ## 📖 Main Content > **The news section is properly sourced.** Unusually for curriculum material, the lesson links each factual claim to an outlet: the Voice of Vietnam for the death toll (1,385 killed, more than 5,500 missing as of the national mourning day), The Guardian for the rescue of a Chinese worker from a 740-foot tunnel ten days after the flood, the BBC for Dawadi's own account, and Houston Public Media for the Camp Mystic litigation. The mourning day itself is placed in context — the thirteenth day after death, per Hindu practice — rather than left as a bare date. > **The decision at the center.** Dawadi received four calls in the minutes before the water arrived. What made him act was not the content of any single warning but a judgment about the source: a parent had come in person, insisting on taking their daughter, and Dawadi reasoned that parents do not do that without cause. He evacuated, sent the school buses back out of the area, and moved students uphill. The building was buried. A student, Yunisha Amatya, 16, put the margin at seconds rather than minutes. Teachers and students were then stranded two nights before rescue reached them. > **The counter-case is doing real work.** The lesson does not simply celebrate Dawadi. It sets him against Camp Mystic, where six families are suing over daughters among the 25 campers and two counselors killed in the July 2025 Texas Hill Country flood, and where a state investigative report found the camp lacked written emergency plans and delayed evacuations. That pairing turns the lesson from an inspirational story into a comparison: one institution had a person willing to decide fast, the other lacked the written procedures that would have made deciding unnecessary. Dawadi himself points past his own heroism to the systems that were missing, saying better warning systems — sirens, evacuation alerts — would have helped residents respond sooner. > **The scripture selections and what they actually argue.** Four passages, each with a stated interpretive frame: > - **Proverbs 22:3–5** — prudence as a practice: the clever see danger and hide, the simple go on and suffer. The lesson's gloss is honest about the limit, noting the writer knows danger comes to everyone and that wisdom reduces rather than eliminates it. > - **Psalm 46:1–3** — God as refuge amid chaotic waters, with a genuinely interesting aside on church architecture: the *nave* takes its name from Latin *navis*, a ship, and a Gothic ceiling resembles an inverted keel. That is a checkable etymological claim and it is correct. > - **Matthew 10:16** — wise as serpents, innocent as doves, illustrated through the magi in Matthew 2 cooperating with Herod without trusting him, then leaving by another road. The lesson reaches Calvin's *Institutes* here and the warning against "slavish obedience to the depraved wishes of men." > - **Acts 27:21–26** — Paul's shipwreck, where he is right that they should not have sailed, says so, and then immediately turns to encouragement rather than vindication. > **The move worth noticing.** Three of the four passages are about *assessing* danger and only one is about being rescued from it. That is a deliberate weighting toward discernment and preparation over deliverance, and it is what keeps the lesson from resolving into "trust God and it will be fine." The Acts passage in particular models something unusual: being right about a warning that was ignored, and declining to make the disaster about having been right. > **Where the analogy strains.** The lesson's framing question asks about threats to "physical and spiritual well-being" as a single category. Physical flood risk is measurable and has engineering answers; spiritual danger is contested and has no siren. Holding them in one frame lets the concrete question borrow urgency from the abstract one, but it also risks the reverse — letting a class discuss spiritual metaphor instead of writing an evacuation plan. Nothing in the lesson forces the wrong direction, but nothing prevents it either. > ### 🗒️ Notes > - **Structure:** news story with sourced links → Applying the News Story → five Big Questions → four scripture passages each with context and questions → four Further Discussion prompts → Responding to the News → prayer. A consistent weekly template. > - **The sourcing is the lesson's quiet strength.** Four named outlets, each carrying a specific claim. Curriculum material often asserts news without attribution; this does not. > - **Dawadi's reasoning is the transferable part**, not the outcome. He weighted the *manner* of a warning — a parent physically present and insisting — over its content. That is a usable heuristic about credibility under time pressure. > - **The 740-foot Dear Class Members, The report of quick action by a teacher in Nepal, which saved hundreds of children from a devastating flood, leads us to focus this installment of *The Wired Word* on assessing threats to our physical and spiritual well-being, responding to danger, and making split-second decisions that have significant impact.  **Teacher Evacuates 900 Children Before Nepal Flood** ***The Wired Word*** **for the Week of September 13, 2026** **In the News** Last Monday, Nepal held a national day of mourning for victims of the devastating floods that hit the country on August 26. Monday was the 13th day after the tragedy, in keeping with the traditional Hindu practice of marking the 13th day following a death. As people performed rituals of mourning, search and rescue operations remained underway. *The Voice of Vietnam* reports that, as of Monday, the flash flood, which ran along the border region between Nepal and China, killed 1,385 people and left more than 5,500 missing. The Nepali Army reported that rescue efforts were focused on ground areas and inside tunnel systems to make sure "that no one is still stranded." Although the chance of finding people alive in tunnels diminishes every day, a Chinese man was rescued from a 740-foot tunnel in a hydroelectric project, 10 days after the disaster. According to *The Guardian*, a team made up of Nepali army personnel and South Korean disaster experts carried him out of the tunnel and evacuated him by helicopter. In a separate operation, two Nepali workers were rescued from another tunnel in a hydro station. Rescue efforts have focused on a dozen hydroelectric projects across Nepal, where about 900 workers are still missing. International rescue teams -- made up of people from India, China, South Korea and the United States -- have been searching through debris and damaged structures in an effort to find survivors. In one rescue, a Nepali woman was pulled from her home, the lower half of which was buried in thick sludge. Members of Nepal's police force cheered as she was rescued and then airlifted to Kathmandu for treatment. One bright spot in the darkness of disaster was the quick action of a teacher, who evacuated 900 students just 10 minutes before the floodwaters hit. Rajendra Dawadi, the head teacher of Tribhuvan Trishuli Secondary School in Nuwakot, told the *BBC* he had received four calls in the minutes before the disaster. Dawadi quickly decided to evacuate, telling the children to run to higher ground and ordering school buses to turn around and leave the area. "If we didn't make a quick decision," he recalled, "if it was 10 minutes later, we all -- including the students and me -- wouldn't be able to speak to you today." The warnings had come from four different people in minutes before the flood, and the messages helped Dawadi to evaluate the danger and act. One parent told him that a big flood was coming and insisted, "I am here to take my daughter, I will take her." Dawadi knew that parents do not rush to this kind of action without a strong reason, so he realized that he could not waste a second in evacuating the children. After the children and teachers escaped, the school building was buried under mud and debris. Student Yunisha Amatya, 16, said she scrambled to safety just before the flood hit. "I along with my friends survived by just 10 seconds," she told the *BBC*. "Just before the flood came, we were in the class studying. [Then] teachers came and informed us about the flood and asked us to go home." Students and teachers moved uphill and then made their way to a neighboring village. With roads cut off and transportation systems disrupted, many teachers and students remained stranded for two nights before rescue efforts reached them. Dawadi and Amatya, who have to cross a river to get to school, were eventually airlifted back to their home village. In news of a related American tragedy, a wrongful death lawsuit has been filed by six families accusing the operators of Camp Mystic of failing to protect their children during a catastrophic flood in the Texas Hill Country. According to *Houston Public Media*, the families are suing over the deaths of their daughters, six of the 25 campers and two counselors killed when floodwaters swept through the summer camp for girls in July 2025. Camp Mystic is facing growing scrutiny over its emergency planning and response to the flood, including a recent state investigative report that found that the camp lacked written emergency plans and delayed evacuations. In Nepal, Dawadi says that better warning systems -- including sirens and evacuation alerts -- could have helped residents respond sooner. But he remains glad that he made the decision to evacuate and concludes, "I feel proud that we saved so many lives." More on this story can be found at these links: [Nepal Observes National Mourning Day for Flash Flood Victims.](https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPB5w1nY9KlRx6l0tZOOEBmOkXKL2HD2YIA5MFgaBGfvcfv04NomLqNzABNZgusZrxgLOlRW29nNk9xH-2BUinuKyXwkEF-2BBtjr6OKLkv0frcaYOe4XxxnykY2UH3XBKnwCEA-3D-3DIY1H_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmapZ3fx323INXvKJExjxn0zCy0TyYykr8akwwRrNJsCmt4782Q7j79Bo3BFWVb6-2FXehoY3G4Sj9v3k9rHC6M5BULGzepLB7QG86vfI7ficldfYFQ5QZNBI7OmROoR7UlJ3r0JBWZYcJpNAjZbCGMiJMghq8zJ73hViQIWcFaVSzbz-2FD18YwwWNguvJ0HjEqFmw2V6rdi3sbIc6ArcqiIqEVUEEdR4RAFwc6oTsGOciVwpZk5ZExbcp5fLdL5g7vZWKm0YsQewWWXh6rg0I-2FcwsY-3D) [*The Voice of Vietnam*](https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPB5w1nY9KlRx6l0tZOOEBmOkXKL2HD2YIA5MFgaBGfvcfv04NomLqNzABNZgusZrxgLOlRW29nNk9xH-2BUinuKyXwkEF-2BBtjr6OKLkv0frcaYOe4XxxnykY2UH3XBKnwCEA-3D-3DEsCZ_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmapZ3fx323INXvKJExjxn0zCy0TyYykr8akwwRrNJsCmt4782Q7j79Bo3BFWVb6-2FXcrOfSAeyuQfT5aIKChEHii6fwcj8OKcUS7XxH8LK-2BjvVXtHNlhNbJkbwIaLOnD1C5WceXdl5R1F5UJsUqYfv2-2BSVaODXRze-2B7iSF7prFbqx-2FIzz2c5wEES8A5Av-2BjMNwFRhtwDwfaX4A-2ByNlEOgoM-2FuEopiHNtBtCmqyKMwUJTsAmytsQB2AMOz3XBE7GyT-2BA3K6U6KYwCW3HP7Hhuz2O8-3D) [Rescuers in Nepal Find Two More People Alive After Flash Flood Disaster.](https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPEd8GTVwWweecsmfy3-2FzHzdMJuYVGBr5CYHPcrZC2YbDDjxtbHV8q46ej6DA6p6pd5HDZHjWr1gdhlwbPFpc8t4QsdmeATJkOKnuIvU-2Bu3Jq549BU-2Bq70VSUimYrtbXekQ-3D-3D-Ml6_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmapZ3fx323INXvKJExjxn0zCy0TyYykr8akwwRrNJsCmt4782Q7j79Bo3BFWVb6-2FXcGwnwE753YInJMqgn-2BWC7fMYf0Qra70aXiDyZhtPvim-2FeWTdnY-2BnudBTIXEDACl5jvCtVtOlUNVlWVfbPt-2BUEJ920WQXZvvfilFDglnzNmZRI7jd-2FFPUbDq98-2Fe4AWd0AsE9p9tEO8iqmsNbv8a7YCi52jY4tFs6U8qejzoeW8hsJElIFnY3RG5LCz2ifRr3gU3RGoPD-2BtR2fqTIOdcz7c-3D) [*The Guardian*](https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPEd8GTVwWweecsmfy3-2FzHzdMJuYVGBr5CYHPcrZC2YbDDjxtbHV8q46ej6DA6p6pd5HDZHjWr1gdhlwbPFpc8t4QsdmeATJkOKnuIvU-2Bu3Jq549BU-2Bq70VSUimYrtbXekQ-3D-3DaGtH_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmapZ3fx323INXvKJExjxn0zCy0TyYykr8akwwRrNJsCmt4782Q7j79Bo3BFWVb6-2FXZoIsPlqCeHglhGUKDKC3XErh0bFgjGFmkz8wskOujKltBZZuCBSBIM01Y8hhX45lzfvwjm6v3xTXgX63caHpo-2FX-2FZ3g6Q1CkdjrsC72JqK5jEwRtGHy1DBsWYL47zuDFtKnLHMGUk1RAZpzQCeDMBvoIOSCKrj9nEqXr0iEymWXFgUyn8AeUe3EznljZN4WfWeHP69Fx40rKjy-2F6vVSxZ0-3D) [Head Teacher Evacuated 900 Children Minutes Before Nepal Floods Hit School.](https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPN6H9bXG5FD2vf7eZP7qLxJWNIa1Wj2v4qIgPLDD7oGX5YBlqD-2FWgGuWmUEdSK-2FNYQ-3D-3D7aBf_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmapZ3fx323INXvKJExjxn0zCy0TyYykr8akwwRrNJsCmt4782Q7j79Bo3BFWVb6-2FXd2SXl4JxTw5WSTObEvLlYl1f4hCHe8pYeEbzPXAT-2BQLW-2FbWr2UOzqDXD7pJUsUMEd16rD86Kraa59RmWPqkmylqtdkixHl3B-2FUlkjeRuFnPzVDYmojqsunhlVmVQifReSaVo5yams6r8grnmpXF-2FqEP-2FKRY81ZI3MORcf2105c2fejW8T4CYz7jzKRqPNLbcVLX4Yh4WVx4xPuQmBnkL9M-3D) [*BBC*](https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPN6H9bXG5FD2vf7eZP7qLxJWNIa1Wj2v4qIgPLDD7oGX5YBlqD-2FWgGuWmUEdSK-2FNYQ-3D-3D7zg0_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmapZ3fx323INXvKJExjxn0zCy0TyYykr8akwwRrNJsCmt4782Q7j79Bo3BFWVb6-2FXVXChqg5Gq2dgxBO0CO1xL-2BCxfbatEs2ssSGbSBMzBemGBsfZh692xcAdddQ9jH-2FWwVPoGErItIZEAPeB-2BlHyYWJE6VvM6W6aYXyX2ZOHk9hdTc3K4BPzJWg5BsudpvHIelxyzFh9TF4fkzI17ymepRTcnaIQKruBbYxd8dMq76dj01jKgg8zqE0Q0Fi31lCO2MRg9rMrGxnpZtbg0odbS4-3D) [Camp Mystic Moves Flood Lawsuit to Federal Court, Citing Bankruptcy.](https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPGUJesHgkTVMMNej8SaK8lU-2BM5W-2BZnYOdPWoFYfCgXcMAiGZnljFLYmdFds-2FD0U6GE8BRkNsdmKoCbURRr27auJEqmC4qhy1BaJHy4l-2F9hduVhbfINNAUwK8rgGYlyUGDmerukTDVgiLRrZGlS6Pyxs-3DDuy9_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmapZ3fx323INXvKJExjxn0zCy0TyYykr8akwwRrNJsCmt4782Q7j79Bo3BFWVb6-2FXZVmmr0VmIbzeNjjCazsvm9ZtyZdbZKVYcGAHEQjWeJts7aN9FR9VYn0of6w0BLPTlHhpJmt39c5Da7wHXof3oKmQbIZITOxf7DAfknyl9lw-2FsP4oRGL9toSVuBPNjpXwwaDZ8Ly3Xj7UmCrW1Ho4Vul3b6kLdLAtH14OWOFRMK17PgI23fsbH38SA1-2ByuPmrCvzvOepeIKTE7MoBuMzSEQ-3D) [*Houston Public Media*](https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPGUJesHgkTVMMNej8SaK8lU-2BM5W-2BZnYOdPWoFYfCgXcMAiGZnljFLYmdFds-2FD0U6GE8BRkNsdmKoCbURRr27auJEqmC4qhy1BaJHy4l-2F9hduVhbfINNAUwK8rgGYlyUGDmerukTDVgiLRrZGlS6Pyxs-3D4AEu_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmapZ3fx323INXvKJExjxn0zCy0TyYykr8akwwRrNJsCmt4782Q7j79Bo3BFWVb6-2FXe-2BG3vTLqcOXAyt3ULm-2FevpuWIMLhkuwPVLonP81YYVZnu8M7Zb3BssHQ0e8DjKj6iR5mpAa8LugQG3BKgSXDkDwnK50qivHqAm2Ixfvcqoj0xUxRWt-2B18EWssrw-2B4jZz3COoRilJDupHkPGXBSAYKmLL0zmDukh8fGeOFS4E-2FjLTzEcq-2BKL2NAu9vJY70bmQdYcTIkeok6aoxfJJg6nYNk-3D) **Applying the News Story** Responding to danger is an ongoing challenge for individuals, families and congregations. Discuss how you assess threats to your physical and spiritual well-being, respond to hazards and make decisions that have an impact on yourself, your loved ones and your neighbors. **The Big Questions** 1. What do you consider to be the biggest threats to your physical and spiritual well-being? How do you accurately assess the severity of the threats? 2. When have you been forced to respond to a hazard? What length of time did you have to respond? When, if ever, did you have to make a split-second decision that had a large impact? 3. What are the dangers facing your community of faith? What plans or policies, if any, do you have in place to respond to the threats? What more do you need? 4. Where do you find help in scripture when you are facing danger? How does the Bible assist you in avoiding hazards? 5. When, if ever, have you felt divine help in a time of danger? Describe the nature of God's assistance. **Confronting the News With Scripture and Hope**Here are some Bible verses to guide your discussion: **Proverbs 22:3-5***The clever see danger and hide, but the simple go on and suffer for it. The reward for humility and fear of the LORD is riches and honor and life. Thorns and snares are in the way of the perverse; the cautious will keep far from them.* (No context needed.) The wisdom of the book of Proverbs is attributed to "Solomon son of David, king of Israel," and is provided "for gaining instruction in wise dealing, righteousness, justice, and equity" (1:1, 3). Chapter 22 contains sayings that were originally lessons for young men, with the goal of shaping them as responsible and righteous family members, neighbors and workers. Many of them can, of course, be applied to men and women equally. Those who are wise and clever "see danger and hide" -- they identify the threats around them and take shelter when needed. The foolish and simple, on the other hand, "go on and suffer for it" -- they stumble into danger and experience pain and suffering. People who are "perverse" find themselves constantly encountering "thorns and snares," while those who are cautious are careful to "keep far" from such dangers. The writer of Proverbs is aware that danger will be faced by everyone, but the wise person will reduce the threat by avoiding hazards when possible. > **Questions:** When have you identified a danger and taken steps to avoid it? What warning signs were provided to you? When, on the other hand, did you find yourself ensnared in a dangerous situation, and how did you find a path to safety? **Psalm 46:1-3***God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change, though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble with its tumult.* (For context, read [Psalm 46:1-11](https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPIPMr3QdAndcnhgARhLxPRBMJBYCTolkbvW-2F0TosyGzxZDVUf-2FxEyKZ-2F-2F0bLo5JnGIbMDFeOwc498lP2G4-2FH-2FNHnG7Jw6zbG9kVycpWPxRieOh93_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmapZ3fx323INXvKJExjxn0zCy0TyYykr8akwwRrNJsCmt4782Q7j79Bo3BFWVb6-2FXUMGdlU51scij3LXFpwQM3qIsSx45ACJac-2F-2F1Rf6TfqHfyr47SpWWCIr8ecflOwK80XWZpiTsWeZiqmuhMjWXXuV-2FL-2F3hwXhL6OzyZUQKMaY-2FB3JJuqPojEzgxp3HH-2F9Z8wwwBxF6LucQocdjumO6c14Z-2F-2F7A8QmeK1Ifd-2FMdKemDvS-2BHLECQtaB6ZE0vXxEpqrYzpQclqqifkuIhzqwxAs-3D).) Psalm 46 is one of the songs of Zion, a psalm that testifies to Zion (Jerusalem) as the place where God "is in the midst of the city" (v. 5). The psalm opens with a statement of confidence in God as a "refuge and strength" in a time of danger and chaos. It assures God's people that they do not need to fear, even though "mountains shake" and "waters roar and foam." God sits in a place of authority over the waters of chaos and will be "a very present help in trouble." In times of threat and danger, "the God of Jacob is our refuge" (v. 7, 11). The idea of God providing safety "in the heart of the sea" has been reflected in church architecture. For centuries, the church has been seen as a kind of ark, and many church buildings have nautical terminology attached to them. For example, great Gothic churches have a section called "the nave," which is where most church members sit. "Nave" comes from the Latin *navis,* meaning "ship." If you look up at the ceiling of a Gothic church, you might be reminded of an upside-down ship's keel. Safety can be found in God's ship, even in the roughest of seas. "Be still, and know that I am God!" says the Lord near the end of the psalm (v. 10). When we take the time to be still and to rest in the power of Almighty God, we are given the strength and the peace we need to face physical and spiritual dangers. > **Questions:** When, if ever, have you found God to be a refuge and a strength for you in a time of chaos? How can your church be a place of safety and stability in dangerous times? What additional help can it provide? **Matthew 10:16***[Jesus said,] "**I am sending you out like sheep into the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves."* (For context, read [Matthew 10:16-23](https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPIPMr3QdAndcnhgARhLxPRBMJBYCTolkbvW-2F0TosyGzxEE9arX6m0yHZZAbtNhYaDc1ZDs4HnbF-2FZIf7HoQTuZ-2Fy-2BAoNe7QehqNVLnhlIqWFauFn_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmapZ3fx323INXvKJExjxn0zCy0TyYykr8akwwRrNJsCmt4782Q7j79Bo3BFWVb6-2FXezgh-2B0uTCVGtqb808otT0FFkEim8ZPutBag6S7l4svlrFPIp9zXki-2BRzn90slywHlXqdi37hlb7RisdMPWNeYLGn74e6HhU7fp9KZaJdfu4acrtwZbtKxSBTURwZU-2B-2BxeEog1-2BBPhZj3R3zvspGDKDzlcDFgnoQXoI3bBXp3jshcZZ6SiDVTg6NJ2TYhUx8gFp9RWVoJJvEgUetk6liWuU-3D).) In Matthew, Jesus is speaking to his followers in a time of persecution. He counsels them to be as "wise as serpents and as innocent as doves." He predicts that they will be handed over to councils, flogged and dragged before governors and kings. And yet, he promises that they will be given the exact right words to speak by the Spirit of God. A story is found in Matthew 2 that illustrates well what it means to show the wisdom of serpents and the innocence of doves. In that chapter, King Herod hears about the star that has led the magi to the child born "king of the Jews" (v. 2). As a shrewd and violent ruler, he realizes he must move quickly if he is going to retain his power. He secretly calls for the magi and learns from them the exact time when the star appeared. The magi handle the king perfectly by cooperating with him but not putting complete trust in him. Herod instructs them, "Go and search diligently for the child; [then] bring me word so that I may also go and pay him homage" (v. 8) -- he gives the impression that he wants to honor Jesus. However, it quickly becomes clear that Herod's real aim is to execute the child and eliminate what he perceives as a threat to his throne. Fortunately, the magi are "wise as serpents." They find the child, worship him, give gifts and then, "having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they [leave] for their own country by another road" (v. 12). They anticipate the wisdom of the reformer John Calvin, who wrote on civil government in his *Institutes of the Christian Religion* and warned about "slavish obedience to the depraved wishes of men." > **Questions:** What sorts of warning signs have revealed to you the dangers of malicious people? How have you responded? What value do you find, if any, in being both wise and innocent as a follower of Christ? **Acts 27:21-26***Since they had been without food for a long time, Paul then stood up among them and said, "Men, you should have listened to me and not have set sail from Crete and thereby avoided this damage and loss. I urge you now to keep up your courage, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship. For last night there stood by me an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I worship, and he said, 'Do not be afraid, Paul; you must stand before the emperor, and, indeed, God has granted safety to all those who are sailing with you.' So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will be exactly as I have been told. But we will have to run aground on some island."* (For context, read [Acts 27:21-44](https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPIPMr3QdAndcnhgARhLxPRBMJBYCTolkbvW-2F0TosyGzxErOWmJlROCN8BE8jEACgLmarKtiRKqazICjnT-2FPehVLv567SQg-2BT91-2BVubdTE3hgDOt7_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmapZ3fx323INXvKJExjxn0zCy0TyYykr8akwwRrNJsCmt4782Q7j79Bo3BFWVb6-2FXefnSRAwb5VFGAJcaI0bZOmusRuqyLnwOElp6qoxEuZPl3dejSJPNeKsPv3Wtnl1fY5LfS8VCsNK0JXWw-2B4JVCpkSh3I5X1mMt5tikCBkGYOTgwzDiLptxhMWrEI8DX-2FvUQiQmvNAEo1T0Jitf98Yf-2B0hZW7rcb1P1qqSfyqriPQ-2BnViolBOPIcsbLuMb0GO5b3Ykla9ovaJCi-2FsGU9b-2Flc-3D).) In chapter 27 of the book of Acts, Paul endures a long and tumultuous journey by ship, with numerous stops and even a shipwreck. He is being transported to Rome as a prisoner. At one stop, Paul advises a Roman centurion and the ship's pilot to not set sail, but "the majority was in favor of putting to sea" (v. 12). They head for Phoenix, a harbor of Crete, but are hit by a violent wind and are forced to throw their cargo overboard. Stuck at sea, Paul reminds them that he told them not to set sail. But at the same time, he urges them to keep up their courage, since he received a message from an angel containing the promise that "God has granted safety to all those who are sailing with you." The ship continues to drift across the Adriatic Sea, and Paul gives them guidance and encouragement. Finally, they come near land, but become stuck on a reef. Many jump into the sea and swim for land, while others ride on planks and other pieces of the ship. In the end, "all were brought safely to land" (v. 44). Throughout the journey, Paul is honest with his travel companions and faithful to God. > **Questions:** Why is honesty important when facing a dangerous situation? What is the value of faithfulness? How can the Christian community use these qualities to better equip people to face challenges? **For Further Discussion** 1. "I think of the parable of the lost sheep," says TWW Team Member Mary Sells, when reflecting on the story of the teacher saving the students in Nepal. "What if the sheep were not lost, but were imperiled by a fox or wolf ... and Jesus went to save them from the dangers? Maybe we can better relate to other ways we matter to others." Are there small ways in which you are called to take action -- the everyday mundane living situations where your presence makes a difference, such as feeding a hungry person? What food or drink, physical or spiritual, can you provide in order to prevent a person from perishing? Be specific. 2. When thinking about the flood in Nepal, TWW Team Member Bill Tammeus wonders about the connection any of us has to people overseas whom we'll probably never meet. How do you understand our common humanity in a world with more than 8 billion residents? How does your faith help you to make a connection? What biblical insight draws you closer to brothers and sisters in danger, and increases your compassion? 3. Take a moment to meditate on the words of Psalm 46:10, which help us to connect with the Lord who sits enthroned over the flood. Have five members of your class read these lines one at a time, with space after each line for silent meditation. Be still, and know that I am God. Be still, and know that I am. Be still, and know. Be still. Be. Afterwards, answer these questions: Which line spoke most powerfully to you, and why? How could this verse help you in the face of a future difficulty? 4. [*Psychology Today*](https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPLJq9F5Z83M3lIKPXIQX4DQDkKKhwtA1aUxU8CTjibOaLeRntvgtbyedmbkb5p9BfdWIHL1eozuAGdaQbiB8lMmyIjwrZFTlfyrRg5DdrNn-2Bboe-2FkMvLTAbi572Iecdflg-3D-3Dwe4I_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmapZ3fx323INXvKJExjxn0zCy0TyYykr8akwwRrNJsCmt4782Q7j79Bo3BFWVb6-2FXYCk0ONAUA1dIvFe54tqYjJryVaztK5kd-2BcRMVysVTqtGkJBhRTQgIwqOHKiDCRaLN-2FDbDhzOck1nnqm3H02UMxeRkFkOgafpCHxYYy0a-2FtVDm-2FdFvxdfoadrUfcp9ALe4s3HBc8rqTmxikwKBTzM4zuwCP4-2Fj85-2FxBEbZFUukGJVXX8KzkdqTxdPw-2BLvUQcEiwD9gFERckXU-2FZvf5yq3UE-3D) points out that split-second decisions can sometimes go horribly wrong, such as when you are at the top of a high ladder, fixing a roof. "Suddenly, a tool slips from your grasp, threatening to fall. Before you can think about it, you stretch awkwardly to grab it, slip, and fall to your death. What happened? Your brain reacted to a specific cue (a slipping object) and made a split-second decision that has worked a million times in your life: grab it before it falls. A natural, intuitive impulse. But it was the wrong move, because it ignored the particular situation you were in. Perched at the top of a ladder, you should have let the tool fall." When have you made a split-second decision that helped you? When have you made a similar decision that hurt you? What factors enable you to know the difference and make the correct choice? **Responding to the News** When you next encounter a dangerous situation, face it with honesty and faithfulness. If confronted by malicious people, be as wise as a serpent and as innocent as a dove. Think of ways that your family and your church can develop procedures and policies that will better protect members from internal and external threats. **Prayer** Almighty God, we thank you for being our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Help us to face the dangers of this world knowing that we are not alone, but that you are with us in every threat and hazard. May we trust your Spirit to give us words to speak, and your Son to give us the path to follow. In your holy name we pray. Amen. ****Copyright 2026 Communication Resources**** [Unsubscribe From This List](https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/asm/unsubscribe/?user_id=14323725&data=Ms6Sy6D3mMO5vif6gcqb8KJPhWP-pBXLTZVHE1HsO9BoMDAwdTAwMAPVJ-P8d91ilX8ZZvXsvM8vzCB84DLIS7AJIgbKEyNCrTsCCBsKxmtN9j20BxaOai8ifB1GyIKp6oAuPtjDZ5JarudDVV6EycBvasjpGescNd7Xw9MFngAxSmNAnGUA76xvtpJF00rpI47D6MrMYwi8a36e9tq2FnzLmfKf-Zv9qF0WIZPMdjeCC1iEQUKzalm3BDckRY3AP9zjSGQ0HLu1gc-tsKmJ0rGuIm10F7GKE12j_Nb-TdWAWNhigw8IrNhwoqa6Ql6xseySN9SQ-xFt9sepiWIxwHIf1B_UkNXx9VnSZHuW2a63SgIx7H6Ye4HZtiO8nnclyTTMRJf1enboRgfcZDMR2q-m0MOL2v5rXSVRTI2AqZotGVMa1-lWq4o6jgB9dISlWoJJfCZ7kNWMOOVqCJowtg9LzCvW1J56TWLh1dmgqx9uli7DuKUbDQsEoA8FDBRhWrHuywPw1_-wRWZy4BRE8F-sEQSVh-NIIUIhl3YuXTtSb_a_q2AFKGYw9DusLwzEGKK-S3R6ahZSdMe0NAClpY_BTCSYAM04X9IjifRAmf3tAkwZTsOaIcWdAImAppnWsuGB_bUDAW4=), The Wired Word for 09/13/2026, The Wired Word, 01m25z28cgwpf58gpsv1pz6ma4.