Samuel:

Number one. I fear the Boston Red Sox will own the 21st century and my Yankees will become an afterthought.

Number two. I fear we are getting closer to a day where we are easily offended by absolutely everything, prompting everyone to sit isolated in a cocoon of hypersensitivity. So instead of living in a world where we can still watch Friends episodes on Netflix and enjoy the humor, and the cultural relevance, and the dynamic of community, and friends that transcend circumstances, and the beauty of Central Perk, now we are so offended by absolutely everything that we miss out. And this world is rough. You know, life is tough. Sometimes you fall off the bike. Sometimes someone flips you off on the highway. What are you going to do? Stop in the corner and start crying for three days?

Number three. I fear the death of truth. Gone are the days of Walter Cronkite. I see it in fake news. I see it on other fronts. There used to be a time where religion or faith and the news industry were kindred spirits. We were the two industries on the planet committed to truth. Well, one of those, right now, is really on shaky ground.

Number four. I fear the loss of faith. Faith in God. Faith in each other. Faith in things getting better.

Number five. I fear the increase of discord, strife, and division at all levels in all spheres. It feels like the last days of the Roman Empire. It’s unbelief. Unbridled unbelief. Unbelief on steroids. And it scares me.

Number six. I fear that mine will be the last generation to remember simpler things without technology running our lives. You know, recently there was an article in The Wall Street Journal about the life expectancy of Americans decreased. We’re number 29 in the world, by the way. And it's because of suicide and opioid addiction. And the question is, does technology help? Or does technology exacerbate? We are so disconnected, and we're so into what we have in our hands. I mean think about it. All we're doing is looking at other people's successes. Very few people go, like, “I had a sucky day, and here's my selfie with the expression of, this day was terrible.” As a follower of Jesus I can tell you first hand, his terrible day, his worst day, was my best day.

Number seven. I fear that we will slowly lose our religious freedoms.

Number eight. I fear that those of us in the U.S. will become callous to the desperate need of our brothers and sisters suffering in the northern triangle of Honduras, El Salvador, and Guatemala.

Number nine. I fear the physical dysfunction will leave DACA and dreamers both permanently in a state of perpetual limbo, and likewise, a lack of security will allow both drugs and human victims to continue being trafficked into our country. I've had the privilege of being connected to three different White Houses. So, by the grace of God, I'm able to go in there and meet the president, or meet senior leadership, and on occasion there's been pushback where it's like, I'm not gonna hear you. Why can't I be a Hispanic-American and likewise stand committed to protecting the sovereignty of our nation.

And Number ten. I fear that the church will fail to recognize the image of God in all human beings, including our LGBTQ brothers and sisters. I preach the gospel, so I'm the pizza delivery guy. I don't make the pizza. My call is to preach the gospel. So, am I committed to biblical truth? Absolutely. And am I praying that God changes human beings? Sure. Because we all have issues. So, in our church, we look at your fellow human being with the lenses that everyone carries the image of God. And I give the list. I give the list across the board. I mention Republicans, Democrats, gay, straight, Red Sox and Yankee fans. We all carry the image of God.

My name is Samuel Rodriguez and these are 10 things that scare me.