The Year I Read the Bible with Laurie Larsen

Episode 29: You Ever Feel Like Somebody's Watching You?

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Did Jesus ever get angry?  Of course, we're all familiar with the time he turned the tables in the Temple when the money changers were using the sacred ground for profit.  But what about the incident listed in each of the four gospels called his "Woes to the Pharisees" speech.  Jesus was angry that these men of God, these religious leaders were focused on all the wrong things, and completely disregarding the real message!

This episode shares a one-hit wonder by the artist Rockwell from 1980.  (If you know, you know!)  

Laurie's guest today is Jennifer E. Tirrell, a very diverse and prolific writer.  From novels to children's stories to blogs and devotionals, Jennifer handles it all with grace.

Here are some websites to check out for Jennifer:

Jennifer's website 

Little Sprout, her children's book

Jane's Secret, her novel

Hi, I'm your host Lori Larson, and this is the year I read the Bible. Welcome a Lifelong Christian. I thought I was familiar with the Bible, but in 2023 I accepted the challenge of reading the whole thing, cover to cover. Whenever I encountered something I didn't understand or wanted to learn more. I jotted it down, but I kept reading to stay on schedule. Then I reached the end Imagine Confetti rating down on me, and a huge sigh of relief. I had 40 topics to research in 2024. I started diving into all those topics. I did research, I wrote blogs and I shared them with whoever might wanna learn too. And in 2025, the project continues. I published a book containing all my essays, and now a podcast. Is there something you can learn from that dusty book that sits on all of our shelves? Yes. Yes, there is. Let's dive into The year I read the Bible. Hello. Hello, this is Lori Larson and we are ready for another episode of the year. I read the Bible. This one is called You Ever Feel Like Somebody's Watching You? If You're Anywhere Near My Age Group, you probably read that essay title and thought that sounds familiar. You're right. The phrase is a song lyric from a 1980s pop song by the artist Rockwell. It could be considered a one hit wonder, but it was certainly a well supported hit. Pop. Superstars Michael and Jermaine Jackson sang backup on this quirky, eerie tune, released by Motown, ringing a bell. Well, I looked up the actual song, and we'll play a little bit of it here for you to refresh your memory. Here you go. I chose that title for this essay because it accurately describes what Jesus encountered continuously during his earthly ministry. People were always watching him and listening to him and trying to understand him and criticizing him and judging him and trying to trap him. My focus will be on the Pharisees and religious leaders of the day. Let's take a look at a couple examples. Luke 5 29 through 31 in the new international version. Then Levi, the tax collector, held a great banquet for Jesus at his house and a large crowd of tax collectors and others were eating with them, but the Pharisees and the teachers of the law complained to his disciples. Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners? Jesus answered them. It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance. So Jesus is criticized and judged for socializing with people who are not currently following the rules of the Jewish faith. Next one, Luke 5 33. They said to him, John the Baptist disciples often fast and pray, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees, but yours go on eating and drinking. So Jesus is criticized for allowing his disciples to seek nourishment while they're walking miles on foot ministering to people. Luke six, one through two. One Sabbath. Jesus was going through the grain fields, and his disciples began to pick some heads of grain, rub them in their hands and eat the kernels. Some of the Pharisees asked, why are you doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath? So Jesus is criticized for allowing his disciples to help themselves to natural unprocessed food while walking through a field when they were hungry. And one more example of being watched on a Sabbath, Luke six, six, and seven, on another Sabbath, he went into the synagogue and was teaching, and a man was there whose right hand was shriveled. The Pharisees and the teachers of the law were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus. So they watched him closely to see if he would heal on the set. I ask again. Have you ever felt like someone was watching you? I have. I spent over two decades in my career as an IT professional in a management role. I provided leadership to teams working to build and support our company's computer systems. It was a big job and I was privileged to be provided with so much confidence by my own managers to lead such talented employees. When you are in a position of leader. People don't just listen to what you have to say. They watch what you do. You become a living example of your message. Normally, I walked into work every day ready to embody the example, and if someone felt that something I said or did conflicted with the company's message, I'd welcome them to bring it up and we'd discuss it calmly. But sometimes people had in their heads that the position of the company or the department or the leadership group was wrong and no amount of discussion would change their minds back to Jesus. How did Jesus respond when Pharisees questioned him about his actions? Normally he answered calmly and tried to give them something to think about in order to change their views. In each of the examples I shared earlier, Jesus answered their questions about why he was doing what he was doing. But eventually, Jesus had had enough of being constantly in the spotlight of these religious WatchGuards answering their questions and criticisms calmly and reasonably, didn't change their minds about anything. In Luke 1137. He moved to a stronger message. The subtitle in my own Bible for the section, starting with this verse, is woes on the Pharisees and the experts in the law. When reading it, I could tell Jesus had reached the end of his patience with them. Starting in verse 37 and going clear through 54, Jesus addressed them with the example after example of how they're following a specific part of the law, but completely missing the overall point. You clean outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. You tithe 10% to God, but you neglect justice and love of God. You load people down with burdens they can hardly carry and you yourselves will not lift one finger to help them. The frustrated tirade from our Lord goes on and on. I can just picture it in my mind. His voice raised words bubbling up inside him that he'd previously kept restrained his followers, watching him mouths dropped the Pharisees angry that he dare speak to them like that. Or did any of the Pharisees open up their hearts to listen and maybe start to see that he was right? I imagine that some of them did, but as anyone who has read through the rest of this gospel knows it wasn't enough to change the Pharisees view of Jesus. Each of the gospel writers, Matthew, mark, Luke, and John, documented Jesus's woes to the Pharisee speech, although they were not all identically described. Wikipedia makes this observation on this topic. The woes are all woes of hypocrisy and illustrate the differences between inner and outer moral states. Jesus portrays the Pharisees as impatient with outward ritual, observance of minutia, which made them look acceptable and virtuous outwardly, but left. The inner person unre, reformed, but even though Jesus was frustrated and angry immediately after Jesus's rebuke of the scribes and Pharisees, we see Jesus's compassion. He asks, how will you escape being condemned to hell? Matthew 2333. Jesus then expresses his desire to gather the people of Israel to himself for safety if only they were willing. This is verse 37. Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you. How often I have longed to gather your children together as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings and you were not willing. Let's pray. Dear God, we understand that you long for your people to come to you and find forgiveness. We know Jesus was not harsh in this passage to be mean. He was not having a temper tantrum, rather love guided his actions. Jesus spoke firmly against the deception of Satan, out of a desire for people to know truth and find life in him. Please guide our path in this direction every day. Amen. And now stay tuned for my conversation with my guest.

Laurie:

We are back and I'm so excited to introduce to you today a new guest who has not been on the podcast yet.

She is a writer. She is a very diversified writer. She is one of these rare people who writes novels. She writes children's literature. She writes nonfiction. She writes blogs. She writes, inspirational, spiritual material. She's got it all. So she's extremely creative, extremely productive, and we're going to talk a little bit about how we got to know each other, but her name is jennifer Tierre. Welcome Jennifer.

Jennifer:

Hi. It's such a treat to be here, Lori. Thanks for having me.

Laurie:

welcome. Thanks so much for joining me. Why don't you start by telling us a little about yourself, what you do, what you have to offer in the way of creativity?'cause I know there's a lot there. And also, tell us a little bit about how you and I became acquainted with each other.

Jennifer:

Okay, thank you. Yes. Let's see. I. Always knew I was a creative, but I didn't really get a foothold. I started writing about 10 years ago, four years ago, I attended my first writer's conference, and at that point it was a Christian Writer's conference. I learned, so much more practical steps of how to actually get. My work, into the hands of an audience and that included writing, speaking, all that, kind of thing. But it's still only this year in February of 2025, I was able to have my children's book. Little Sprouts says Yes, traditionally published by Abundance Books. So that was a big thrill.

Laurie:

awesome.

Jennifer:

you. Little Sprouts and one horned goat who lives in North Carolina on my daughter's, children's Discipleship Ministry farm. And some of your listeners may know, but I am a kinship adopted orphan. That means that my parents died, by the time I was three, I was an orphan. And my older sister, she's 25 years older, adopted me. So when I wrote, Little Sprout, it was really based on Ephesians one, five because even though I was adopted by my older sister and I had a, a very wonderful upbringing, it was in the body and in the love of Christ that I found my true home. So Little Sprout does also find his family and in the greater family of God. Yeah.

Laurie:

thing for your sister to do. Of course, she, as you said, was so much older than you, so she was in a position, I'm sure in her life where she could bring you in. Did she have any other children

Jennifer:

Yes. So at 28 years old, she had lost her parents. She had two children of her own one on the way and had to adopt her two little sisters. So we thank her.

Laurie:

Wow, that is such a, you should write her story.

Jennifer:

Yes, I do have a memoir, but I haven't, felt a release from the Lord yet about it. So it did win second place at, Asheville Christian Writers for an unpublished book. So it, it will come, it'll come waiting on the Lord's timing.

Laurie:

you also have a novel coming out, is that right?

Jennifer:

I do, yes, Jane Secret. I'm very excited about that. It will release June 2nd. Right now it's on pre-order. You can pre-order it at ambassador International, which is the publisher. Or, I think the Kindle is on Amazon, but the book is still in editing, so, it's gonna be a few more months. I'm excited because they're going to have a limited edition. In a hardcover with gold edges,

Laurie:

exciting. That will be a good, collector's item.

Jennifer:

Yeah. Yeah. But Jane, secret is a mysterious story and there's an heirloom involved, and the present day character receives this heirloom and she, goes on a, a very thrilling quest to figure out where the origins of that came from. And so it sat in Buckingham Sheer England. And here in America, mostly over in England. And the interesting part I think, of that story is I am a ninth generation Tyro, and where I set the story is called Thornton Manor. And Thornton Manor is now a college for girls. I went to visit it when my daughter was on her junior year abroad in London. She came with me. We were ushered in and had tea in the drawing room, and then we were brought into where the kids were and introduced as ninth and 10th generation Tyros.

Laurie:

like a guest of honor.

Jennifer:

So. It was so exciting and I could see my great grandmother, you know, from nine generations ago and stained glass and her across the way as her as the chapel. And there was her grave, well, on her dress because they used to hang it from the dress. It was the common book of prayer called the Book of Ours. And that got me to think about generational blessings and how the Lord tells us to the thousandth generation we. By the power of prayer can affect those who come after us. So Jane's Secret is based on prayer. But that's my prayer that people will, catch that important piece. But also, I started a blessing blog and different people are sending me their stories of how the Lord has changed their life. How they either are starting to, have the legacy of prayer, which will lead according to Deuteronomy and other places in the Bible to generational blessings. But also, um, my story as well.

Laurie:

That sounds wonderful. Now, that book, Jane's Secret, is it a dual timeline story? So you see some current day and past, uh.

Jennifer:

Yes. It's a split time.

Laurie:

that's right up my alley. I love I'm gonna put that on my calendar to look for your book around June, what'd you say? June 2nd.

Jennifer:

June 2nd. Yeah. Thank you Laurie.

Laurie:

Awesome.

Jennifer:

It's so fun. Don't you love writing? I, it is just so fun.

Laurie:

I've been writing, oh gosh, I've been a published author since the year 2000, and so it has been 25 years now. And I, you know, I've had a lot of books out. I enjoy every single one. I enjoy writing them. I enjoy editing them. I enjoy releasing them. it never gets old. But what I love about it is it's my thing. Like for so long I was raising my children and I was working full time and I was going to games and helping this and that. And I was, as we all do, helping other people all the time, and all my writing is about me. Uh. My creativity, you know, I'm putting something out and especially after I moved to the Christian genres, it was almost a, a time that the Lord and I could be together as I was creating what I felt he was leading me to create. And it's just been a really special time. Nobody else in my family writes. And so it's just something special and unique that I enjoy doing.

Jennifer:

Love it. Yeah. I was gonna say too, go back to your question. The, Christian fiction writers, and when I joined the group, that's when I was blessed to meet you. Yes.

Laurie:

That's right. We met through Christian Fiction writers, and I believe you're also a member of Word Weavers, is that right?

Jennifer:

Yes, yes, that's right. Yes.

Laurie:

I know you

Jennifer:

Yes. And.

Laurie:

putting out an anthology we, in our A CFW chapter, we had put out several anthologies to donate money to our, not-for-profits and, charities that we wanted to help support. So I think that's actually how you and I first became acquainted, is that you reached out to me to say, could you help us figure out how to do this anthology thing?

Jennifer:

Yes, of course. You did help. And we're, well along in the process now and we're gonna have a beach, anthology set in Ahor and, Brunswick County area. And all our prophets also will go to a women's, support

Laurie:

That's awesome.

Jennifer:

nonprofit. Mm-hmm.

Laurie:

Okay. Let me get into this essay today. You ever feel like somebody's watching you? Were you familiar with that song?

Jennifer:

A little bit. Yeah, I had to look up. I got, just to refresh my memory.

Laurie:

In this essay, I give a personal example of when I held a position of leadership and at times this encouraged people to watch what I did and who I did it with, and share their criticism with me if they felt that I was out of line. Just like Jesus experienced. How about you? Have you ever had an experience where someone was watching what you did versus listening to what you were saying you felt called out for it? For me, it was in my professional world. Maybe it was in your Christian walk or, any experience at all.

Jennifer:

Absolutely. When I first. Started attending a, church that, I dunno how to say it politely, but that was teaching, biblical truth in a, deep way.'cause prior to that I'd been in a church that wasn't doing that. I used terms like lucky instead of blessed, or every once in a while I would throw in a more secular word, I guess, and I was criticized for that. Like I wasn't speaking the Christianese so that I must not really have a heart for God or a relationship with Jesus. And so that was, one thing I had to kinda learn that, Christian lingo in order to be,

Laurie:

Oh gosh. How, how did that make you feel?

Jennifer:

I, felt insecure, you know, insecure in my own self. Like, oh gee, I, should know that. Why don't I, know this language that it's being spoken here? But I knew also that my heart was for the Lord and that I, I just didn't know all those words yet.

Laurie:

Yeah,

Jennifer:

another way. As my kids got older, I know that every once in a while they'd call me a hypocrite. If I lost my temper or something, they would say, you want us to be a Christian, but you lose your temper. And that's true., And I did feel sorry and sad that I didn't have that self-control and, patience that I know is a fruit of the spirit. So yes, my children definitely would call me out every chance I.

Laurie:

Well, yes. When you are a Christian in somewhat more of a public way, such as. Writing Christian fiction or nonfiction or this podcast as an example, you put yourself out as possibly a role model or okay, she's writing Christian books. She must be a super Christian, right? And when something happens that you react to, I'll give you an example. There's a neighbor in my neighborhood who is just very, very critical. Of much everything. You know, if you park your car on the street, he will call you for it. If your dog on his grass, he will call you for it. If someone wants to play music while they're washing their car, he will call them on it. And it's just so frustrating and. I know that God calls us to love our neighbors, and I know that our neighbors are not. Often like ourselves, how easy would it be to love him if he were just like me and we had everything in common and we had nothing to argue about. Right? is calling us to love our neighbors, especially the ones that we don't get along with. And so when I get so frustrated at him causing strife in the neighborhood and making people miserable, really do have to pull myself down and say, God. He's my neighbor literally and figuratively, and it's so hard love him. But that's where I need your advice and your guidance. So it's hard. We are all human and we all have human characteristics, and even though we are following the leader of the universe, we're gonna mess up.

Jennifer:

Yeah, that's for sure.

Laurie:

Jesus' following at the time, and especially as Jesus's resurrection in the acts of the apostles, when, the new Church of Christ was being formed. They were known as the way he was indeed embodying a new way to follow God. The Pharisees were resistant because it would mean huge changes to everything that they held dear. Can you think of any other big changes that people have had to buy into for the good of the world?

Jennifer:

You know, when I was thinking about this, I had to go to Revelation, um, revelation 1915. You know, it says, make no mistake. He treads the wine press of the fury, of the wrath of God Almighty. And it goes on. In Revelation 21, 8, it says, there are things that we need to be doing. There's things that we need to be following. Yes, for the good of the world, but also for the good of our own soul. And there are hard things. I, I think they're hard things. Number one is cowardly. We're not to be cowardly, and I know in my life,, I've shrunk back well, maybe not as much now, but in years past from knowing who God is, knowing what he's done in my life. I've shrunk back from testifying to his goodness. I was a coward. I was a coward. And I don't wanna be that way anymore.'cause it can change the world and we need to bring in the harvest, So as another one is, unbelieving, faithless or fearful vi. These despicable, you know, I, I think I'm okay there. Murderers? Yeah. Okay. They're sexually immoral, perverts. I mean there we have a lot of that going on today. A lot of it. A lot of it. I think it would change the world if, and I hope this is okay to say, but I know nothing's ever been perfect. We've always been human. We've always fallen, even in the days when more morality was, stronger than it is today, or, more prevalent I guess. Of course there were people who weren't following, but I think we need to get back to that.

Laurie:

yeah,

Jennifer:

I think it, I think it's therefore a reason. It's to keep us clean. Like I, I think one of your things, you clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. We need to keep the inside clean

Laurie:

I love that.

Jennifer:

and I think that moral behavior does for us.

Laurie:

And I would guess that when you were in the stage of your life that you were experiencing God's blessings, but you were not witnessing or providing testimonials about it. not because you are cowardly. It's just that the time of your life that God was calling you to do that maybe hadn't arrived yet. You're doing it now. You're making up for lost time and so am I. So,

Jennifer:

Thank you. Well, I don't wanna hurt anybody's feelings by saying cowardly, but I also think, we can take a hard look at ourselves and, in my case, I think I was sometimes,

Laurie:

Well, I certainly agree

Jennifer:

yeah.

Laurie:

should do self searching, often and find out of just going on automatic pilot and you know, this is the way I live my life. Well, see what we could do, better and try to make positive changes. So definitely agree with that. All right. Is there anything else that you wanted to talk about regarding, this essay? You ever feel like somebody's watching you? Or anything that you wanted to share that you haven't shared yet?

Jennifer:

You know, people are watching, and when we proclaim the name of Jesus. We need to know that people are watching and what a privilege we have to know the word to be in the word. And I would just say that I would, hope that I could be a good representative of him.

Laurie:

Yes,

Jennifer:

Yeah.

Laurie:

so do I. So do I. I feel the same way. Thank you so much for joining me today, Jennifer, and we do have you back in about three weeks time, so I look forward to that as well.

Jennifer:

Thank you so much. Thank you, Laurie. It's been a pleasure.

and that's it for today. Thank you very much for being here with me on the year I read the Bible Podcast. We'll be back with another episode next week. If you enjoy this podcast, please do all the normal things to spread the word like it. Review it, share it with your friends. If you are interested in additional the year, I read the Bible resources such as the book, the video channel, and the blog, I will certainly include the links in the show notes, and I'd love to hear about your own journey to read the Bible cover to cover. Have you done it or are you doing it right now? Please reach out to me and let me know how it's going. Until next time, it's Lori Larson with the year I read the Bible. Bye.

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