Against the Flow
You probably know the feeling of moving along with a crowd of people. Maybe everyone’s headed down into a subway platform, or out of a stadium after a concert or sporting event. In any...
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Logs and Splinters
You’ve heard the judgmental comments people make: “Why don’t they discipline their children?” “Does he realize how ridiculous he looks wearing that?” “They’re taking another vacation? How can they afford that?” And chances are,...
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Me, Worry?
I’m not generally a worrier, but we all have our moments. Sometimes, for example, when it seems like all of life’s i’s are dotted and t’s are crossed, I worry that perhaps I’m actually...
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Old Habits
Some years ago I was preaching for a small worship service at a nursing home. The attendees were residents with a background in the Christian faith, but many suffered from dementia and were largely...
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Eyes, Teeth, and Cheeks
We’re all familiar with the expression “eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth.” It comes from the Old Testament, and refers to the idea that punishment or recompense should match an offense that...
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Opposite World
Thanks to a strange development in the English language, the words “flammable” and “inflammable” mean the same thing. Frequently, we use the prefix in– to mean “not,” but not in this case. The word...
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Back to School
It won’t be long before students of all ages will be returning back to school. It’s a good opportunity for us to dust off our thinking caps; we’re never too old to learn! Jesus...
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Holy Disruption
After being away for about 10 days, I recently came home to find several small tree limbs lying in the yard. There wasn’t any damage, but I could see the evidence of a storm...
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Part of the Solution
Frequently when you’re at the Publix checkout, someone will ask if you’d like to donate a small amount to a particular cause. Some of us might be skeptical: If Publix wants to support a...
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A Jealous God?
Sometimes the Bible describes God as being jealous. Typically, we view jealousy as a bad thing; we often think of jealous people–especially in relationships–as petty and insecure. There may be more appropriate English words...
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