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Wednesday; November 20

Do you like you?  That may seem like an odd question, but there several people who read it and hesitated with an affirmative response.  Some of us like us, but I believe that there are a significant number of people who read that question and thought, “No, not really.”.  It may be a character trait we don’t like in ourselves.  I might be an addiction with which we struggle.  It might even be something as simple as not liking how negative we are or our cynical outlook on life.  Oh, we have grown to live with ourselves, we just aren’t too fond of what we have become.   If we are one of those people who isn’t too crazy about who we are, there is hope.  We don’t have to be stuck with who we are – we can change.  Sure, there are all-kinds of self-help programs out there that promote reshaping who we are, but I want to remind us of one that is tried and true.  Centuries ago, as the Apostle Paul challenged the people who lived in the First Century he reminded them, “ Therefore if anyone is
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Tuesday; November 19

Do you hope that your children will turn out to be good people?  Do we hope that the next generation will be willing to help out their fellow man?  Of course we do.  Now, while we have this desire, have you ever thought about how that is going to happen?  Interestingly, ensuring a helping generation can’t be legislated through more or better social programs.  We aren’t going to be able to invest in a better future by writing or forcing people to read better books.  If we are going to ensure a caring future, we are going to have to show them how it is done.  Nothing can instill a desire to do good better than the good feeling of doing good.  The best way to plant the seed of generosity is by taking our young people with us as we help the people around us.    When the Lord sent His chosen people out into the world after releasing them from Egyptian slavery, He gave them specific commandments that would make them different from the world around them.  Then He told them, “ You shall teach
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Monday; November 18

Do we believe in the power of God?   When we think about God, do we envision a Being who is constantly scrambling to keep up with what is going on in the world or do we see the single Supreme Being who has the power to influence the world?     As I was thinking about this concept recently, my mind went back to the story of the creation.   When Moses describes the creation he recounts a time when there was literally a clean slate and, “Then God said, ‘Let there be light’; and there was light. God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness.” (Genesis 1:3-4).   From something that was formless, void and dark God created the world as we know it today – filled with light and life!   While this is an amazing thought when it comes to the creation of the universe, one of the great parallel lessons for us is that He can do that in people as well.   If He has the power to transform a great big empty into our universe, what can He do with us?     Do we feel u
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Friday; November 15

Not long ago I was reading through the New Testament book of Philemon and came across this compliment Paul gave Philemon, “For I have come to have much joy and comfort in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, brother.” (Philemon 7).   It is easy to see this as a part of a gratuitous salutation to a Christian, but   this particular reading it made me stop and reflect.   Paul, who has already given a rather lengthy definition of love in I Corinthians 13 seems to prove another insight.   Love is refreshing the lives of other people.   Now, that might not sound too spectacular, but in a world that is known for its brutal honesty and caustic criticism, doesn’t that give us cause to pause.   If we are called to love one another (and we are), are we taking the time and making the effort to refresh our fellow man?   Love can be a complex issue at times, but I also believe that we make it more difficult than it needs to be.   Basic love is simply being sup
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Thursday; November 14

I think that one of the lies modern society has tried to get us to believe is that to be supportive of something we have to be all-in.  Whether it is religion, politics, social efforts or even our professions if we are going to be good soldiers we have to swallow their decisions hook, line and sinker.  If we are going to be faithful to them, we have to defend what they do – even if what they do is wrong.  Honestly, I have a couple of issues this propaganda.  First, it doesn’t make sense.  No human institution is going to get it right all the time.  Second, we are too smart for that.  Each one of us has been given logic and reason to the point of being able to decide what to follow.    Now, you may be wondering where I am going with this.  What I am saying is that when we see an entity we are affiliated with doing something wrong, we need to call it out.  If our religious organization does something that violates the Word of God, we need to refute it.  If our political party takes a sta
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Wednesday; November 13

Do we believe that God can forgive us?  Maybe a more basic concern is if we believe God wants to forgive us.  We live in a time and place where holding a grudge is seen as prudent and retaliation is an expectation.  Have we applied these two qualities to God?  Sometimes I wonder if people are so despondent (and maybe even self-destructive) because we don’t understand the grace and forgiveness of God.  While I am not convinced that God is willing to overlook anything and everything anyone decides to do, I do believe that He desires to forgive His people.  Centuries before Jesus sealed salvation for believers, David provided us an insight into God’s ability to forgive when he wrote, “The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness.  He will not always strive with us, nor will He keep His anger forever. He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.  For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great
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Tuesday; November 12

As Jesus was preparing His disciples for His death, He sat them down and had a pretty straightforward discussion with them.  The most detailed description of this meeting is found in the Gospel of John.  While there are several topics discussed, a couple of them should definitely catch our eye.  The first one is “love”.  When Jesus prepared His disciples for taking His religion public He told them, “ By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:35).  Not long after that, when He was praying for the future of His believers, He laid out the plan for unity by asking, “… that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me.” (John 17:21).  Love and unity would not only be a requirement for Christianity, but it would also be how people (even outsiders) would be able to identify His church.   What do we think the world thinks of us when those of u
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