Think About It

As a youngster, I remember having to be taught to be willing to give.   I am not sure that generosity is innate in us, so from the early years we are told that we have to share our toys.   We have to be reminded around Christmastime that we need to look for presents for others and, on that morning, we had to be patient as others got the chance to open their gifts – and be gracious when they get what they wanted (even when we might not have gotten what we wanted).   As we matured, a little bit of spirituality was added when we learned, “Now this I say, he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” (I Corinthians 9:6-7).   The lessons may not have come naturally, but eventually most of us figured it out. Interestingly, the older we get the more an...

The other day I was thinking about Jesus on the cross and I had a thought, I’d never had.   As I was considering what all He went through, I realized that not once did He ask for mercy.   He didn’t seek to bypass the pain or avoid the humiliation that came with crucifixion – He experienced it all.   Why?   He didn’t ask for mercy for Himself so that He could show mercy to us.   He didn’t take the easy way out because we needed the sacrifice that was necessary to forgive us of our sins.   He experienced it all – He gave us His all – so that we could enjoy salvation. Centuries ago, a New Testament writer explained, “Therefore, He had to be made like His brethren in all things, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.  For since He Himself was tempted in that which He has suffered, He is able to come to the aid of those w...

How do we perceive difficult times?   Do we lament the fact that times are tough or do we look forward to being put in a position to showcase the talents we have been given?   If you have ever played sports, you probably have had the thought of being the athlete who, when the game is on the line, had to make the play.   In your mind, does that scare you or does it excite you?   When time is running out and you are the place kicker – do you want to be jogging onto the field with chance to kick the winning field goal to be the hero or do you want to be the third string player who knows they’ll never face the pressure of getting off of the bench?   When the last batter of the game is up and hits a screaming liner – do you want to be the one who catches the ball or would you rather be playing another position, happy that the game doesn’t ride on your shoulders? Interestingly, when it comes to athletics, a lot of us would like the chance to compete, but when it c...

Can you imagine what it was like to have been on the streets of Jerusalem when Jesus was condemned and killed?   Setting aside the spiritual side for a moment, how many of us would have gone along with the crowd who lined the streets of the city that day?   Which of us would have been a part of the group described as, “Those passing by were hurling abuse at Him, wagging their heads, and saying, ‘Ha! You who are going to destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save Yourself, and come down from the cross!’” (Mark 15:29-30) … and how many of us would have been wrong!   We would have been deriding an innocent man. As I thought about this, I got to thinking about how easy it is to rejoice when someone we think is wrong gets what they deserve?   Isn’t it easy to feel smug – or even justified – when we are glad that bad things happen to people we think are wrong?   Yet, is that the right way to be?   Even if people deserve the...

Have you ever been standing in a pristine place, looking at a wonderful vista; then been inundated with gnats, mosquitoes or other annoying swarming creatures?   When this happens, what is our typical reaction?   We tend to fuss about the critters and lose focus of the beauty.   Interestingly, when this happens, we probably aren’t harming many of the “gnats” by swatting at them, but we are missing out on the enjoyment of the moment by allowing them to annoy us.   Isn’t it interesting how a few itty-bitty insects can ruin an incredible view! Now, while this is true in our sight-seeing, it is also true in our day to day lives.   Have you ever had a pretty decent day be overcome by a few inconsequential problems?   Have you noticed how easy it is to lose sight of the big picture because we are so focused on the annoying minor inconveniences?   Like with actual gnats, when we focus on them, we are actually punishing ourselves.   That seems rather ...

How can we tell what’s in another person’s heart?   Now, I understand the warning about “judging others”, but there comes a point in time when we have to distinguish between good and evil intents.   It might be nice to have some sort of device that we could use to look into someone’s spirit, but we don’t have one, do we – or do we?   The wise man, Solomon, noted, “An evildoer listens to wicked lips; a liar pays attention to a destructive tongue.” (Proverbs 17:4).   I understand that there are some good actors out there who can use their dark side to promote their agenda, but for the most part we can assess another person’s intent by considering the outcome.   Are people hoping to see truth come from a situation?   Are people looking to promote what is best for others?   If things like these are their rationale, there is a pretty good chance they are approaching something with positive motives.   If they are looking to harm or discredit...