Tuesday; January 23

What would we think of someone who had reliable information about a serious crime but didn’t tell the authorities?  How would we react if we heard someone saying that they saw a person struggling for their life trying to get out of a cold, marshy bog; but did not make any effort to assist?  How would we treat someone who, even though they knew another person had an acute shellfish allergy, didn’t tell them that dip on the buffet was filled with crabmeat as they took a heaping helping?  Maybe, in some legal sense, each of these people might have a culpability in the outcome of the injured person, but even if they didn’t have a legal responsibility to intervene, most of us would agree that they had a moral obligation to do or say something.
Now, let’s shift gears from discussing the physical to the spiritual.  How many of us know about people who are spiritually suffering (and may be on the verge of spiritual death), but do nothing about it?  How many of us are fully aware of the blessings available through the power of Jesus, but we never say a word to a world that is filled with sin and sorrow?  A lot has been made of the legal phrase “obstruction of justice”, but there is another phrase that could describe a much more serious concern:  “obstruction of mercy” – we know the promises of hope … we know of people who need them … but, we never say a thing!
No, we can’t make people change their lives, but we can offer them insight into information that might save their souls.  Are we willing to take the risk of saying something if it means the possibility of diverting their soul from hell?  When the Apostle Paul defended his ministry he wrote, “For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for I am under compulsion; for woe is me if I do not preach the gospel.”.  (I Corinthians 9:16)  No, we may not have the same task or talent as Paul, but this is a pretty good philosophy for all the people of God.  We can make a difference – are we willing to try?
Think About It!

Popular posts from this blog

Thursday; May 3

I have a fish tank that allows my three Bettas (Larry, Darrell and Darrell) to live in the same structure, but remain hidden from each other – well sort of.   When I go to feed the fish, I believe that one of the Darrell’s can sort of see that the other Darrell is getting fed and he will linger over on that side of the tank even after I put his food in his tank.   I have to tap on the side of the tank where his food is floating to help him refocus and eat.   I get the impression that he is so interested in what is going on in the other Darrell’s tank that he can’t enjoy his own food. I have been told that the brain of a fish is pretty small – which explains their inability to process “blessings”, but are we guilty of the same malady as Darrell?   Are we so worried (or consumed) by what happens to the people around us that we fail to realize what is going on with us?   Are we envious of the blessings that others are receiving and end up missing out on what we have been given?   Are w
Read more

Thursday; February 14

         While most of us are familiar with today being Valentine’s Day, there are some who actually refer to February 14 th as “St. Valentine’s Day”.  This title is often affixed to a criminally historic event known as “The St. Valentine’s Day Massacre” on February 14, 1929 in Chicago, but that is another story for another time.  Not knowing much about the history of “Saint Valentine” I did a little research and found out he was a Roman religious leader who was martyred in 269 AD.  According to my limited research Valentine was killed because of his encouragement of Roman men (especially soldiers) to marry which was in violation of Claudias’ edict that prohibited marriage to keep their minds singularly focused on their task of defending the Empire.  Somehow, from this beginning – and possibly embellished by Chaucer – St. Valentine became intertwined with the concept of romantic love.           I am not really sure how February 14 th became connected with love, but inspired by thi
Read more

Wednesday; December 6

What does it mean to be a leader? I subscribe to the belief that a leader is someone who seeks the best for others and works with them to achieve their potential. There are others; however, who define leadership as the ability to have a vision and the tenacity to get their own way. Leaders who are this way are often portrayed as having developed the maturity to manipulate people to do things their way. However, is the ability to drive people in our direction mature or is it childish? The Christians of the 1st Century came from a lot of different backgrounds and had to work hard to work together. As the Apostle Paul challenged Christians in the city of Ephesus he challenged them to accept individual differences, “… until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. “ (Ephesians 4:13). Bossiness was not to be viewed as a sign of maturity, a willingness to wo
Read more