Think About It

Jesus’ arrival on earth was accompanied by an incredible proclamation.  When the shepherds were told of His birth they witnessed a heavenly host praise the event by singing, “ Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased. ”. (Luke 2:14)  For the past couple of millennia mankind has been comforted and encouraged by these words – but, what do they mean?  Come now, since that time countless wars have been fought and untold numbers of people have been killed in struggles and acts of violence.  Even when conflicts didn’t end in death, millions of people have been at odds with each other, often to the point of disrupting relationships and destroying any hope of civil co-existence.  How could the angels of heaven been so wrong? I don’t believe God’s messengers were in error, in fact, their proclamation remains true even in today’s crazy, mixed-up world.  The peace promised in the Scriptures is possible, but it is something ...

A school shooting in New Mexico … a bombing in New York … a random serial killer in Florida – yes, it is a violent world!  These headlines from the last few weeks are just the tip of the ice burg from one of the most civilized nations in the world.  This doesn’t even take into account the accidents that have taken lives during the same period of time.  The truth of the matter is that this can be a scary place.  I believe we are all in agreement on that point, the question is what can be done about it?  In years past there might have been a belief that someone could keep us safe – whether it was the local cop on the beat, a big burley family member or the forces of our government, but we may even be losing hope in those defenses.  Much of today’s emphasis is on advocating for our own personal safety.  Whether it is self-defense classes, firearm possession or just knowing what to do during crisis situations, many people are taking responsibility for t...

Have you ever been around a church building program?  Okay, before we get too deep into this, it is a trick question.   I am sure that there are several of us who have been around church building building programs (those endeavors that are designed to erect or expand a church’s physical facility).  They usually involve a call for donations and can result in some hard feelings.  Yet, what would happen if we focused on a church building program (since the church is really the congregation of believers, the question is more about building up the brethren than building a building).  A church building program is about increasing Christian unity and developing spiritual lives.  The Apostle Paul discussed an all-inclusive church building effort when he described the church as, “… having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone,   in whom the whole building, be...

The other night we were watching a TV show where an “amateur sleuth” was helping law enforcement solve a crime.  When the officer attempted to discourage the meddler by saying that it was better if he left the investigation to the professionals the interloper reminded the detective that professionals built the Titanic while an amateur (with the help of God) built the ark.  I believe that there is a place for professionals in many aspects of our lives.  I think there is value in allowing someone who has studied the information and invested time in applying the principles to help us solve our problems, however they may not be the only ones with wisdom – especially if they have discounted the presence of God in their area of expertise.  Often, we are tempted to accept the words of experts in the area of natural and social sciences even when they are in conflict with the message of God.  The downfall of this type of problem-solving is that it is limited by the hu...

Last weekend I participated in a fundraiser that was both fun and meaningful – the St. Mary’s Splash for Special Olympics.  Several dozen of us lined up on the banks of the Chesapeake Bay and “splashed” into the water for a good cause.  Now, the reason I bring this up is because the event reinforced a principle that has been played out time and time again – self-talk can make or break us.  I was pretty cavalier when I signed up to take the plunge several weeks ago, but the closer the event came the more I began to doubt my decision.  Logically, I knew I could do it and would be just fine, but emotionally I started to cast doubt on the event.  I concerned myself with how cold the air would be and how chilly the water was.  I fretted about having to stand around in a swimsuit waiting on the go-ahead, then having to leave the water and face the wind chill all wet and shivering.  Folks, the honest truth is that it wasn’t all that bad.  Yeah, it was c...

I didn’t realize it until it had almost passed, but yesterday was Human Rights Day.  There has been a lot of focus on human rights recently, so I was a little bit shocked to find out that Human Rights Day has been celebrated on December 10 since 1948.  As I did some investigating into the idea behind Human Rights Day, I came upon the United Nation’s Human Rights Day website where they quoted Eleanor Roosevelt, “Where, after all, do universal human rights begin?  In small places, close to home – so close and so small that they cannot be seen on any maps of the world […]  Unless these rights have meaning there, they have little meaning anywhere.  Without concerted action to uphold them close to home, we shall look in vain for progress in the larger world.”  As I read the former First Lady’s comments I accepted their value when set against the backdrop of the ending of World War II and the beginning of a Cold War, however I still felt like there was something...

One of the most important things to me is trust.  I am pretty free when granting trusts to others and have a tendency to be willing to offer trust based on a faith that people are going to do the right thing.  However, when someone violates my trust, I have a hard time forgetting.  I typically don’t have as much trouble forgiving them for their violation, I just become a bit more guarded when re-extending trust once it has been broken.  The reason for this personal revelation is to explain why being a Christian seems so natural to me.  I readily trust God.  I believe in His claims. I am convinced of His presence in our world and in my life.  I know that He will always be there with me and for me.  The great thing about my trust in God is that since He is perfect and dependable, it is impossible for Him to let me down.  As long as my trust is based on what God has said about Himself, He cannot and will not violate my trust in Him. King Da...