Think About It

Have you noticed how rain can change our behaviors and attitudes?  I have seen people run out in front of cars to get in out of the rain.  We purchase umbrellas (which are often rendered useless with a gust of wind) to stay dry.  We change our plans or miss our outdoor workouts all because we want to avoid getting wet.  While rain can be annoying, it is just water!  It is the same stuff (and in the same form) that we voluntarily pour all over our bodies every time we take a shower.  The truth is that rain is good and productive, so rain isn’t the problem – our attitude about rain is our problem.  The other day as I was whining about the rain, it dawned on me that I have the same attitude about “life’s challenges” that I have about rain.  Life without challenges is non-existent, but even if it was possible to live without trying circumstances it wouldn’t be fun or productive.  The thing that gets us to try something different is coming upon...

          Why did God create the such beautiful flowers and amazing wildlife?  I think it is easy to understand why God created mankind, but when it comes to things like birds and flowers, why did He invest His creative energy in them?  Sure, a case might be made for them being sustenance for humans, but even that answer begs the question, “Why did He create such beautiful plants and such eye-catching animals?”.  If sustenance were the issue, a bland green plant and an ugly bird would serve the purpose just fine.           I don’t profess to know the wisdom of God, but one answer might be to remind us of His Awesome Power.  Let me see if I can explain.  When we see a beautiful rose or an amazing orchid, it gets our attention doesn’t it!  When we see the flash of a blue jay, the intense red of a cardinal or the regal coloring of a pheasant it has the ability to stop us in our tacks....

Over the last several years, the trend as been that whenever there is a documentary or movie about the death of Jesus, there is typically a segment that includes a description of the horrific nature of crucifixion.  While I understand the draw of this type of historical perspective and the value in reminding mankind of the hurt we caused the Son of God, it is important to understand that the shame in all of this is not merely the gruesome and painful nature of the crucifixion, rather it is that it actually had to occur in the first place!  Beyond that, the value of the insight gained from reviewing the death of Jesus isn’t determined by understanding the quantity of blood that was shed, rather it is found in appreciating the quality of the blood that was shed.  The revelation that must be discovered is not that a man died because His society was evil, rather it is that the Son of Man died because we sinned.  When Peter, who experienced the impact of the crucifixion ...

I am not altogether convinced that each one of us has one unique, individual calling to fulfill in life.  In fact, I am not even sure that what I am called to do today is the same thing I was being led to do twenty years ago nor will it be what I will be expected to do ten years from now.  While I do believe that God has plans and  directions for all of our lives (and equips us to accomplish those goals), I am not sold on the fact that once we accomplish our goal or find our place that we can comfortably settle in with a sense of achievement.  Who knows, maybe we have merely completed one step in the process taking us to a greater calling. Whether we are just beginning our quest or actively searching out the crowing apex of our mountain top, one of the most compelling questions we can ask ourselves is “How do I know where I should be going and what I should be doing?”.  A few of us might be honed in on a detailed life-plan, but most of us experience some type...

How do we view our jobs – as the essence of who we are or as a part of what we do?  Traditionally, especially with men, we become so wrapped up in how we make a living that our quality of life is dictated by where we spend forty to fifty hours of our week.  If we are finding contentment and satisfaction in our jobs, the rest of our lives seem to flow pretty smoothly, but when we fall on hard times in our work-world, the rest of our existence suffers.  When things are not going well on the job it will also typically show up in our family, in our spiritual life and even in our health.  All too often, we filter every aspect of life through the emotional assessment of our jobs. What would happen if we changed our view of employment?  How much would our quality of life improve if – rather than gaining our self-esteem through our jobs – we viewed our jobs as merely a place to demonstrate the talents and gifts.  In essence, sort of like a stage actor, the role ...

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...

          It wasn’t too long ago we were being introduced to a great thing referred to as the “Information Superhighway”.  Through this new way of communicating we would have news, knowledge and facts at our fingertips.  Well, like than other type of highway, the newness has worn off.  It is still very functional, practical and easy to use, but potholes and pitstops have become a lot more prevalent.  Over the past few years social and informational networking has become such a part of our lives that it can be overwhelming and confusing.  With all the resources at our disposal we are forced to ask some simple, but vital questions:  What information is true?  What information is important?  What sources of information are reliable?            While “truth in information” is a question for the 21 st Century, this has been an challenge through the ages – not as it applies t...