Think About It

As we read the Bible we realize that those of us who have responsibilities to others have an obligation to treat them with honor and respect.   Servants were told, “... be submissive to your  masters  with all respect, not only to those who are good and gentle, but also to those who are unreasonable.” (I Peter 2:18) and children are reminded, “Honor your father and mother (which is the first commandment with a promise) ...”.   (Ephesians 6:2)   No matter how we define subservience, those who are accountable to others should do a good job for them. There is; however, another side to this – one that applies to leaders.   Whether we find ourselves in charge of another person’s financial welfare or their physical, emotional or spiritual development, we must realize that we need to be careful that we don’t overwork or overwhelm them.   By working our employees too hard or treating our children too harshly, we do damage to them, their families and their f...

The other day I was driving along when a song by Sam Bush began to play.  As I listened to the first few lines and read the title, “Play By Your Own Rules” I was all prepared for another anthem of independence from the morays of traditional society – but, by midway through the song I realized this was something different.  You see, what the songwriter was encouraging was a break from societal norms that lead to self-serving behavior.  Playing by our own rules meant being willing to stand up for what is right (and righteous).  The lyrics include the encouragement, “Be a shining light ... be a helping hand ... be a giving heart ... be a patient man”.  The point isn’t anarchy or anti-establishmentarianism, it is being free to pursue a life of value. The idea of being our own person has lead a lot of people to lives of extremism – often in directions of seclusion or anti-social behavior – but, there is another way to be different.  When we live by the rules ...

          If you are around people who deal with suicide on a regular basis you might hear them describe it as a “permanent solution to a temporary problem”.   The folks who use this phrase are not trying to be calloused or casual toward a devastating decision, rather they are trying to help the rest of us understand “why” these things happen.  Too often, people get so wrapped up in their issues that they fail to experience the hope that will get them though a momentary rough patch in their lives.            As I pondered this description, I got to thinking how many other circumstances it would fit.  How many of us have left a job merely because we disagreed with a decision that merely had short-term implications?  How many families have been split up – not because of major issues – but, because people failed to agree over small, temporary issues?  How many friendships have been di...

Honestly, we probably can’t delineate where the evening ended and the morning began.   The process started with a betrayal which led to an arrest.   The accused had His moments in several “court” hearings, then without being found guilty of anything was sentenced to capital punishment.   The condemned was beaten and paraded through the streets of Jerusalem in shame.    Finally, Jesus – the King of Jews – was executed in a cruel and public exhibition.   Many people call it Good Friday, but it is the darkest day in history. How is our day going?   Have you caught yourself complaining about something that has happened today?   Does it seem that people are being mean to us or that things are unfair?   Are we having to deal with issues and challenges that we did not cause but are influencing our happiness or success?   Do things just seem to be out of whack and out of control?   When our world seems to be a struggle, let’s take a m...

          Historically-speaking, today is the anniversary of the Last Supper.   If we understand that Jesus was crucified on Friday, then the preceding night was an evening filled with betrayal, treachery, religious heresy and violence.   Yet, before all that unfolded, Jesus shared a quiet Passover feast with His closest companions.   Several things happened during dinner, but to me, one of the most important aspects of this evening was that Jesus knew this was going to be His last visit with these core disciples before their world was turned upside down.   Sure, there would be time to make sense of it all after the resurrection, but what did they need do know to get through the most tying time in their lives?   As we read the Gospels (especially John) we find that Jesus highlights several themes:   First of all, they needed to understand that they were not going to be alone.   They would have each other a...

Who are our heroes?  Maybe a better question is why do we pick the heroes we pick?  Is it because they make a lot of money or because they have amassed power?  Do we like personalities because they can sing well or because they can throw a ball with pinpoint accuracy?  What makes the best heroes?  As I thought about what makes hero material I came upon a few qualities: 1.   They need to have good moral characteristics .  It is okay to be a fan of the accomplishments of someone who has athletic or entertainment skills, but that shouldn’t make them worthy of our “following”.  Let’s find people who exemplify what is truly important. 2.   They should have proven themselves over a long period of time .  I grow weary of the trend to anoint overnight superstars.  It’s great to recognize someone’s short-term prowess, but before we elevate them to “hero” status, let’s make sure they ar...

Have we ever asked God, “Why me?”.  Sometimes we ask this question when bad things happen to us, but there are other times when we seem to inherit the troubles of others.  We may not be directly impacted by events; however, they are close enough to involve us.  We may not be the one who has breast cancer – it may be our best friend.  We may have our finances in order, but our siblings might be in a fiscal mess.  We may not be the one enduring the catastrophic calamity, but it is impacting others in our congregation.  When these things happen, we may not take the direct hit, but we are bound to be impacted with collateral damage in our lives.  This may be particularly confusing when we have gone out of our way to protect ourselves from these events and – now – here we are having to vicariously face them.  Why us?  The other day I was pondering this issue when I was lead back to an Old Testament story.  While Esther was rising to the to...