Think About It

Are we serious about our Christianity?   Back when people were first called “Christians”, not only did it have a very specific meaning, it also carried with it some potentially serious consequences.   Those who called themselves Christians did so with an understanding that this description might cause them to be castigated by their families or disciplined by their religious or secular communities.   Christianity in today’s world is not as narrowly defined nor does the name carry the same consequences.   In our land of free religion, Christianity has become more of a category than a commitment.   Yet, the truth is that there is a responsibility that comes with the name.   Those who casually accept the moniker of “Christian”, then don’t follow through with the expectations, create some serious issues: 1.   First, they lose their own integrity .   People expect a certain lifestyle from Christians, so when it isn’t followed, their reputation is tai...

          You know what is more aggravating than obnoxious people who criticize what we do and are mistaken?   While these folks tend to irritate me, I think I get more flustered by obnoxious people who criticize me and are right!   It is tough to be corrected by people who are able to finesse us and encourage us while delivering the bad news, but accurately being told we are wrong by unrefined people is a double-whammy!           I believe that there are encouraging ways to admonish people – but, I also believe that we need to be willing to accept the truth no matter how it is presented.   We live in a time and place where it appears that truth is a matter of perspective.   Most of us have no trouble believing that truth is truth when it is presented by those we like or those who do so in a positive manner; but when it is delivered by people we don’t like or in a way we don...

          Have you noticed how much we are willing to trust people?   There is a “practical side to human faith”.   We don’t seem to give a second thought to matters of faith when it is convenient for us.   We are more than willing to have faith that the people coming at us at 70 miles an hour in the on-coming lane of traffic will stay on their side of the road.   We have so much faith in the guy who inspected the airplane we are about to board that we are willing to risk our lives by defying gravity at 30,000 feet AND doing so by purchasing a non-refundable ticket!   We trust that the person who is about to fix our food doesn’t have a contagious disease or the one working on our computer isn’t so far in debt that they are about to clone our information and steal us blind!           Folks, by definition faith doesn’t make sense.   It is illogical, it is unexplainab...

         I had one of those “Aha” moments the other day.  I was thinking about how busy my life was and got to thinking how fortunate God is that I could make time for Him.  Then it dawned on me ... I am busy doing what:  Watching the latest episodes of my favorite shows – working overtime at the job that He gave me – shuttling my children (or grandchildren) to their latest appointment – catching up on the latest news or gossip from a society that has left Him out of their lives – mowing grass that will become dormant in the next couple of months – cleaning the stove I will use to cook the food He gave me – rearranging the shed filled possessions that I haven’t seen since the last time I moved?  I am really all that busy?           Sometimes, when we ask the Lord to indulge us as we make excuses for being busy, I wonder if He doesn’t just roll His eyes.  He has the control of the whole worl...

Up until a few years ago I looked forward to this time of year.   I have been a fan of football most of my life.   I was never a good player, but I was a world-class watcher!   It was exciting to see my teams coming out of summer practices and thinking about the potential for the year, but beyond that, it was just fun to watch the games.   I have to admit that during the last few years I have lost much of my excitement in football.   Whether it is at the college level or in the NFL I have become disenfranchised – not as much with the game itself as with those producing it.   Things like politics; the accusations of cheating; the “me, me, me” attitudes and conflicts over the safety of the game have made it harder to enjoy.   I just don’t know if it is worth the effort. As I thought about football, my thoughts drifted off to the church and our worship.   Shouldn’t being a part of a church (and worshipping with a bunch of like minded believers) be...

Is there answer to war in our lifetime?   Even though I have not experienced something called a “world war” I have seen wars start up all over the world.   From the Middle East to the Far East to Latin America and everywhere in between we have watched people engage in conflict with one another.   It seems like that whenever there is a political flare-up someone asks the question, “Will this ever end?”.   I think there are two parts to the answer for this question.   The first part of the answer is “I doubt it”.   People are going to be people and will continue to seek their own will over others.   Yet, there is another possible answer, “With God’s help, we can stop human hostilities”.   If we were to all unite under the rule of God – and live by His ways – we could eliminate war.   When King David reflected on God’s power he noted, “ Come, behold the works of the Lord,   who has wrought desolations in the earth.   He...

          One of the neat things about this time of year is the Little League World Series.   You don’t have to be much of a baseball fan to get sucked into the charm of this international competition.    Young people (children) with a love for baseball are surrounded by some great traditions of the game.   I believe this is a special event because at the heart of this amateur exhibition is a blend of talent and sportsmanship.             As I watched a game the other day I was reminded that these pre-teens had a mental concept of the game that was not always matched by their physical ability.   They had been taught where to throw the ball, but they couldn’t always get their bodies to make the throw in time to get the runner.   They knew the correct positioning for fielding a grounder, but sometimes the small gap between position and coordination resulted in a...