Think About It

          Have you ever asked your spouse to do you a favor – then got upset with them when they didn’t do it the way that you thought it should be done?  Have you ever asked for volunteers to accomplish a project, then complained because they didn’t do it the way that you would have done it?  While I can’t speak for everyone, on more than one occasion I have relied on the kindness of others only to become irritated when it wasn’t done the way I expected it to be done.  While it is okay to have preferences, we must be cautious that our preferences don’t get in the way of our graciousness.  Also, if we have a particular way we want something done, that’s fine and that’s our prerogative, but we should explain those parameters in the beginning.           Again, you may be so elated to have someone help you that this doesn’t apply to you, but for those of us who tend to be “picky” here are a couple ...

Have you ever heard the phrase, “There but by the grace of God go I”?  Ever thought about where it came from?  Well, tradition has it that these are the words of a 16 th Century minister named John Bradford.  According to one of his biographers, upon seeing a group of evil-doers being taken to a place of execution he would remind himself of his need to remain humble by exclaiming, “But for the grace of God there goes John Bradford”.  Interestingly, in 1555 Bradford was tried, condemned to death and burned for his own trespass.  His crime was that his beliefs differed from the established religion of the reigning monarchy. Have we ever thought about just how applicable this phrase is – not just in helping us remain humble, but also in promoting the forgiveness of others.  Have we ever thought out how close we have come to tragedy and ruin, but for some reason we have been spared?  Have you ever driven while distracted, but didn’t run over someone wh...

          Not long ago I was looking at the top of my desk and it looked like it was snowing yellow papers.   Scattered around my desk were several old sticky notes as well as old letters, books, a Diet Coke bottle and several bottle caps.   While I have never the been the neatest person in the world, one of the places this had become the most notable was on my desk.   The reason this caught my attention was a quote that I had seen from Audrey Thomas, “Clutter is a result of delayed decisions.”.   I had heard a lot of adages about clutter – everything from it being a sign of genius to it being a symbol of disarray, but as I reflected on her observation I got to thinking how true it was.   The reason for most of the clutter wasn’t (necessarily) that I was messy, it was that I just hadn’t followed through with what needed to be done with the items.   I hadn’t returned this phone call, I hadn’t filed that   letter, I hadn’t fini...

          It is hard for me to believe that it was over fifty years ago that Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated.   There are fewer and fewer of us who recall April 4, 1968; but it is a day that has had an impact on our nation.   It might be nice if we could say that the life of Dr. King completely galvanized a nation – but, that wouldn’t be true because even the impassioned words of the man often fell on some deaf ears.   Wouldn’t it be great to say that Dr. King’s death brought us all together in unity, but alas, that would be fantasy as well because even decades after his death we still struggle with racial inequity, bigotry and division.   In some ways it might be disappointing to say that the life, death and philosophy of Martin Luther King, Jr. has returned empty, but thankfully that isn’t true either.   We have not built a perfect edifice of peaceful co-existence on the foundation of the Civil Rights mov...

          If you had the chance to sit down with a group of godly believers what would you say to them?  If you are like me you might be tempted to try to do some teaching – explaining to them what they need to do to be better.  While that might be one good use of the time together, could it be even better to just offer a word of encouragement to them?  Rather than telling them what is wrong in their lives, what would happen if we made the effort to explain what is right in their world?            I think it would go without saying that Children of Israel in the Old Testament could have used some words of direction, but, at one point when their religious leaders were given instructions about how to approach the benedictions they offered they were told, “ Thus you shall bless the sons of Israel. You shall say to them:  ‘The Lord  bless you, and keep yo...

          When I was shoveling the snow out of my driveway last weekend I realized something – I have gotten soft!  For the better part of thirty years I lived in some pretty cold places (often without benefit of a snowblower) and got used to moving snow … I mean LOTS of snow in some pretty extreme conditions.  Having spent most of my childhood years in Florida, it wasn’t as if I inherited a snow shoveling gene or grew up learning and loving snow removal, but as the years progressed I just got used to it.  By the time I left Wyoming a few years ago, being around snow was just no big deal.  Now I fuss and whine at a couple inches of snow!           While getting used to something can be a blessing, I think it can also be a curse.  Have you ever thought about how much immoral and carnal stuff we have “gotten used to” in our lives?  No, the world has never been a pure place and has always...

One of the premier examples of evangelism in the New Testament comes from an early disciple named Philip.   After a successful campaign in Samaria Philip was dispatched by an angel to meet up with a man from Ethiopia.   When Philip caught up with him the interaction began this way, “ Philip ran up and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet, and said, ‘Do you understand what you are reading?’”  (Acts 8:30).   Isn’t it interesting that Philip begins – not by telling the man what he needed to know – but by asking the man what he wanted to know.   He opened the conversation with a question – not a statement of his own faith. In his book The Trust Edge , David Horsager quotes Patricia Fripp’s philosophy, “The key to connection is conversation.   The key to conversation is questions.   Therefore, learn to ask great questions.”.   Personally, if someone is hoping to convince me of something the best way to engage me is to develop a rapport with me. ...