Think About It

Not long ago Jeane and I visited one of the many old family estates that have been made into museums in Virginia.  This residence happened to be Stratford Hall that was home to several generations of the Lee family.  As we toured the house we were fascinated by how much “nice” stuff the family had on display.  The docent explained that many of the people of that day often put their finest on display so that others would know their “station” in life.  They liked to be seen as different than those around them. As I reflected on the ostentation showed by the “haves”  of that generation I was struck by how this type of display might be good for us today.  Now wait, hear me out – no, I am not advocating that we put our “stuff” on display, rather we should be known for our good name and purity.  Just as those in bygone days put their wealth on display, we should put our goodness and righteousness on display – not for our own benefit, but so that our Heave...

          Most people who have studied American history are familiar with the name Frederick Douglass.  Douglass was born into slavery in Maryland, but would become a spokesman for freedom.  Much has been made of Douglass’ philosophy but the other day I came across a truism that transcends every aspect of life.  Douglass is quoted as saying, “The life of the nation is secure only while the nation is honest, truthful and virtuous.”.  In a time when we are debating the safety and security of our nation, it is important that we not only protect our physical borders, but our integrity as well.  It might be a good idea to do something to protect ourselves from bad outside influences, but we’d also better be promoting the development of the goodness that must spring forth from inside our borders.           While Douglass’ quote can apply to our nation today, I think that it speaks just as loudly ...

I have been singing Charles Gabriel’s hymn, “Send The Light”, most of my life but as we sang it this past Sunday I was struck by the verse that encourages, “Let us pray that grace may everywhere abound, ‘Send the Light!   Send the Light!’.   And a Christlike spirit everywhere be found, ‘Send the Light!   Send the Light!’”.   The first thing that I typically think of in the word “grace” is the mercy that God has shown us, but as I reflected on this song it struck me that the grace mentioned here isn’t necessarily God’s grace, it is the grace that we show one another.   The follow-up phrase encourages us to show a Christlike spirit ... in other words, being willing to love and serve one another. It is easy to get caught up in the world’s self-centered focus, but the true Christlike spirit is one that treats all people with graciousness as well as love.   Not only is it the right thing for us to do, in reality, it is the only way for us “send the light”. ...

          One of the most memorable sights in U.S. history is the image of President John Kennedy’s casket being unloaded from Air Force One and transported away from Andrews Air Force Base on November 22, 1963.   While there are many remarkable things about that day, that casket has an interesting story of its own.   The coffin was purchased in Dallas shortly after the death of President Kennedy and had to be altered (or damaged) to be loaded onto the presidential plane.   Due to the circumstances surrounding the death and transportation of the president’s remains the casket was unusable for any formal service, so it was discarded in favor of one more suitable for the occasion.   But, that is not the end of the interesting story.   According to records released decades after Kennedy’s death, a couple of years after the assassination the original casket was loaded onto a government plane, taken miles off of the U. S. coast and dumped i...

          Over the last several months there has been a lot of talk about building a barrier between nations to keep people safe.  Now, before you turn me off, please understand that what follows is not intended to be a political statement, rather the goal is to make a spiritual point.  You see, walls have separated people ever since people realized they were different than their neighbors.  Whether it was a fence around a piece of property, a wall around a city or a physical barrier between nations, we have been trying to keep people away from our lives and out of our business for a long time.  Interestingly, barriers have not always been “physical”, there have even been times when people segregated themselves from one another based upon race, philosophy or religion.            Through the years humans have done what we can to erect barriers between people, but interestingly something happ...

One of the most commonly held beliefs about religion is that our spiritual leaders want the best for us.  Now, I realize there are some skeptical people who perceive many religious leaders to be charlatans, but for the most part I believe the majority of the people trust the motives of those who lead their religious organizations.  Now, having said this, I don’t think it is a bad idea to do some investigation into what our religious leaders are wanting to get out of religion?  Do they do what they do  to promote their own agenda ... to make money ... to gather a following ... or do they do what they do to help those around them to be the best spiritual people they can be?  It may be good to give religious leaders the benefit of the doubt, but it is prudent that we investigate a leader’s focus. When Jesus came to earth, He questioned the conviction of the religious leaders of His day while making a commitment to His disciples by saying, “T ruly, truly, I say t...

          Something happens to us when we become parents.  When most of us accept the fact that we have a child in our lives, we begin to see ourselves and the world a little bit differently.  No longer are we as selfishly focused as we used to be, when most people become parents they begin figure out ways for their children to succeed.  We do what we can to put our children in a position to make the most out of life.  It may be to help them develop their intellectual and athletic ability or it may be surrounding them with a safe and inspirational environment.  While these areas are important, the most important things we can do for our children’s success is to develop a positive and nurturing spiritual environment.  Devoted parents love their children enough to teach them how to love their Lord.           The other day I was reading the New Testament and it got me to thinking about wh...