Think About It

If it was easy to help people more people would help people.   I am going to give you a chance to reread that sentence because it seems to be rather convoluted, but in its own way, it makes sense.   When most of us find it convenient to give, we do a good job of helping out our fellow man; however, when it becomes difficult, we are less likely to give.   Naturally, this is the case we face a need that causes us to suffer financially, but I think there is another price that we struggle to pay.   When giving is convenient it makes us feel good but when things cause us inconvenience it becomes much more difficult.   This is especially true when we are forced to come face-to-face with the ugliness of the world.   We would like to believe that we live in a safe, comfortable society; but the truth of the matter is that there are a lot of people who don’t enjoy the “good life” much less the “easy life”.   They are surrounded by poverty, crime, addiction an...

If there is a modern American success story, it might be Bill Gates.   Gates is a man who transformed his life from being “average” to being one of the wealthiest men in the world.   While wealth is not always a sign of success, it does cause us to take a look at someone’s philosophy of life and Bill Gates is pretty quotable.   Among some his gems are:   “Success is a lousy teacher.   It seduces smart people into thinking they can’t lose.” and “It’s fine to celebrate success but it is more important to heed the lessons of failure.” and “I believe that if you show people the problems and you show them the solutions they will be moved to act.”.    I don’t care how much money he has made, those are some pretty insightful observations. There is another quote from Gates that has gotten my attention, “As we look ahead to the next century, leaders will be those who empower others.”.   When I recently read this observation I was taken back to a convers...

What would you like to do if you could do anything you would like to do?   I am not talking about things that are impossible (like me batting clean-up for the Texas Rangers), I am referring to things that are within the realm of the possible, they just require stepping outside our daily routine and trying something new and different.   Maybe it would be putting in for a leadership position at work ... or going on a mission trip to help some people in Africa ... or giving up the rat-race and moving to a place where we feel like we can make a difference in the day-to-day lives of people in need.   On one hand these things might seem unattainable – but are they really impossible?   Sure, it might require changing our daily routine and giving up some of the security we have in our current surroundings; yet, would it be worth it? It is easy to lament what we haven’t done (and even easier to give up on the hope of ever doing it), but are we really stuck in our current l...

One of the questions routinely asked in modern religion is, “If someone wrongs me, but doesn’t seek my forgiveness, do I have to forgive them?”.  Most of us know of the need to forgive someone if asked to do so, but many struggle with pro-active forgiveness.  The other day I came across a teaching of Jesus that seemed to shed a little light on the topic.  While dealing with forgiveness Jesus taught, “ Be on your guard! If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him.   And if he sins against you seven times a day, and returns to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent’, forgive him.” (Luke 17:3).  Honestly, folks, I could have gone all day without reading this because Jesus adjusts the spotlight of forgiveness to “me”.  When someone harms me, I can’t just sit back and wait for them to do something about it, I have an obligation to do something – actually two things.  First, I have an obligation to go to them and tell them that th...

Often, when we read, “ Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.” (James 1:27) the first thing that comes to mind is financial assistance to those who have trouble meeting their daily needs.   While this is a possibility, have we noticed that the challenge is not just to help people with limited financial assets, it involves assisting those vulnerable groups in any kind of “distress”?   We live in a world where there are a lot of decent social programs that might be able to provide adequate fiscal assistance, but that does not mean that all the needs are provided.   What about the child who needs a father-figure to help them navigate those tough times or a substitute mother to give them a hug when they need it the most?   What about someone who can help an elderly widow navigate through the confusing and (of...

There are certain events that seem to spotlight pivotal points in history.   For the late 1960s, Woodstock may be one of those events.   The “Aquarian Exposition:   3 Days of Peace & Music” was actually held on Max Yasqur’s dairy farm some forty-three miles southwest of Woodstock, New York.   According to history (and supposition) thirty-two musical acts performed for an estimated 400,000 people.   The festival lasted from August 15-18, 1969 but has been a fixture in our nation’s culture since that time.   While the festival is well-known for those who performed, I found it interesting to read about some who chose not to be there.   Ian Anderson (from the group Jethro Tull) declined to perform because he didn’t like the counterculture influence (inappropriate nudity, heavy drinking and drug use) he knew would be there.   According to Tommy James, he and his band passed on their invitation because it was pitched to them in this way, “... there...

What does it take to make a good marriage?   I have gotten the opportunity to do my share of weddings, but as I look back on it, very few people have asked me what it takes to make a good marriage.   It is easy to focus on what colors look good together, what songs sound good in a ceremony, what biblical verses should be included and when you should cut the cake; but a successful marriage is more than a beautiful wedding.   So, with this in mind, here are a few observations I have made through the years: 1.   Spouses should spend more time cheerleading and less time coaching .   It is tempting to try to grow a better husband or wife, but the thing that might make an even better relationship is by merely encouraging each other.   When we cheer for rather than critique each other, we build a foundation that will help us transcend most of our challenges. 2.   Marriage is better when each spouse gives 75% .   I hadn’t really thought of this until...