Think About It

The other day I was listening to an old bluegrass gospel song by Bill Monroe and Doc Watson called “What Would You Give In Exchange For Your Soul?”.   While the vocals are haunting, the words cut right to the heart of mankind’s challenge – what are we willing to risk to maintain our own self-centered life?   This song has its roots in a lesson that Jesus taught that culminated in the challenge, “ For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul?   For what will a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Mark 8:36-37).   While most of us would like to profess that our spiritual salvation is the most important thing in our lives, we have to ask if that is really true.   As I pondered this question, I got to considering the temptations many people face and came up with just a few: 1.   Financial security :   How many people are willing to break the law to gain material wealth?   Maybe a better question is how many of us ar...

         It was on a Friday fifty-six years ago that the history of our nation was changed.   On November 22, 1963 President John Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, Texas.   This event touched our nation’s heart and set in motion a series of events that would define the years to come.   I believe that advancement in things like space travel and civil rights legislation can trace a portion of their history through that moment in Dealey Plaza.   Those gunshots ended a life, but from them a legacy was born.             There was another Friday that changed history.   In the springtime of the First Century Jesus was crucified.   It can be argued that this is the darkest day in the history of mankind, but in spite of loss of life an incredible legacy began.   The events that produced the crucifixion of Jesus put into motion what would become Christianity and would bring about sa...

          If you have ever visited Yellowstone National Park you probably remember the signs that are scatted around the park, especially in the areas of the geysers, which instruct visitors to “stay on the path”.  Bubbling up from below the earth’s surface is hot water that has the potential to scar people and, if exposed to enough of it, it can kill.  Those signs which remind us to stay on the path are there to keep us safe.  When people follow that advice they are typically safe, but when they venture off the path, there is danger.           The other day, as I was reading from the biblical book of Proverbs, I was reminded of these warning signs.  The sage of the Old Testament noted, “The prudent sees the evil and hides himself, but the naive go on, and are punished for it.” (Proverbs 22:3).  Most of us are aware that there are things in life that can cause us danger.  We know that ...

          When I was a youngster I was blessed to be surrounded by a lot of people who cared about me.  Let me rephrase that, I was blessed to be surrounded by a lot of wise people who cared about me.  Throughout my youth I had people give me advice and had the opportunity to relive that advice as I encountered various challenges.  One of the gems of wisdom that kept reappearing in my life was a simple statement, “You don’t have to make all the mistakes on your own”.  Simply put, this bit of wisdom inferred that if I paid attention to the lives of the people around me, I could live a much less painful life.  By avoiding the missteps of some – and learning from wisdom of others – I had a better opportunity to live an easier life.           Centuries ago, a wise man named Socrates observed, “ Employ your time in improving yourself by other men's writings, so that you shall gain easily what ot...

          The other day I was listening to a sermon on the life and times of Naaman when a modern-day issue struck me.  Most of us are familiar with the story – Naaman was infected with leprosy and was cleansed when he washed himself in the Jordan River.  Now, while this is an incredible story, it is something else that jumped out to me.  Before Naaman ever went to the Jordan he was told of an opportunity for help in Israel.  Naaman sent a letter to the Israel’s king seeking cure, but the king had no idea how he could help, in fact he became frightened, “ When the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his clothes and said, ‘Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man is sending word to me to cure a man of his leprosy? But consider now, and see how he is seeking a quarrel against me.’” (II Kings 5:7).  You see, it was the prophet Elisha, not the king who had the answer to the problem.  When Elisha heard ...

Over the last several months we have visited a lot about being socially involved.   We have discussed things such as taking care of the widows and orphans as well as helping those who might be homeless or indigent.   I am a firm believer in our need to respond to these needs on a community level, but there is something else that needs to be discussed when it comes to those needing help.   Yes, we should be there for them, but we must also be willing to work with them to help them to become personally independent.   No, we may not know the circumstances of all the people we are called to help, but we will know the backgrounds of some folks – and when we do, we should consider if they need a hand out or a hand up.   Do they need us to take on their responsibilities for them or do they need us to teach them what they need to do, then encourage them to do it for themselves?   I believe the modern terminology for this centers around the concept of “enabling”, b...

          I believe that we often make things more difficult than they need to be.   This is especially true when it comes to religion.   Could it be that we have over-analyzed things to death over the last two thousand years?   What would happen if we returned to the basics of Bible-based principles?   Take, for example, the process of salvation.   When we go back to the beginnings of the Christian church we find a pattern for the forgiveness of sins.   The New Testament seems to highlight the process when, after the Apostle Peter preached a powerful sermon in Jerusalem, “ Now when they heard this, they were pierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, ‘Brethren, what shall we do?’   Peter said to them, ‘Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.’” (Act...