Think About It

One of the things that I have noticed about getting older is how easy it is to do nothing. When I was younger, I was filled with energy and excitement for learning something new. I wanted to be busy, and I was fascinated by all the new things that were around me and the new places I had never been. Now, I have been blessed to experience a lot and seen even more, therefore I find myself more content looking back that looking forward. While all this sounds reasonable, it is inexcusable. The goal for my life should never be to reflect on where I have been rather, it should be to be excited about where I still have to go. Yes, it takes more energy to start a new quest (and maintain the discipline to follow through with it) but that is what makes life worth the living. This is important in every aspect of life, but one of the most important is in spiritual living. It is easy to enjoy a comfortable relationship with God, but what He needs from us is excitement to the end. By growing...

I have mixed emotions about the 2021 Olympics . First and foremost, I hope that all the athletes will be safe and none of them will endanger their health by participating. I am thankful that we have the opportunity to watch the best athletes from around the world compete against each other – and in some cases, against their own “best”. Yet, there is something that concerns me – will the athletes be competing for themselves or for their nation? Will they use this stage as a way to promote their personal brand (or their own social agenda) or will they do their best to represent their nation to the best of their ability? Call me old fashioned, but I think national pride still has a place in the international event. As I have thought about this, it got me to thinking about our spiritual lives. If we call ourselves Christians, are we promoting the cause of our Lord and Savior or are we using our Christianity as a way to push our beliefs and agendas? Does our spotlight shine on us or...

Can we seek to know too much about the Bible? (Well, if that statement didn’t set off a series of bells and warning tones, I don’t know what will! However, hear me out.) Did you notice the phrasing of the question? No, I didn’t say can we know too much from the Bible, rather can we spend too much time on superfluous information about the book itself? Where do we invest our time – in reading the inspired words provided by the Holy Spirit or the explanations written by people who study the Bible? The wealth of material inside the Bible is endless, but are we guilty of relying too much on historians or commentators? I have been thinking a lot about this lately, then I came across a word of wisdom, “But beyond this, my son, be warned: the writing of many books is endless, and excessive study is wearying to the body.” (Ecclesiastes 12:12). I encourage everyone to learn as much as possible about the Bible and seek out opinions that can help us know more about the Word; however, le...

I was at a conference a couple weeks ago when I learned a valuable lesson. I had painstakingly planned out the classes I thought would challenge me; but one of the most poignant lessons came from the swimming pool. I was discussing one of my volunteer outreaches when someone reminded me that volunteerism that doesn’t cost us anything usually doesn’t amount to much. In essence, we are apt to get the most out of something that costs us something. The price might be financial, emotional or time-related; but the more we are willing to invest, the more valuable it becomes to us. As I pondered this revelation, it made the time and money investment I had spent in attending this conference much easier to accept. It helped me accept the challenges that I had experienced in my volunteerism and made me more convicted to doing what I felt called to do. Sure, it would be nice if someone would help me recoup my expenses or if they would make it easier to do what I was doing, but would that...

One of my favorite Old Testament characters is Caleb. Many people recognize the name as a pair of Jewish leaders who were a part of the group who went out to spy out the Promised Land after the Jews had been released from Egyptian Captivity. These men found great opportunity inside the borders of the land, but they also saw the presence of danger and the potential of hard work. Of the twelve spies who entered Canaan, only Joshua and Caleb came back with a positive report. Ten of the twelve said it couldn’t be done and all but led a coup against Moses. Yet, in the midst of this chaos, “… Caleb quieted the people before Moses and said, ‘We should by all means go up and take possession of it, for we will certainly prevail over it.’” (Numbers 13:30). Caleb’s message was one of faith, but it also exuded the confidence the people needed to accomplish their goal. Unfortunately, the overwhelming majority rejected his words and a generation lost out on the joy of occupying their own home...

During the 1970s Bob Newhart was best known for his role as Robert Hartley, a hip psychologist in Chicago. It wasn’t surprising when Newhart made an appearance in a Comedy Central skit several years later playing another mental health professional – however, what happened in the sketch may have been a bit unusual. When a woman comes to his office looking for advice on overcoming her claustrophobia he gives here some succinct advice – “Stop It!”. Stop being irrational, stop worrying about it, just stop it! She lists a few other issues she’s struggling with and his answer is simple, “Stop It!”. I realize this is humor and borders on insensitivity, but whenever I watch the video clip it reminds me that sometimes to feel better, I just need to stop what is making me feel bad. Whether it is sin, bad habits or irrational thoughts; more than anyone else I am the one who controls my contentment and happiness. Yes, I realize there are people who struggle with mental health issues who nee...

There are certain people in history that I would like to meet and one of them is Benjamin Franklin. The first reason I would like to meet Mr. Franklin is that he appears to be a pretty engaging fellow – and the second reason is to see if he really did communicate everything he is credited with saying and writing. If he said everything he is credited with saying, he must have been a bright and insightful guy! The other day, I came across a quip credited to him, “There never was a good war or a bad peace.”. As I pondered this, I found myself steering clear of it on a national level and applying it to my own personal life. As I look back, I can’t say that I have ever enjoyed being at odds with someone, nor have I regretted the tranquil relationships I’ve had. I can’t ever recall saying, “Man, I wish someone would get mad at me.” nor have I ever thought, “I’ll be glad when this peaceful coexistence with so-and-so finally ends”. I agree with Franklin, “Conflict is bad, quiet is goo...