Think About It

Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s 43rd Sonnet contains one of the most familiar phrases in English Literature. As she evaluated the presence of love, she wrote, “How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.”. There is no telling how many times this poem has been used to profess one person’s love to another nor how many times the phrase has been used to begin a general discussion of love. Interestingly, the Bible has something in common with Browning. You see, it too asks – then answers – the question, “How do I love thee?”. There are many places that describe love, but I came across a rather unusual one the other day. The Apostle Paul may be best known for his description of love in I Corinthians 13, but in his letter to the church in Ephesus, he observed, “Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.” (Ephesians 4:31...

Have you ever wondered why Christians can appear so glum? According to the New Testament, we are to be people who see the best in the world around them and are filled with hope, yet it is easy to spot a believer who is down. Doesn’t that seem contradictory at best and hypocritical at worst? Shouldn’t true believers be up and positive all the time? To be honest, I have struggled with this from time to time. I enjoy the blessings of Christianity and the hope that goes with it, but I am often overwhelmed by the evil in the world and the grand task of evangelizing the world that faces disciples. Is my faith too weak? Am I the only one who struggles with this? When I was younger, I might have been a bit more critical of my dilemma, but then I read the heart-wrenching assessment of our Lord, “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you...

One of the things I like about college football is the increasing parity among the teams. Sure, there are still some great programs that are expected to win and typically have an edge in the competition, but there have been a lot of upsets this year. The first two weeks of the college season have reminded us that there is no true “sure thing” in college football. Teams like Jacksonville State and Montana are reminders to hold out hope of the ultimate upset. (Now, while I find this generally fun and exciting, I just hope that they leave my favorite alone.) The reason that I bring this up isn’t to help build interest in another weekend of college football, it is to remind us that the story of David and Goliath can be played out in every aspect of life. Whether it is on a ballfield, in a board room or even in a community; upsets do happen. The value in this observation is that our job is to do what we have been called to do and not worry about the size of the adversary. When we be...

One of the challenges we face as a developing human race is that we have gotten pretty good at overcoming obstacles. Wait! You might have to go back and reread that comment. How in the world could being good at overcoming obstacles be a challenge? The problem with it is that when we become comfortable with being comfortable we tend to avoid things that are inconvenient or uncomfortable. The thing prompted this thought was the headline from a newsfeed that proclaimed hundreds weathered a rainstorm to attend a 9/11 anniversary concert. While I was glad that people were willing to do that, the thing that piqued my interest was that it was newsworthy. This gathering was designed to honor and remember those who suffered one of the most horrific events in our lifetime – why should a little rain interrupt it? Modern society is continually facing the dilemma: Convenience vs. Commitment. Are we willing to endure “hardships” to take a stand? Are we committed enough to a cause (any c...

There has been a lot of talk over the past couple of years about the use of personal protective equipment. Even before vaccines were available, PPE such as masks were touted as being the best way to stay healthy. Individually, we might not be able to solve the COVID issue, but we could do something to protect our own personal health. Interestingly, personal protection is not something that started it the 21st Century. When the Apostle Paul encouraged the early Christians, he told them, “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.” (Ephesians 6:10-11). He went on to describe how truth, righteousness, faith, salvation and the Word of God can protect us from the world and its ruler. No, we might not be a single person army that can defeat satan and his minions, but by putting on the whole armor of God, we can stay safe – and maybe even strike a blow for righte...

What are we doing to change the world? Often, I think we get the impression that we have to make a big “splash” to make a difference. We feel like if we can influence an election, change the legal framework, reverse social trends or make a statement that influences our nation, we have been successful. While these major influences can be productive, they are few and far between in a world so heavily influenced by satan and his propaganda machine. While this may sound like we should just throw in the towel, actually the opposite is true. Rather than putting our faith in making a big splash, what would happen if we focused on the ripple effect? When we do everyday things that influence our neighbors and our community, we can start a ripple that just might become a tsunami of goodness. When we look back at the beginning of the Christian movement, there seems to more of a focus on grassroots efforts than those that have the potential to have a big impact. Jesus taught that those ...

I believe that one of the most underrated spiritual characteristics is hope. First of all, hope is often perceived as one of those “softer” skills. We like to think of ourselves as people of action and discount hope as something we cling to if our actions fail. Yet, hope is much stronger than we might tend to imagine. Our hope is built on a solid belief in the power and presence of God. Hope – the ability to have confidence in future events – is a byproduct of a deep abiding faith in God. It is believing that He will use our actions to produce desired results – and even if our abilities aren’t enough on their own, He will magnify them with His power to make it work out in the end. As the Lord’s church was beginning, they worked hard; but they were not content with merely accomplishing what they could do. They had a hope that God would produce greatness through them. Interestingly, they did not have to generate that hope in themselves, they could look back at an incredible tra...