Think About It

A few weeks ago, we had one adolescent murder another at a local carnival. It was a tragic event that not only robbed our community of a young person, but also cast a pall on an enjoyable evening and even traumatized some of the innocent people who were there. After a few weeks, the carnival is scheduled to start up again tonight. As it does, I ask those of us in Southern Maryland to do a couple of things. First, pray for a safe weekend. With the Lord’s help we can regain a sense of normalcy. Secondly, let’s make sure those who seek to do violence know that we won’t stand for it. If you are at the carnival and you see the potential for violence, tell someone. If you are in the area, put a sign on your car that decries violence. Wear a button or sticker that promotes peace. Let’s do what we can to make a statement that this is a good community! I wish I could say that this is a localized problem, but I realize that no community is exempt from violence. We must all be strong...

The other morning I walked outside and was immediately struck by the oppressive heat. I was wearing sunglasses which fogged over and a long-sleeved shirt with a tie which intensified the heat. I remember having to walk out to my car which was parked in a parking lot quite a ways away. My most pressing thought was to get done what I needed to get done so I could get back into the cool building. I still remember the relief I felt when I got back to the air conditioning. As I have thought about that miserable morning, I considered what life would be like if I didn’t have air conditioning or at least a way to be able to find some relief from the heat. I don’t know how long I could have lasted! Now, the reason I bring this up isn’t so you’ll feel sorry for me, but as a reminder that this appears to be the thought process Jesus used to try to keep people from living a life of sin. Honestly, I don’t know what hell will be like, but Jesus described it as “… the unquenchable fire, [whe...

The older I get the more reflective I have become. I am not sure if it is the result of wisdom or the fact that I am much more inclined to think before I leap, but I do spend more time pondering things than in years past. The other day, as I was reflecting on the aging process, I was struck by three phases of life: The first one is all about experiencing life. It is about doing as much as possible. During this time we are apt to try (even if it means failing). The second phase of life has more to do with making wise decisions. During this era we tend to slow down and emphasize quality choices over a quantity of experiences. The final phase of life is more about inspiration than participation. Sure, we are still involved in activities, but we tend to step back and allow others to go first. Our goal is to set the next generation up for success. Now, if you agree with my assessment, here is the question – where are you in your life? Are you excited about new things or are you ...

When I was younger, I remember that some of the conversations I had with my parents ended with those dreaded words, “Because I told you so”. I may not be able to recall what started the discussion, but these final words still stick in my ears. My folks were not abusive or even oppressive. In fact, they might even visit with me about the rationale behind their decisions, but there would eventually come a point in time when the line was drawn in the sand. They were the parents and they had made their decision. Now, the reason I bring this up has less about how we should parent and more to do with how we should accept our Father’s decisions. We live in a time that was born out of questioning authority. We are a few generations into a belief that decisions have to be explained. We feel that there are few (if any) absolutes. While this may be the way our society functions, that isn’t God’s way. Yes, for Him, there are still absolutes and there are times when the best justificati...

It is good to be a good person. Yet, what is the value of being a good person? This may all seem to be a bit odd, but have you really ever thought of what’s so good about being good? Sure, there might be some intrinsic value in being good, but it isn’t until we do good – show the goodness inside of us – that positive things actually start to happen. We can have principles and values, but until others see them, are they really all that valuable? When Jesus was developing His following, He challenged His disciples to make sure they lived their lives from the inside out. Once they developed a good heart, they were to expose it by doing good things. In essence, He put it this way, “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who i...

I was thumbing through George Herbert’s collection, Jacula Prudenum, again that other day and came across another interesting observation. The 17th Century work states, “It is a great victory that comes without blood.”. Now, on the surface, this may seem to be a bit cowardly. We have been taught that if we value something, there is a chance that it will require sacrifice – and if we are committed deeply enough to it – it might require the ultimate sacrifice. While I understand that, I also believe that there are many more conflicts that can (and should be settled) without bloodshed. Sometimes the greatest commitment a person can make is to be willing to make peace when war seems imminent. No, we shouldn’t sell out our foundational principles, but when there is room for negotiation and compromise, that may be the better way. Are we in the midst of a potentially dangerous conflict now? In modern society – where bloodshed is typically less likely than in years past – there is sti...

Thirty years ago this week our family moved to Pierre, South Dakota. Now, up until that time, I am not sure I could have told you where South Dakota was (of course, I hadn’t really given it much thought). I probably would have said it was south of North Dakota and maybe, just maybe, I would have known it was home to Mount Rushmore (but even that might have been questionable). However, that week thirty years ago shaped our lives. Our family has been gone from the Northern Plains for a decade now, but the events that transpired in Pierre in 1992 had a significant impact on us (and have had a ripple-effect that influenced others). While I would like to say that the events that led us to that move were delightful, the truth is we were coming off of a difficult time in our lives. The move was abrupt and rather painful; however, had we not gone through what we went through in the months and years leading up to the transition, our lives and our influence would have been much different –...