Think About It

How do we keep score in life? Is our success measured by how many “things” we accrue before we die? Do we determine our value by the position we occupy when we retire or die (whichever comes first)? Is life’s final score measured by how much money or status we have gained? While a lot of people live this way, unfortunately too many of them die without winning. They never get all they want out of life, therefore they leave this world still missing out on true contentment. Yet, what would happen if we reevaluated our measure for success? What if, rather than material or social goals, we focused on attaining the truly good life? The wise man of the Old Testament observed, “How much better it is to get wisdom than gold! And to get understanding is to be chosen above silver.” (Proverbs 16:16). Sure, it can be fun to gain things, but when that isn’t our absolute goal we are able to find joy more easily. Where is our focus? What have we set as our “true north”? When we set out to g...

Everything that we hold precious begins with one central principle. For those who are patriotic, it is a belief that the form of government established is the best way. For those who are scientific, they place their faith in what can be postulated and proven by science. Interestingly, Christians have that same type of foundation, however it isn’t what is laid out in the foundational principles of the Constitution, nor is it what can be proven in a classroom. Disciples of Jesus build their hope on the unalterable presence of Jesus. We start every principle based on the Kingship of Jesus and funnel all ideas through the message of the Messiah. If there is a foundational principle of Christianity it very well could be how John recalled Jesus’ response to Thomas, “Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.’” (John 14:6). Too often, the thing that gives Christianity a bad name and makes it so hard to believe is when thos...

Forty-one years ago, Jeane and I were honeymooning on the east coast of Florida – that is the good news. The bad news was that I had a broken jaw, neither of us had jobs and Tropical Storm Dennis was about to rendezvous with us on Miami Beach. I would imagine that some of the people around us at the time might have looked at the inauspicious beginning of our marriage and wondered if we were going to make it. Well, we did. My jaw healed, we both ended up with jobs, the wind and rain finally abated and, after over four decades, we are still together! It’s interesting, as I look back on those first few days and weeks of marriage, I don’t recall the struggles as much as I see the commitment. We were able to endure those early bumps in the road because we had a solid foundation. Most of the success stories – whether in marriage, business, or whatever else – begin with challenges. Yet, there is something present that not only enables people to persist, but also look back with a fond...

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...