Think About It

As former President Jimmy Carter’s days on earth appear to be coming to an end, it is appropriate to go back and consider his legacy. Honestly, I am not as inclined to look at his political record as I am what he has done for his fellow man. Governor Carter’s rise to the White House was rapid – almost overnight – but since then he has dedicated decades to tasks with people in mind. The other day I came across a quote of his that struck me, “We must adjust to changing times and still hold to unchanging principles.”. Honestly, the minute I read these remarks, I found myself right back in a self-struggle I had been wrestling with for a while. I will be the first to admit that I like traditions – I like what I like and I like to do what I like to do. Yet, just because I like things done a certain way doesn’t mean that is only way they could or should be done. Like President Carter, I believe there are certain “unchanging principles”, but those are fewer and further between than what...

I think that today is the first official day of spring. For those of us who experienced an 80 degree day a couple weeks ago and those of you who lived through a blizzard last week may be confused – but on the calendar says it is the first day of spring. (I guess it officially begins at 5:24 p.m. EDT – for those of you really care.) Living where I have lived throughout my life the concept of spring is probably more compelling than the actual weather. Spring represents a new beginning – a renewal of life. It conjures up the image of the end of the cold, bitter season and brings about the hope of something free and fun. No matter what this week’s weather brings, people look forward to spring because it is more of a state of mind than an actual scientific season. Spring brings to mind a spiritual principle conveyed in baptism – a chance at a new life. Jesus would call it being “born again” in John 3 while Paul would observe, “Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism in...

Who are your heroes? While most of us would be willing to openly admit that we follow people with good morals – those who are dedicated to making the world better – there is a part of some us that has a tendency to follow powerful people even when those people aren’t good moral or spiritual examples. We may like how they get things done, the influence they have or how much money they make. In fact, we might be so impressed by these things that we not only ignore their negative traits, we might even excuse them! We might even think to ourselves that their ends justify their means. Interestingly, the Bible seems to challenge this concept when we are taught, “Do not be envious of evil men, nor desire to be with them; for their minds devise violence, and their lips talk of trouble.” (Proverbs 24:1-2). The wise man cautions that we should avoid the influence of evil people and warns that we should keep our distance from them. When I thought about this with a 21st Century mind, I wond...

I have been watching the World Baseball Classic this week. Not only am I a baseball junkie, I am fascinated by just how many great ballplayers there are from all around the world. I realize that there may be less than six degrees of separation between some players and the clubs they play for, but there are still a lot of people who are getting to showcase their skills and their national pride. Baseball has a long tradition in the Americas and it is as popular in the Latin American countries as it is anywhere. While there have been a lot of great ballplayers who have come out of these areas, one of the most notable is Roberto Clemente. The Puerto Rican put up some incredible numbers, but may be best known for being killed in a plane crash trying to deliver relief supplies to Nicaragua following an earthquake in 1972. The other day, I came across a Clemente quote, “If you have a chance to accomplish something that will make things better for people coming behind you, and you don’t ...

I have been doing some looking into some of the differences between generations – especially as it relates to their approach to religion and spirituality. In a recent Pew study, it was stated that something very important to the latest generations is family and friends. They are less excited about working all the time and more interested in spending time with those closest to them. Over the last several years, I have heard people lament the upcoming generations and predict the demise of the church, but if what they are saying about them is true, I have to believe we could be standing on the cusp of a spiritual awakening. Folks, one of the hallmarks of Christianity is family. Not only is the Bible filled with direction on how to make our natural families better, there are countless references to believers being a part of the family of God. No, we may not be related by DNA, but we are connected by blood – the blood of Jesus Christ. Centuries before imagining a Gen-X, Millennials o...

Through the years public service jobs typically have not paid much. Professions such as teachers, law enforcement officers, ministers, nurses, counselors and others in the “helper professions” have been notorious for low wages – but they have been high in job satisfaction. People who enter these professions do so to help others, not to get rich. It’s almost they feel compelled to do the job to make a difference, not to make a bundle. Over the last few years, society has done a better job of raising pay for these professions, but as we do that, I wonder if we are pricing ourselves out of compassion. When we raise the pay, do we lower the desire to do these jobs for their intrinsic value? When we start to lobby for pay increases or hire people into the field because we can pay competitive wages are we inviting dissatisfaction into the ranks? We must maintain the passion for the profession or we may be tempted to concentrate on matching the wages others are making and not focusing ...

Its official – March Madness is upon us. With the completion of Selection Sunday yesterday, the tournament teams have been set – let the action begin. The question that is on most of our minds isn’t who will be the first one to make an exit, or even which of the favorites will fall in the early round. The thing that intrigues most of us is how long Cinderella will get to stay in the Big Dance. Which of the lower tier teams will outplay their seeding and make it to a gathering of the elite? I will be honest with you, I don’t watch major college basketball in March for the skill, I am focused on the underdogs! Have you ever thought about what could happen with Christianity if we saw ourselves as David to the world’s Goliaths (yes, I realize I mixed my “Testaments”, but I think you get the point). Rather than spending our time trying to be respected as a leader in the world’s religions, what if we saw our purpose as being the hardest working, most dedicated influence out there? Doe...