Think About It

Christopher Columbus has come under a lot of a criticism in recent years. To many, the 15th Century explorer represents the European imperialism that came to the new world centuries ago. What was once viewed as advancing civilization has come to be viewed as occupation and a lack of understanding of traditional cultures. I do understand how different people can view history in diverse ways, but one thing I have to admire about Columbus and his contemporaries is their bravery. In a time when scientist were discussing what lay beyond the horizon, Columbus and other explorers from his day were willing to venture out into the unknown to see what was just around the bend. When they did, they encountered a great big glorious world. While it is a misnomer that they “discovered” places where others had lived for centuries, they opened up vistas that were unknown to their contemporaries. As I thought about this, I got to thinking about how easy it is for people to get stuck in what is fam...

Most of us are familiar with the phrase, “You never get a second chance to make a good first impression”. The idea behind the adage is that people tend to remember how we make them feel when we first come in contact with them. By nature, we make judgements early on – sometimes, we may get the chance to reverse what people initially believe about us, but that is not guaranteed. I was visiting with a reception clerk at a major hotel the other day and he echoed this sentiment. He said it was amazing how many people come up to him demanding something from him; but the people that make his day are those who start the exchange with a smile. Most of us have been taught to tip at the end of our encounter; but the thing that will more likely provide immediate attention is the kindness that comes with a genuine caring smile. Sure, we might feel like people are hoping to get a generous tip if they treat us right, but it is our attitude early on rather than our potential generosity that produ...

Something has happened to our ability to disagree – we have become disagreeable. Maybe I just thought it used to be this way, but I seem to recall times and places where we could share conflicting thoughts and ideas with respect and, if we were fortunate, we might even learn something from someone else. We (willingly) exposed ourselves to different ways of thinking so we might be able to become more well rounded in our own thought processes. We didn’t enter into a debate to merely “win” it, but to exchange ideas. Again, maybe that didn’t really exist, but I’d like to think that sometime, somewhere it did and hopefully it is still practiced. It has become popular to grow louder and more incensed when we sense disagreement. It’s almost like we get style points for being obnoxious. However, I don’t know many people who have moved to the other side of an argument just because the person on the other side was meaner and nastier that we were. In fact, if anything, we are more turne...

I like being an American. I realize that we in the United States have not perfected the human experience, but we do have it very well. I also believe that many of the values we have in our nation fit well with my worldview of how life should be lived. Now, having said that, I do enjoy traveling internationally. First of all, I like seeing new things and meeting different people. There is a great big wonderful world out there and the more I can experience, the more I come appreciate just how grand our world is. Another reason I like to travel is that it reminds me of how good I have it here. When I interact with parts of other countries it reminds me of the affluence and freedoms that we can so quickly take for granted. Pretty soon, my “first world problems” seem to be less dire! Years ago I heard a story of a young lady who came to the U. S. and was shocked to find that each person in her new home could have their own bar of soap! The ability to have and use your own bar of so...

I imagine Jesus was a peculiar figure during His day. I am sure there had been a lot of people who had performed a lot of tricks to make a living. There may have been some who even staged incredible events for show. However, there was something different in Jesus – He did what He did to provide the recipient with an advantage. Jesus never did great feats for monetary gain, He did it to show how much He cared for those who needed help. His miracles were not used to buy something from someone nor even solicit a donation to His cause. His willingness to help seemed to come from two points of reference: first, they proved He was who He claimed to be and, second, they brought a blessing to the recipient. Jesus didn’t sell Himself – He gave of Himself for the benefit of others. Interestingly, this didn’t stop when it appeared the deck was stacked against Him. His final act before His death was His most selfless – He died so that we might live. Have you given much thought to our app...

One of the things I like about sports is how fluid they can be. While there are some sports empires that seem to transcend trends and decades, there are others that periodically get their moment in the sun. This year’s Major League Baseball is an example of this. While the Braves and Dodgers continued their winning ways, teams like the Orioles, Marlins and Rangers had some substantial turnarounds. Those of us who are fans of these teams might hope this will signal a resurgence, but for the short term, we’ll be happy to enjoy it while it lasts. As I thought about changes, I got to thinking about how quickly people can also make adjustments in their lives. While it is true that we tend to be creatures of habits, when we really want to do it we can make significant changes when we decide to do so. Take for example, the people of Jerusalem back a few centuries ago who did an about face in a matter of a few days. One Friday, they cried out for the crucifixion of Jesus but within a cou...

Many of us have heard the call of David when he said, “I was glad when they said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the Lord.’” (Psalm 122:1); but have we read the rest of the Psalm? This phrase makes a great call to church attendance, but there seems to be more to the poem that just an invitation to worship. David concludes his wish with, “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: ‘May they prosper who love you. May peace be within your walls, and prosperity within your palaces.’ For the sake of my brothers and my friends, I will now say, ‘May peace be within you.’ For the sake of the house of the Lord our God, I will seek your good.” (Psalm 122:6-9). In essence it wasn’t just going somewhere that inspired David it was going there with his kinsmen. He was looking forward to the success and prosperity of others who shared his vision. This weekend we all have a chance to gather in a house of worship, but I want to challenge us to renew our relationships with those who share our common bel...