Think About It

If you have spent much time reading my thoughts you know that I am a sucker for a pithy quip. Well, the other day I found a hidden gem that may not be well known, but makes a ton of sense. In a collection of proverbs I found one that proclaimed, “Empty vessels sound most”. I guess I can’t be certain what the original sage had in mind, but the first thing that came to my mind was how often people who have the least to brag about do the most talking. Those who accomplish the least are often the ones who shout the loudest. People who are full of knowledge and accomplishments are typically content letting others sing their praises, but those who have more pride than productivity are often the ones tooting their horns the loudest. I guess there could be a lot of reasons for it, but the simplest explanation might be that they aren’t accomplishing enough to be recognized, so they have to tell the world what they are doing! Centuries ago, the wise man Solomon observed, “Let another prais...

What does it mean to be a leader? I subscribe to the belief that a leader is someone who seeks the best for others and works with them to achieve their potential. There are others; however, who define leadership as the ability to have a vision and the tenacity to get their own way. Leaders who are this way are often portrayed as having developed the maturity to manipulate people to do things their way. However, is the ability to drive people in our direction mature or is it childish? The Christians of the 1st Century came from a lot of different backgrounds and had to work hard to work together. As the Apostle Paul challenged Christians in the city of Ephesus he challenged them to accept individual differences, “… until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. “ (Ephesians 4:13). Bossiness was not to be viewed as a sign of maturity, a willingness to wo...

While there can only be one truth, there can be a lot of good ideas. That may be a rather deep thought, but hear me out. When it comes to certain matters of absolutes there can only be one right way to do it. For example, when it comes to matters of spiritual salvation, there is one right way to accomplish it. However, when it comes to most other concepts there can be a variety of different ways and perspectives. One way might make good sense to one person, while another response may be more appropriate to another person. Interestingly, both could very well be a right way to do it. The value of the acceptance of equal options is that they allow us to live in harmony. When we are willing to accept there might be multiple ways of doing something, we are able to work together. However, when we believe that our way is the only way, we tend to alienate people and are forced to live with a narrow focus of one mind. Sure, we should strive to do what is right, but we must be willing ...

A lot of us have received CPR training. It has become so common and the process is so simple that even many of our teens are even trained. I am glad we are educating our people on these life-saving measures, but one thing we must remember is that the process is not always successful. I know some people who have been saved by CPR, but the vast majority of attempts do not bring people back to life. Depending on who you reference, the general consensus is that less than 25% of the efforts are successful. However – and this is a big “however” – a lower success rate should not deter us from trying. We never know which of the people we work on will make it, so we need to try! As I thought about the CPR process, it got me to thinking about evangelism. Sure, more often than not the people we teach won’t respond to the gospel, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try. We should make our best effort to preach Jesus and see what happens. Our focus shouldn’t be on “conversion rates”, rather...

This is one of those conflicting weekends for me. Each year, at the beginning of December, I volunteer to go take a dip in a rather chilly Potomac River for a good cause. Now, I realize that there are many others who actually brave legitimately cold conditions for good causes – and I salute your conviction – but, the St. Mary’s Splash is cold enough for me to make a statement and live to tell about it. While I find the idea of splashing in the chilly water silly, I do it because it makes a difference to Special Olympics. I have been a supporter for this cause for several years because I believe in what they do. They provide those who might not be able to complete in athletic events in the mainstream an opportunity to experience the joy of victory and the exhilaration of competition. I was not a great athlete, but I did get the chance to play the game. This is my chance to give back. What are you willing to do to help people who haven’t had the opportunities you have been given? ...

The Army – Navy game has been an American tradition for generations. The game has been played in eras where the outcome could determine a national champion and during times when all that was at stake was institutional pride. However, one of the most memorable games was played in 1963. The game was originally scheduled for November 30, 1963; but President Kennedy’s assassination put the game on hold. After much debate, the game was rescheduled and played on December 7. The game itself was one for the ages. (Army failed to score the decisive touchdown when they ran out of time near the goal line.) Yet, one of the most remarkable issues was that the game was played at all. How could we play a “game” in light of a national tragedy? The answer was pretty simple, it is what the Kennedy family felt was the right thing to do. They had a say in what happened and they gave it the green light. It is easy to criticize other people’s decisions – especially when clouded in years of hindsigh...

Is it enough to do good things? Throughout the centuries there has been this constant battle between what have been called “faith people” and “works people”. (Now, I honestly believe that both groups are closer in thought than we typically admit, but for the sake of argument, let’s set that aside for a moment.) I believe that most of us know that it takes more than just good deeds to be pleasing to God. The Bible is full of thoughts on the subject, but one that is often overlooked is, “The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord, but the prayer of the upright is His delight.” (Proverbs 15:8). Just because we do an overt act of righteousness doesn’t mean that God will be pleased with it. He is looking for the combination of good works and a good spirit. Let’s do what we should to look religious, but let’s not forget that God can see through our motives. Shortly before encouraging people do good with a pure heart, the wise man observed, “The eyes of the Lord are in...