Think About It

Do you think God is mad at us? That may be an interesting way to start a discussion, but I get the feeling that a lot of people who profess Christian tendencies are struggling with their understanding of our national relationship with God. There is a belief among some that our nation has been given a divine mission and purpose. However, there are others who are concerned about the national immorality that has invaded our nation. How can these two beliefs coexist? Well, let me throw another issue into the mix – one that comes from the wise old man of the Old Testament. In Proverbs 6:16-19 Solomon observes, “There are six things which the Lord hates, yes, seven which are an abomination to Him: Haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that run rapidly to evil, a false witness who utters lies, and one who spreads strife among brothers.”. When we consider these qualities, it isn’t how we vote or even our foreign policy ...

What do you do when you have a conflict with someone? There are some people who are very good about dealing with issues when they immediately come up, but many of us tend to let things linger. Maybe we don’t like confrontation. It could be that we feel embarrassed when we are odds with people. It might even be that we have a fear that if we bring it up something bad could happen. The problem is that not dealing with things doesn’t make them better – in fact, for a lot of us, it makes us bitter. So how do we deal with issues? To effectively deal with conflict, we have two healthy choices. First, we can confront those with whom we get crossways. When something comes up, we just stop and say, “My feelings got hurt.” or “Did I understand what you said or did correctly? If so, we need to address this because I am uncomfortable with it.”. The Apostle Paul reminded early Christians, “Be angry, and yet do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and do not give the devil a...

Whitey Herzog passed away on April 15 at the age of 92. Herzog had been in and around baseball for a lot of my early lifetime. While his playing days preceded my birth, he was a presence as a field manager for a lot of years including as World Series winner with the Kansas City Royals in 1982. Speaking of being a player, Herzog said, “Baseball has been good to me since I quit trying to play it.”. When I first read this quote, it sounded almost like something Yogi Berra would say, but the more I analyzed it, the more sense it made. Herzog made his name when he quit being a player and started managing them. When he made that change, his teams won 1281 games. Whitey made his mark from the dugout, not on the field. How often do we resist change when a new way of doing things might open us up to success? We are convinced that if we just keep trying doing what we are doing, we’ll eventually hit our stride – however, there is no guarantee in that. Sometimes success comes with a chang...

As an avid baseball fan, I spend a lot of time scoreboard watching. At any given time I can probably tell you the record of my team and where they are in the standings. In addition to knowing where my team stands, I know what it will take for my guys to stay on top or get back into race. The problem with this is that over a 162 game schedule, it takes a lot of emotional energy. As a fan, I can afford to watch the standings, but how do the people who play the game keep from wearing out? The answer seems to be to win. If you play well and win the games you play, you don’t have to worry about where you are in the standings. Coming in first will happen if you win. As I thought about this, it reminded me of something that can translate into life itself. If we continue to do good and do what we are supposed to do, the accolades and appreciation will happen. We won’t have worry about whether people will think positively of us if we spend enough of our time doing what is right...

Growing up when and where I did May Day wasn’t much of a deal. I had heard something about the day being observed in Europe, but attributed it more to the Soviet Union than anything we would have to do with. Then, when we moved to rural areas of the Midwest, I learned more about what it means in that part of the world. Basically, it is a chance to do something nice and simple for other people … and do it secretly. By leaving a small token of affection on someone’s doorstep one friend or neighbor is able to reinforce their relationship with another. As I thought about May Day celebrations, I got thinking about something Jesus told His disciples, “But when you give to the poor, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving will be in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.” (Matthew 6:3-4). Simply put, Jesus encourages His disciples to give … and do it anonymously (or at least without fanfare). People who want t...

What does it mean to be a Christian nation? I imagine if you asked a lot of people, you’d get a lot of answers. Some might point to the Judeo/Christian principles upon which our law seem to be built. Others might mention the concept of Manifest Destiny that claims God put us here for some larger purpose. Still others might point to Christianity as a major influence in the lives of a lot of people. While a case might be made for each of these concepts, that still begs the question “What does it mean to be a Christian nation?”. At the risk of upsetting the American apple cart, if we are truly serious about wanting to be seen as a Christian nation the one thing that must be included is a desire to love our fellow man. When Jesus (the Christ) identified His disciples He said, “By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:35). If we are going to be true to a legitimate Christian identity, we’d better pay more attention to how we l...

When most people think of the New Testament book of Revelation, they conjure up images of wild-eyed beasts and severe tribulation.  While you can’t miss these themes in the material, there is something that I think is even more important.  Throughout the book believers are told they need to overcome or persevere anything and everything they will face.  A key concept of the vision is power and strength, but it is more than mere physical strength – the winners have an emotional and spiritual prowess.  In fact, John records a time, “ Then He said to me, ‘It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give to the one who thirsts from the spring of the water of life without cost.   He who overcomes will inherit these things, and I will be his God and he will be My son.’” (Revelation 21:6-7).      We live in a time when it is almost cool to be seen as a victim – but the truth is that God’s people can be v...