Think About It

What do we do when we are struggling? I think that human nature is apt to try to convince us to either hide our challenges from others or crawl inside ourselves so that no one knows what is going on. While this may seem natural, it is often counter-productive. Sure, by camouflaging what has gone awry we might fly under the moral radar, it doesn’t really help us deal with the issues. So, what if we took the opposite approach – what if we confessed our struggles? No, not just to air our dirty laundry, but to solicit assistance from the good people around us. The New Testament encourages us, “Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.” (James 5:16). I have to be honest with you, this passage makes me a bit uneasy. I don’t like to fail and I like for others to see my failures even less, but if all of us approached this appropriately, imagine how much good could be done...

While I am a little too young to have watched Yogi Berra play very much, I have been fascinated by how he talked. I wonder if things just came out of his mouth or if he was playing to the camera. While there are a lot of Yogisms, I want to focus on a couple of them that – while at first blush they might seem confusing – there just might be some depth to them. “If you can’t imitate him, don’t copy him.” : According to an explanation that accompanied the quote, it was directed to a young player who was trying to emulate Frank Robinson’s swing. Now, on the surface, this might seem a bit confusing, but I think there may be something to it. How many of us try to do something someone else is doing – only we don’t share the same talents? Whether it is because of a difference in potential or personality, there are times when it might be okay to be inspired by someone; but not try to patten our lives after them. Let’s keep it real! “When you come to a fork in the road, take it.” : Whil...

Ninety-nine years ago today the Scopes Monkey Trial begin in Dayton, Tennessee. In that case, more than John Scopes was put on trial, so was a law that made it illegal to teach evolution. By all accounts, the week turned into a circus – not just on the streets of Dayton, but in the courtroom as well. Interestingly, Scopes was convicted of violating the law, but not long afterwards, the Tennessee Supreme Court overturned the verdict. In essence, about all the trial accomplished was providing us with an interesting footnote to history. We live in a time when it is tempting to put our religion or their faith on trial. Not only is litigation a national pastime, the attention gained by supporting or opposing beliefs can make us a star … or maybe a legend in our own minds. Folks, I am all about having heart-felt discussions about what we believe; but when we allow these things to go public we run the risk of allowing all kinds of peripheral monkey business. Let’s be willing to defend ...

It is tempting to view many aspects of life as an “either/or” proposition. Either we handle certain things this way or we deal with them in that way. While there are times when this might be appropriate, I have come to believe that more often than not the best way to approach something is through of blend of emotions or actions. The word “compromise” is often viewed as being wishy-washy, but a lot of times it is exactly what we need. Take for example the concepts of “kindness” and “integrity”. Integrity is often understood as being absolute in our principles. It is maintaining unwavering standards. Now, while there is some truth to this concept, it doesn’t give us license to be harsh or unkind. We don’t have to violate our principles, but we can’t completely discount people’s feelings. Years ago, the Apostle Paul instructed Christians to avoid improper reactions, “… but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ …” (Ephesi...

For those of you who spend a lot of time in the wilderness, you are probably familiar with the admonition, “Be an environmentalist, leave things better than you find them.”. In other words, if we want to make a difference, not only should we pack in and pack out our trash, we probably should take an extra bag and clean up after others. No, it’s not “fair”, but it is responsible. As I thought about this, I was challenged to ponder this as it applies to our relationships. When we enter into a relationship we will typically take things the way we get them. We need to be willing to accept people for who they are. Yet, what would happen if we applied the above cited principle and left people better than we found them? Whether this is in our long-term relationships or merely in our casual day-to-day interactions, do we go above and beyond to help people have a better day … or a better life? Not long ago I came upon a bit of advice, “There is one who speaks rashly like the thrus...

What are your beliefs about death? There are all kinds of thoughts out there about dealing with death, but there are only about two about how our death impacts our existence. One perspective is that when we die, we are dead. Done … finished … kaput. There is nothing more. The second idea is that there is an afterlife that begins when we die on earth. Now, to deal with the bare basics, those who believe in a life after death have to come to an understanding of what happens to us – will everyone be rewarded … will everyone be punished or will there be a judgement that leads to an eternal existence? Again, it is easy to get in the weeds on some of the nuances of eternal reward and punishment, but at the heart of the discussion is we either believe in cessation of life at death or we believe that there is an afterlife. So, which do you believe? If you don’t believe in an afterlife, it can be tempting not to really worry too much about the consequences of our actions. Oh, I guess...

Happy Independence Day! It is common to refer to today as the Fourth of July, but that is more of way to identify the date than the purpose of the holiday. Independence Day speaks to what happened a couple of centuries ago when the colonists sought to overthrow the crown of England and live in civil and religious freedom. Independence Day has come to mean a lot of things to a lot of people, but one that is commonly referenced is freedom. The Americans sought to find ways they could experience liberty. Interestingly, this has been a common goal throughout history and just as interestingly, people have searched out various ways to achieve it. In the late 18th Century the revolutionaries defied the British and developed their own Constitution by which they could practice freedom. As I thought about this national holiday, I got to looking at religious freedom and found an interesting approach. The Apostle Paul wrote to the early Christians, “For you were called to freedom, brethren...