Think About It

Following the conclusion of World War I, Americans decided to honor those who served and came up with Armistice Day in 1919.  By the mid-1950s, it was decided that the day and the honor should be expanded to include more of our military, and the name was changed to Veteran’s Day to honor the veterans of all eras, not just World War I.  The day is a fixed holiday, always celebrated on November 11.  The basic reason for the day is to pay tribute to everyone who does or has severed in the military.  Through the years, there has been an uneasy partnership between America and our veterans.  There are times when we have been flag-waving supporters of our soldiers and sailors; then there are other times when disagreements about support and care have created tension.  Yet, I believe that most Americans are supportive of the men and women who have defended our borders and sacrificed to spread the concepts of freedom and justice throughout the world.  Folks, the...

There were a myriad of issues that popped up in the early Christian church – some might have been expected, others may have taken them a bit by surprise.  One of the challenges appears to be a group in Thessalonica that seemed to just stop working.  Paul addresses this issue this way, “For we hear that some among you are leading an undisciplined life, doing no work at all, but acting like busybodies. Now such persons we command and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ to work in quiet fashion and eat their own bread.” (II Thessalonians 3:11-12).  I have always wondered if they were so convinced that the Lord was returning that they just seized the opportunity to just sit around and wait.  On one hand this might have demonstrated a type of faith, but it also brought about some of the struggles of idleness.  When people aren’t engaged in something productive, negative characteristics tend to develop. We live in a society where labor has advance...

Years ago, it was a compliment to tell people that a minister could preach up a storm.   While I don’t want to overthink anything, I get the impression that people liked it when preachers could create some inertia by firing people up.   Now, while I think there can be value in this, I wonder if what we need today are more ministers who “who can preach up some peace”.   As I thought about this, I was taken back to a time when Jesus was with His disciples on the Sea of Galilee and a storm came up.   Mark describes the situation in this way, “Jesus Himself was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke Him and said to Him, ‘Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?’ And He got up and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, ‘Hush, be still.’ And the wind died down and it became perfectly calm. And He said to them, ‘Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?’” (Mark 4:38-40).   The best preacher of all tim...

It was on this date in 1860 that Abraham Lincoln was elected president of the United States.  Interestingly, it would just be one year later, on November 6, 1861, that Jefferson Davis was elected president of the divided states of America.  Within one year the Southern States not only created their own nation, they selected their own leadership.  As I look back on these events, I am reminded of how quickly things can change.  I realize that the COVID pandemic was not nearly at the level of the Civil War, but think back on how much things changed between April, 2019 and April 2020!  We live in a fast-paced society that can change on us in a hurry. Are we ready for what might be awaiting for us in the future?  We can’t plan for every contingency, but when we put our faith in the Lord, we will be able to adapt to and overcome any changes.  When Joshua took over control of the Jewish nation from Moses, his life and their country changed incredibly.  M...

I was watching an NFL game the other day and saw a play where one player hit another one.  The ball carrier didn’t get up immediately and I noticed multiple players take a knee and appear to offer a prayer.  In that moment I had interesting thought:  competition is fine – even in a sport as violent as football.  There is a lot of smack-talk in the professional league, but I wonder if it is more show that conflict.  When the chips are down, players do seem to care about each other.  I think there is a difference when it comes to fans who tend to allow their fanaticism taint perspective – but I get the feeling that most of the guys engaged in the game respect and care about each other.  As I thought about this, I got to wondering about a similar situation in other arenas – especially in politics.  The folks in Washington, D.C. are known to be cutting and confrontational, but it wouldn’t surprise me if, at the end of the day, there is a sense of resp...

One of the challenges we are facing in modern society is the concept of “we have always don it this way” or “that’s just the way we do it”.  While I think that traditions help us to feel good about what we do, I am not sure that the generations that follow us are always impressed by those arguments.  Now, I am not saying that we shouldn’t be able to rely on past successes; but we need to have an understanding of why we have done things our way and convince people of the value of continuing to do them.  When we propose old and comfortable ways of doing things we’d better be capable of explaining why it works today.  We live in a time when people are not only allowed ask “why”, they are also encouraged to do it.  Some of us might consider it inappropriate or even uppity, but times and expectations are changing. I am not saying that we should reject the old ways, but I think we need to do a better job of explaining “why”.  We need to be able to feel confident ...

With the World Series now over, it is time to get the 2026 season underway.   Over the next several days, weeks and months there will be several players, coaches and maybe a few managers that will be moving on to what someone hopes will be greener pastures.   Those of us who are fans might be hesitant to say goodbye to some of our favorites; but not only is change natural, it’s also designed to move the organization in a more positive direction.   As I thought about this, I was reminded of an interesting interaction between Jesus and His disciples.   During what has been described as “The Transfiguration”, Matthew focuses on Jesus and notes, “And He was transfigured before them; and His face shone like the sun, and His garments became as white as light. And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him.” (Matthew 17:2-3).   That must have been a really cool environment and, naturally, Peter suggests that they make three tabernacles for them....