“John” is in church leadership in a neighboring congregation. Some time ago the two of us were discussing how hurtful people in our flocks can be. “Paul,” he was saying, “you and I both know that when you’re the shepherd, it’s easy for people to be critical and condemning and to take cheap shots...
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A spiritual mentor that I respected deeply used to say that “You and I don’t really begin to live until we lose ourselves in a cause that’s bigger than we are!” How easy it is for any of us to engage in self-absorption—acting as though the world revolves around us! That’s the reason Dr....
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I had known Jim, an unbeliever, for more than forty years, and now he lay dying of lung cancer. A number of years earlier, Jim had approached me about conducting his funeral when the time came, but our paths had not crossed from that point until I heard Jim was on his deathbed. As...
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Regarding the sixth day of creation, Genesis 1:27 simply states, “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him.” What must have been going through the mind of Michelangelo, the famous Italian artist, as he lay on his back, suspended on scaffolding high above the floor of...
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As the father of three children and grandfather of six, I know that through the years I’ve made lots of nonsense sounds as I’ve related to them as infants. But according to a recent study, I’ve actually done a good thing. The study reveals that “the singsong, drawn out, exaggerated form of speech has...
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“Familiarity breeds contempt!” wisely quipped Aesop in the seventh century B.C. And there’s truth to Aesop’s maxim. I grew up on a dairy farm, and although more than forty years have elapsed since I left the farm, I still have difficulty drinking a glass of milk. During those growing up years, milk was in...
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So that Pharaoh would let the Hebrew people leave the land of Egypt, God brought ten plagues upon that nation. The waters of the Nile River turned to blood. Frogs, lice, and flies descended on the land. Later, a pestilence infected Egypt’s cattle, and then came hail, locusts, and utter darkness. Even so, Pharaoh’s...
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Knowing that most people are not good listeners, I’ve tried something on a number of people. When someone asks me how many children Evy and I have, I’ll say, “Three—one of each!” Most folks never really pick up on the “one of each” part! No doubt about it, listening can be hard work. I’ve...
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Who hasn’t been annoyed by those who, for example, consistently run late, who don’t pay their bills on time, who turn in assignments past the deadline, or who procrastinate in completing a project within the designated time frame? For many, running late has become a way of life. I know a lady (I’ll call...
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Peter Cartwright (1785-1872) was probably America’s most colorful circuit riding preacher. Crowds flocked to hear him. Throughout Kentucky, Tennessee, and Illinois, Cartwright preached to hosts of men and women, speaking three hours at a stretch, several times a week. The conviction in his booming voice could make women weep and strong men tremble. It...
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