There was once a cricket on the loose in my former church. When things were quiet and still, his wings sang at top volume . . . like at weddings. And funerals. And during long prayers. And very early on Sunday morning before the place started jumpin’ with cars and microphones and organ preludes.
Read MoreCategory Archives: Christian Living
Buried Long Enough
Solomon once wrote: “He who walks in integrity walks securely, But he who perverts his ways will be found out” (Prov. 10:9). Job became “the greatest of all the men of the east.” People respected him because he was “upright, fearing God and turning away from evil” (Job 1:1-3). Job walked securely.
Read MoreManual Labor Motivation
Some collegians think manual labor is the president of Mexico—until they graduate. Suddenly the light dawns. Reality frowns. And that sheltered, brainy scholar who has majored in medieval literature and minored in Latin comes of age. He experiences a strange sensation deep within two weeks after framing his diploma. Hunger. Remarkable motivation accompanies this feeling.
Read MoreAdjustments
One of these days it should dawn on us that we’ll never be completely free of irritations as long as we are on this planet. Never. Upon coming to this profound conclusion, we would then be wise to consider an alternative to losing our cool. The secret is adjusting.
Read MoreThe Tongue
Many great men and women down through the ages have offered counsel on how to keep our tongues checked and caged. Like Will Noris, the American journalist who specialized in rhymes that packed a wallop. He once wrote: “If your lips would keep from slips, / Five things observe with care: / To whom you speak, of whom you speak, / And how . . . and when . . . and where.”
Read MoreTime with God
The Scriptures are replete with references to the value of waiting for the Lord and spending time with Him. When we do, the debris we have gathered during the hurried, busy hours of our day gets filtered out. With the debris out of the way, we are able to see things more clearly and feel God’s nudgings more sensitively.
Read MoreChanging Can’ts to Won’ts
Can’t and won’t. Christians need to be very careful which one they choose. It seems that we prefer to use “can’t.”
“I just can’t get along with my wife.” “My husband and I can’t communicate.” “I can’t discipline the kids as I should.” “I just can’t give up the affair I’m having.” “I can’t stop overeating.” “I can’t find time to pray.”
Divine Relief
What those little Visine drops do for our eyes, relief does for our sighs . . . “it gets the red out.” Few feelings bring a greater sense of satisfaction than relief, which Webster defines as “the removal or lightening of something oppressive, painful, or distressing.”
Read MoreSitting in the Light
“You do not have to sit outside in the dark. If, however, you want to look at the stars, you will find that darkness is required. The stars neither require it nor demand it” (Annie Dillard). A lot of things in life are like that, aren’t they?
Read MoreWhat Employees Want
Ponder that list. Notice what isn’t included in the top ten: job security, benefits, vacation time, and high salary. Yet most companies still operate as though they are the big four—the only ways to motivate and keep their employees. Ours is a new world. We cannot exist as though it isn’t changing.
Read More