universal problem
In his book Human Universals, anthropologist Donald Brown lists over 400 human behaviors common across all cultures. Some of his findings are touching: All cultures have toys, jokes, dances, and proverbs; they have music, poetry, tickling, and thumb-sucking; the people of each culture develop languages, take names, are wary of snakes, and tie things with string!
Likewise, Brown discovered a…
rescue us!
A father and his young son were taking a walk in the country. As they walked down the rough and slippery path, the father cautioned his son to be careful. Suddenly, the son fell and hurt himself. Bruised and in pain, he began to cry. The father picked up the boy and held him close. Amid his tears, the son…
speak the truth
Today, most of us live in a highly pluralistic society. Our next-door neighbor could well be Chinese, Ethiopian, or European. And, in the name of harmony, we’re told to respect differing views and opinions.
But when voices of culture state that homosexuality, abortion, and cohabitation are acceptable lifestyle choices, what should believers in Jesus do? When God’s truth is replaced…
September 27, 2010
What's a quote you read or heard lately that drew you closer to God?
short accounts
Last fall I had to make the decision to have our family dog of 15 years put to sleep. It was one of the most heart-wrenching decisions I’ve ever made. There’s a reason why we refer to dogs as “man’s best friend.” Roger Caras once said, “Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole.”
I’m a…
alarmed
Crouched on the floor amid rows of lockers, the young students lowered their heads to their knees. Barely bothering to kneel, the older students followed the minimal requirement without giving the warning any serious thought. Although they were glad to miss class, the tornado drill was little more than an inconvenience affecting their comfort and rumpling their clothing. In their…
how are you?
How do you respond to the greeting, “How are you?” Most of us simply reply, “Fine. How are you?” Others develop trademark comebacks, such as “Better than I deserve.” I know of one fellow who answers, “I’m just the Lord’s prostitute.”
What?! This provocative reply is an inappropriate response to an innocuous greeting—too much information!—but it does make an important…
to live and die
During a trip to Singapore, I was fascinated by the variety of cemeteries found there. One featured aboveground crypts with openings at the bottom. When I asked why the holes were there, my host explained that it was due to religious beliefs. The families of the deceased believe that the openings allow the spirits of the dead to move freely…
one in ten
Clouds of steam poured out from under the hood of my Saab hatchback. I pulled over and made a call for a tow truck. Minutes later, a man approached my car. He wasn’t from the towing company, but he said he could fix the problem. Reluctantly, I let the stranger hoist up the hood and peer underneath. He then proceeded…
party
We have friends who don’t get very excited about holidays. Our family, however—well, we get downright giddy when a special day pops up on the calendar.
Obviously, we throw a shindig for all the usual suspects (Christmas, Thanksgiving, Independence Day), and we make a big deal out of anniversaries, and any day when one of our boys loses a tooth.…
September 20, 2010
How does God's created world help you know Him better?
exercising self-control
Here’s a secret about self-control: It works like a muscle,” says Douglas McKenna, former director of Microsoft’s Leadership Development. “With each use, that muscle temporarily loses some strength, leaving you with reduced capacity to handle yourself if the next self-control challenge pops up too soon.
“That’s the bad news. The good news is that just like with any other muscle,…
can't stand it
While journeying down the Yangtze River last year, a Chinese ferry crew became concerned when a passenger burst out of his cabin with his hands covering his ears screaming, “I can’t stand it any longer!” Crewmembers followed the distraught passenger to the ferry’s railing, wondering if he was suffering from an ear injury. As they talked with him, the man’s…
so close, yet so far
The host of a TV quiz show said, “Come up with the missing word at the end of the phrase and spell it correctly, and you’ll win our grand-prize trip to Europe. Are you ready? The phrase is, ‘Old MacDonald had a____.’ And remember, you must spell the missing word.”
The contestant said, “Old MacDonald had a farm.” “All right,”…
