laws of love
Driving to work one day, I had a revelation. I realized that speed limits had been set to protect me and those around me, not to hamper my freedom or prove that I was a lawbreaker. If I sped and lost control of my car I could hurt myself, the lady driving toward me, or the man on the sidewalk. The traffic laws are in place because human life is valuable and should be protected.
you choose Q: how can I know I'm saved?
Q: I was born in a Christian family, my parents served God. I attended many meetings and answered many altar calls, confessed my sins many times, accepted Christ many times. I don't no whether I’ve sincerely prayed and am convicted—still lacking the assurance of salvation. I face nagging doubts. It almost drives me off. I don't really understand how to…
slow boil
It’s ironic that superstar chef Gordon Ramsay doesn’t take long to reach full boil. If he deems someone isn’t taking his sage advice on how to use sage or cilantro, he goes ballistic. His meltdowns on the show Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares are legendary. Gordon could definitely use some of the “seasoning” that the apostle Paul wrote about in Colossians 3.
voice and verse
Occasionally, my mother’s voice invades my day—from inside my head. I can still hear her say, “Try not to borrow trouble from tomorrow,” and even “Remember to take a jacket.” Sometimes her tone and words come skidding out of my mouth when I’m disciplining my kids! At other times—thankfully—Bible verses occur to me as she would say them. She could (and still can) recite Scripture with as much certainty as I can say my name and address.
love in action
During the US civil rights struggle, lovingkindness required the demolishing of unjust laws, but it also required that individuals take deliberate action. It was not enough for whites to take down the “Whites Only” signs or allow blacks to vote. True welcome and relationship required whites to move toward friendship; and it also required blacks to embrace (again and again) the risk of stepping into friendships within contexts where they had been wronged and excluded. It required love in action.
a magnificent book
I’m a fan of the television show Once Upon a Time. It’s cleverly put together and well-acted. But what I find most compelling is the way it parallels the biblical narrative.
November 12, 2012
What are some effective ways to live out your faith in a culture that’s pluralistic, postmodern, and post-Christian?
fuel up
I drive a diesel truck in Uganda, so when my sister’s boyfriend loaned me his diesel pick-up while I was in the United States recently, I thought I could manage it just fine. The very first time I put fuel in it, however, I made a big mistake: I topped off the tank with high-grade gasoline instead of diesel.
spin
As anyone who has ever been a parent can attest, children can be masters of the literal—especially when it comes to rules. One day, after admonishing my son to keep his hands off his sister, I looked back only to find him placing his elbows, his feet, his knees—anything but his hands—in her personal space. From his interpretation of what I had said, he was well within the boundaries I had set.
food that satisfies
Why do you work? This question was part of a lifestyle survey used to determine the happiness of workers. If you think my answer reflected a grandiose, altruistic perspective on how my labor improves the economic betterment of society, you’ll be sorely disappointed. The answer I gave was that I work for survival—so that I can have food on my family’s table. Whether you’re a CEO or a student working part-time, you essentially work for your next meal. It’s raw, but real. Hunger comes in repeated waves. It doesn’t matter how well you ate today, you’ll be hungry again tomorrow. It’s an empty stomach that drives us on in our labors (Proverbs 16:26).
my sister wisdom
My twin sister and I are very close. We attended the same schools, and we share many things in common—same room, same wardrobe, and—most importantly—same faith. Aside from God, no one knows me better than she does.
right thing, wrong reason
I was preaching one evening when a mentally ill man walked down the church aisle, slapped me in the face, pushed over the pulpit, and sent the congregation into a panic. In a protective act, a church member named Gary stepped toward the man as he lunged towards Gary and his wife.
“he’s gone”
I had the heart-wrenching, joyous, bittersweet experience of losing my dad on January 6, 2012—his birthday. Our loss was truly his gain! He had been battling rapidly deteriorating health before God graciously took him home.
threethrowing
If you don’t know how to “threethrow,” don’t worry—it’s easy. You hold up your hand and pin down your pinky finger with your thumb. The three remaining fingers represent the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. You can use this gesture to connect with other Christians “when verbal fellowship can’t occur,” says Mark Mitchum, who originated threethrowing. He hopes that this hand signal will “connect [Christians] for a few seconds and allow fellowship and encouragement [to occur].”
November 5, 2012
What does God’s forgiveness through Jesus mean to you?
