Hard Words
A friend of mine faced a difficult task. Steve discovered that a leader in his church was involved in some sinful activities. After seeking wise and confidential counsel, Steve met with the leader and nervously but firmly urged him to turn from his sin and change his ways. The leader left the meeting distraught. Later, his daughter called Steve in tears. “Dad has locked himself in his room,” she said, “and he says he’s never coming out.”
The Line Between
Two government agents were assigned the case of “Dread Pirate Roberts.” This “pirate” was the anonymous operator of “the Silk Road,” a website that sold illegal drugs by using the virtual currency Bitcoin. The agents caught their man, but not before becoming criminals themselves. They allegedly sold the information about their investigation and blackmailed the “pirate,” transferring big bucks to their own bank accounts. Their story demonstrates how thin the line is between good and evil.
of hobbies and gossip
A woman became engrossed in a new hobby. The activity itself was a healthy one, but the devoted wife and mother soon began to neglect her family and friends—even her walk with God.
good conflict
Many Christians are masters at conflict-avoidance. Perhaps we confuse “blessed are the peacemakers” (Matthew 5:9) with “blessed are those who avoid unpleasant situations.” But conflict and confrontation weave their way throughout the fabric of the Bible.
rescue required
What do you get when you cross a Frisbee with a life preserver? The answer is an invention called a ResQDisc. When a rescuer throws it to a drowning person, the light, durable cord inside uncoils, allowing the person to be pulled to safety. The device allows a rescuer to aid someone without jumping into the water himself.
cover-up
Historians weren’t sure if Reformer Huldrych Zwingli had been sexually promiscuous with the daughter of a prominent citizen. Misbehaving priests weren’t uncommon in the 16th century, yet such gossip seemed like something his Roman Catholic enemies might spread to discredit Zwingli.
alert
On October 25, 2010, an earthquake created a tsunami that left hundreds of people missing or dead in Indonesia. The deaths could have been prevented or minimized if the tsunami warning system had been working properly. The tsunami detection network consists of two buoys designed to measure unusual waves and send signals inland—alerting people to imminent danger. But the buoys…
hurt to help
One of professor Haddon Robinson’s seminary students once came to speak with him about her husband’s assignments. She told him that her husband was under a lot of pressure and had been working hard, but he was running behind on getting his work done. But rather than asking Haddon to cut her husband some slack, she asked him not to.…
what follows...
Someone close to me (and to those I love) recently made some poor decisions that affected us all, and what followed wasn’t pretty. Pain. Grief. Suffering. Those words capture the essence of the bitter sting brought by foolish choices.
You’ve been there. We all have. Broken and strained relationships can haunt our days with all the ragged emotions and troubled…
transparent
Early for my lunch appointment, I was enjoying the quietness of my commute despite the bumper-to-bumper traffic. Suddenly, the ringing of my cell phone broke the silence. I answered it and heard my sister’s cheerful voice say, “I’ve been waving to you for the past 5 minutes! You must be lost in thought!” “Where are you?” I asked. “In the…
