pearls to pigs
I have always been perplexed by today’s reading in Matthew 7. What are these “pearls” being spoken of and who are the “pigs” we’re not to throw them to?
no brown m&m’s
When rock band Van Halen was riding the wave of popularity, they insisted that a bowl of M&M’s be provided for them backstage at their concert venues. Yet every brown M&M had to be removed from the bowl. If the band arrived and found even a single brown M&M in the bowl, they would cancel their performance but still receive…
living counter-naturally
My family was eating at a mall food court. My middle son couldn’t finish all of his food, so he got up to find a take-home box. After being gone for quite a while, he finally returned. When we asked him why it had taken him so long, he told us that customers kept jumping in front of him and…
the holy riddler
Mighty, majestic, awesome. Gracious, loving, kind. Such descriptors for God are common, and rightly so. But how many of us would add “playful” to the list? How many of us think of God as the One who toys with us—the holy riddler?
“Son of man,” God commands Ezekiel, “give this riddle, and tell this story to the people of Israel”…
small and large
How big is the kingdom of God? Jesus said it begins small, like a mustard seed or a pinch of yeast, and it grows until it permeates “every part of the dough” (13:21). It’s large enough for birds to nest in. But it’s not so big that it overlooks details. Just as our immense sun illumines every corner of Earth,…
perspective
I recently visited “The First Baptist Church in America.” Founded by Roger Williams in 1638 in Providence, Rhode Island, the present church building was constructed in 1775. Its colonial structure is impressive, with its towering steeple, high pulpit, and boxed pews. Each pew is surrounded by a low wall and gate, and was possessed by families who sat together during…
