March, 2011 // Posts published in March, 2011
Best Writing
At times I have looked at my writing and said, “This is great.” It was true in the sense that it was the best I knew how to do. I was like a kid who was learning to use crayons. I was proud of my ability to stay inside the lines, to know the rules...
The Road Less-Traveled
In my youth, I liked the most difficult choices. My classmates encouraged me to take easy courses, but I looked at what was available and chose the toughest ones. While my coworkers asked for a raise, I worked doubly hard in the hope that my value would be noticed. Why? Maybe I wanted to boast...
Won’t Budge
Much can be said for a desire to improve, but there is a limit. Pushing against a stone wall may make me stronger, but it won’t move the wall. Or will it? I’ve heard that elephants can be tethered to a stake in the ground because when they were young and weak, they had no...
Running for the Prize
Some people don’t want to run in a race unless they believe they can win. To them, winning is everything, so they won’t even try if they can’t see themselves winning the prize. Other people just like to run. The journey itself is their source of fun, so it doesn’t matter if they come in...
What the Mirror Says
This morning, I see the same person in the mirror that I saw yesterday. I can’t tell the difference, but that doesn’t prove there is none. When I check my driver’s license from four years ago, I wonder if I can still get through airport security. I have more wrinkles in my face, and my...
Salt on a Bird’s Tail
I hear the birds singing, and that’s not something I hear when I’m sitting in front of my computer. What are they doing? Are they instinctively giving praise to their Creator while I’m still asking questions about who God is and what he wants? I may have a brain that’s larger than a bird’s, but...
Walking with God
I’m wondering what’s so great about being a part of God’s plan? If being his disciple always brought prosperity, power, and prestige, I could charge admission. I think Peter learned an important lesson when he fished all night and caught nothing. He got to see a picture of his plan and how effective it was...
Giving Thanks
The Christians who might have thought they deserved prosperity and respect from society were sometimes burned at the stake, crucified, or thrown to lions. They were the target of frequent ridicule by those who didn’t understand them. In those days, “Christian” wasn’t always a compliment. It was often a belittling term. Disciples of Christ needed...
God’s Favor
I wonder if people in the first century asked why bad things happen to good people. Probably. Like today, the Jews thought health and wealth signified God’s favor. Those in poverty and sickness were considered sinners under God’s judgment. That’s why, when Jesus said it’s next to impossible for a rich man to enter the...
The Bad Life
The number one question we ask of God is why bad things happen to good people. We ask because we can’t reconcile a good and all-powerful God with the existence of evil. Evidently, we’re missing something. What I see as bad can suddenly feel good when I know the outcome will be worth the sacrifice....
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