A Message To All
A United States Army general speaking in Japan told a story with the punch line, "Show me. I'm from Missouri." His translator knew the audience wouldn't understand, so he said in Japanese, "The general has made a joke and I'll be in trouble if you don't laugh." The people obligingly laughed. But because some things don't translate well, the general had failed to communicate.
'No' Power
I remember seeing a newspaper photograph of three signs nailed to a big oak tree. Their message was obvious. On the top sign were printed the words, "No Trespassing," on the middle one, "No Hunting," and on the bottom, "No Nothing."
A Coat In His Name
It was a bitterly cold morning at the inner-city church. Among the 130 or so worshipers, the pastor took special notice of Ken, a young boy who arrived for Sunday school wearing just a sleeveless T-shirt, jeans, and tennis shoes with no socks.
The Acid Test
A severe trial is sometimes called an "acid test." This term originated during times when gold was widely circulated. Nitric acid was applied to an object of gold to see if it was genuine or not. If it was fake, the acid decomposed it; if it was genuine, the gold was unaffected.
Why Can't I Feel Forgiven?
The anguish in the caller's voice revealed her pain. It wasn't the first time she had called. The reason was always the same. She had said and done some things that hurt her sister badly, and now she was having trouble feeling forgiven.
The Needed Antenna
How would you answer the question, "What is the meaning of life?" Jonathan Gabay of England has published a book containing the answers of well-known individuals to that query. One of them, a church leader, gave an arresting testimony. As a child, he says, he watched his family's black and white TV, wishing that he could get a clearer picture. But he was glad they had even that unsatisfactory set.
Changed!
During his reign as king, Manasseh sacrificed his own children to idols, ruthlessly killed people, and practiced all kinds of evil. But after he repented and began to worship God, his conduct was radically altered.
You Must Be Born Again
"Do not marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born again'" (Jn. 3:7). These words seem out of context. We think Jesus should have uttered them in the next chapter of John, when He met the woman beside the well (4:6-26). She had made a mess of her life and might have welcomed a chance to start over again. That's why we put up the sign at the rescue mission, You Must Be Born Again, because it seems to apply to people like her.
What's Good About Fear?
One day Charles Spurgeon, the great 19th-century preacher, stood on a London street corner, afraid to cross the road. The street was a bustle of horses, carts, and carriages, with drivers urging their steeds onward at breakneck speeds and no rules of the road to control them. Only when a blind man asked Spurgeon for help did the two cross together in safety.
Diplomatic Immunity
No charges were filed against an international diplomat who broke into a Bel-Air Estates home. The man drove through a security fence, kicked down a door, took some jewelry, and hit the homeowner with a glass. The intoxicated Consul General was handcuffed but later released because the victim declined to press charges. He could have been charged with a misdemeanor, but the international law of diplomatic immunity protected him.
Holy Anger
Aristotle said, "Anybody can become angry—that is easy; but to be angry with the right person, to the right degree, at the right time, for the right purpose, and in the right way—that is not easy!"
Our Best Defense
In late January 1956, during the tense days of the Montgomery Boycott, civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. could not sleep. A threatening phone call had terrified him. So he prayed, "I am here taking a stand for what I believe is right. But now I am afraid. The people are looking to me for leadership, and if I stand before them without strength and courage, they too will falter. I am at the end of my powers. . . . I can't face it alone."
Gentle Persuasion
I react negatively to high-pressure sales people, whether it be in a clothing store, on a car lot, or over the phone. Nonbelievers may react in a similar way to Christians who try to pressure them into making a decision to trust Jesus as Savior.
How Healthy Is Your Heart?
Has a doctor ever allowed you to use his stethoscope and listen to your own heart? It's a rather strange experience to hear the steady rhythms of that organ which started to function even before you were born and will continue beating until you die.
Willing To Change
A recent news feature chronicled the growing search for stress relief through spas, massage, pills, and exercise tapes. The craving to ease tension has spawned an entire industry, including walk-in backrub stores in shopping malls across the country. The report ended by saying, "Although people will pay to fix their stress, they are not about to change the lifestyle that is causing it."
He'll Make It Work
Many people who have stood on the threshold of greatness have caught a glimpse of the enormous challenges ahead and backed away. We see it in election years when candidates for President of the United States contemplate the immensity of the job ahead and decide not to run.
Paradox
Luke 18 contains a startling paradox. The man who admitted he was wrong was declared right, while the one who claimed to be right was condemned as wrong (vv.9-14).
Try Out My Tiger
There's a Chinese tale about a young man who captured a tiger cub, brought it home, and raised it in a cage. When it was full grown, the man loved to brag about how ferocious and powerful it was. "That tiger isn't wild anymore," scoffed his friends. "He's as tame as an old house cat." This went on until a wise old man overheard them and said, "There's only one way to know whether this tiger is ferocious or not. Open the cage!" The young man smiled, placed his hand on the latch, and challenged his friends, "Want to try out my tiger?"
Random Acts
COMMIT RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS AND SENSELESS ACTS OF BEAUTY.
Human Like Us
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be someone else? Nearly 40 years ago, John Howard Griffin darkened his skin color and experienced life in a predominantly white society. In his fascinating book Black Like Me, Griffin describes his travels in the United States, and he tells about the sad discrimination and prejudice he faced.
Living Sacrifices
About 45 years ago I became acquainted with Angus and Emma Brower, pioneer missionaries in Africa. When I saw their slide presentation and talked with them, I thought of them as people who had truly placed their bodies on the altar for God.
A Dad Looks Back
Where did two decades go? How could they have sneaked by so fast? How could my little girl with the ringlet hair and cherubic smile already be 20 years old?
I'm In Debt
A shopper underestimated the total cost of her groceries. When the cashier added up the items, the woman was $4 short. Then something unusual happened. The man behind her in the checkout lane saw her digging through her purse and motioned to the clerk to put the amount on his bill. He modestly refused to give the woman his name.
'Out Of Work'
Economic recession inevitably leads to an increase in unemployment. And the higher the percentage of people out of work, the more problems our social agencies have to deal with. Alcohol and drug abuse increases. Domestic violence rises. Crime rates go up. Some people just can't seem to stay out of trouble when they have idle time on their hands.
Terms Of Obedience
A tongue-in-cheek list of medical terms making the rounds includes the following definitions:
Helping God
People have always had a tendency to want to "help" God when He seems slow to fulfill His promises.
We're Not Alone
Abram's nephew was in a lot of trouble. The kings of Sodom and Gomorrah, where Lot lived, had been overtaken by a group of marauding kings. They sacked Sodom, captured Lot and his household, and then fled north.
Worship Service
The sign outside the church states, "Worship Service—Sunday at 11:00 a.m." That ought to stop traffic. Passersby should take out their pens and jot the time down in their datebooks. When a church gathers to worship, astonishing things take place.
Why We're Here
Mark and Alice Westlind are missionaries in Colombia. Here is an excerpt from their prayer letter:
The Forest And The Tree
All of us have been so close to a temptation that we lost our perspective. It may have involved something as small as a rumor that we knew shouldn't be passed along, but the urge to gossip blocked out our sense of love and good judgment.
Food For The Year
It's a good thing I grew up liking black-eyed peas, because my mother served them every New Year's Day. She didn't think this tradition would bring good luck, as some people believe, but the practice persisted at our house.
