Our Daily Bread

We who follow Jesus Christ must do so by faith. It’s a pilgrimage that must be a step-by-step process.

The ice of winter had barely melted off a nearby lake when a 7-year-old Michigan boy decided to do some boating. His craft was half of an oil drum he found along the shore, and his oar was a battered snow shovel. The boy’s makeshift paddle worked so well that he got to the middle of the lake, but then the drum began to take on water. Fortunately, neighbors heard his cries for help, and he was rescued just in time. Once more, a youngster learned the hazards of a “boys will be boys” experience.

If you’re going back to work today, what will you take with you from Christmas? A few gifts and some warm holiday memories, or something more?

What did they call Zacchaeus in his hometown of Jericho? Most folks recognized him as the chief tax collector. The Romans may have identified him with a number. He was merely one cog in the huge machine that brought revenues pouring into Rome. Zealots in Israel spoke of him as a traitor because he had sold out to the enemy. Others in the community may have called him names behind his back.

Day after day, the loving father came to the hospital, often with flowers in his hand. He would sit beside the bed of his comatose 6-year-old daughter, talking to her about the wonderful world outside her window. Sometimes he would tell her a story. But in her unconscious state, the only sound she ever made was her labored breathing.