'It's Only Candy'
At first the man was annoyed. But he became angry as groups of teenagers without costumes kept coming to his door shouting, "Trick or treat!"
A Remarkable Life
This is the story of a man with whom I worked. David was a remarkable man. Remarkable in his steady demeanor through 33 years of service with the same ministry. Remarkable in his gentle, caring love for his wife of 30 years. Remarkable in his unwavering dedication to his children—through triumph and trouble. Remarkable in the respect he earned from co-workers and acquaintances. Remarkable in that when he died too suddenly and too soon at age 56, no one had anything bad to say about him. Remarkable!
As Good As His Word
Insurance agent Ken Specht had called on Medicus Robertson at the TV store where he worked. Robertson agreed to purchase a $5,000 life insurance policy, which would double in value in case of his accidental death. Mr. Specht said that his company would cover the client until the formal policy application could be issued.
Fear Or Faith?
You may have never heard the name of Sir Isaiah Berlin. When he died in 1997, Arthur Schlesinger eulogized him in Newsweek as "very likely the most sparkling man of the 20th century." Born in Latvia, Berlin eventually became an Oxford professor and was noted for his extraordinary academic achievements. He was admired by people from every level of society.
More Than Knowledge
Seatbelts save lives. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, front seat occupants who use their seatbelts reduce their risk of death by 45 percent. Yet only 10 to 15 percent of people buckled up before laws were passed in the 1980s requiring them to do so. Seatbelt use in the US rose to 68 percent in 1996, but 32 percent continued to ignore the laws and defy the odds.
Wholeness Of Life
Social worker Margaret Sangster told her colleagues about seeing a young boy in an urban ghetto who appeared little more than a bit of twisted human flesh. He had been struck by a car several months earlier and had not received proper medical attention.
A Real Savior
Some Christians become deeply troubled when they think about their sinfulness. They long for purity, yet they see only evil within their heart. Guilt torments their minds and they may even doubt their salvation.
Surrender
In the early 1940s, the president of Dallas Seminary, Lewis Sperry Chafer, gave a very brief banquet speech. Introduced after a long program, he announced his subject: "The Reasonableness Of Fully Surrendering Our Lives To God." Then, because of the lateness of the hour, he gave only the three points of his message.
Give Thanks!
At harvesttime it's natural to thank God for the bounty of His blessings. The Feast of Weeks in ancient Israel, established in Leviticus 23, was a week of joyous celebration and feasting in gratitude for the harvest (Dt. 16:9-12). Even today as farmers gather their crops, many give thanks to the Lord for the abundance of their harvest.
I'd Rather Die Than Lie
Children who are taught to tell the truth are blessed. One grateful adult said, "Today, as a result of my upbringing, I'd rather die than lie."
Making Every Move Count
Car racing legend Bobby Unser faced the toughest race of his life—and won. He and a friend, Robert Gayton, were snowmobiling in New Mexico when both of their sleds quit working. Snowdrifts as high as their chests, temperatures as low as zero, and winds as stiff as 70 mph hampered their attempt to find shelter. They even had to spend one night in a snow cave they made. Late the next day they found a barn with a heater and a phone.
Something To Think About
People who have a positive outlook on life tend to accomplish more than those who look at life through dark-colored glasses. Negative attitudes are self-defeating. If a person thinks he won't do well on a test or won't be able to break a bad habit, he probably won't.
A Heart Full Of People
Paul's letter to the Romans is considered the theological centerpiece of the New Testament. Yet this grand statement of doctrine concludes with a personal greeting from the apostle to a host of people, 27 of whom are mentioned by name. He also refers to "our sister," "servant," "helper," "fellow worker," "beloved," "countrymen," "fellow prisoners," "brethren," and "saints."
The Way Of Peace
Evangelist G. F. Pentecost told of a man who came to see him at a meeting because he was under deep conviction of sin. His conscience was continually condemning him. He was very angry with Pentecost, and with D. L. Moody, who had preached the previous week.
What Have We Learned?
The often quoted statement "Nice guys finish last" seems all too true to the fullback of a high school football team. After they lost a game to a team that seemed intent on breaking all the rules, he asked, "Why didn't God honor us by giving us the win?"
Work And Its Rewards
In a conference for Christians who were 50 and older, we were talking about work. After we studied the last few verses of Ecclesiastes 5, one person said, "I wish that someone had explained these verses to me when I was younger. Perhaps I wouldn't have been so driven in my work. Maybe I would have relaxed more and let myself enjoy life."
Adjusting Your Theory
An economist made this comment about his profession: "In most fields, if the facts don't fit the theory, you find a new theory. But an economist doesn't do that—he tries to explain away the facts."
He's Talking About Me
For many years the words of Romans 3:9-20 raised uneasy questions in my mind. I had no trouble seeing those verses as describing the selfishness, cruelty, immorality, crime, and conflict of our society. But the harsh words didn't seem to fit most of the people I knew, including many non-Christians. They often did kind deeds, spoke truthfully, tried to avoid conflict, and showed respect for me and my faith. It didn't seem right to describe them as being "unprofitable" (v.12), as having the "poison of asps . . . under their lips" (v.13), or as being "swift to shed blood" (v.15).
The Miracle We All Need
Recently members of a distressed family confided in me, "We need a miracle—fast!" We all know what it's like to be upset by disturbing circumstances or broken relationships. In our anxiety, we want God to intervene without delay.
Time To Praise
It was the worst of times. In the first half of the 17th century, Germany was in the midst of wars and famine and pestilence. In the city of Eilenburg lived a pastor by the name of Martin Rinkart.
A Child's World
In the middle of an otherwise normal day, I was asked to help care for a group of toddlers. I sat on the floor, surrounded by an assortment of toys and six busy 1- and 2-year-olds. As I entered into their innocent, happy lives, I enjoyed the break from the deadlines, meetings, and decisions that occupy my adult world. How precious children are!
Baffled?
Read it three times." That was the advice William Faulkner gave when readers of his novel The Sound And The Fury complained that they couldn't understand it.
God's Lavish Display
Last year I visited Niagara Falls for the first time and was awed by the sight and sound and overpowering sense of it all. Every minute, about 200,000 tons of water plunge into the Niagara River gorge in a thunderous ovation to the lavish, generous nature of God.
Hurting God
When we hurt another person, we hurt God. If I wrong you, I am also offending Him. If I steal from you, I am robbing Him. If I lie to you, I am lying to the One who is truth. If I take your life, I destroy what is precious to God. This truth is often forgotten in the lax moral environment of our culture.
Hills And Streets
Psalm 121 was a favorite of my father. Scottish people called it "The Traveler's Psalm." Whenever a family member, a guest, or a friend was leaving on a journey, this psalm was read—or more often sung—at family prayers. When my father left the "old country" as a teenager to sail alone to the United States, he was bidden farewell with this psalm.
Looking For Comfort
I often quote Psalm 27 to encourage people who are going through a difficult time. The psalmist was living in very unpleasant circumstances, yet he expected to "see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living" (v.13). But I now have many friends who are ill or bedridden with no prospect of getting better. How can they find comfort in these words?
About That Sandwich
The absent-minded professor strode into his freshman zoology class with a paper bag in his hand and a twinkle in his eye. His broad grin projected the delight he felt in knowing he was about to initiate his rather squeamish students in the methods of animal dissection. In his typical professorial style he proudly announced, "I have brought a frog, fresh from the pond, that we might together study its outer appearance and later dissect it." With that he opened the bag and carefully unwrapped the contents. To his complete puzzlement, there was a ham-on-rye sandwich. "That's strange," he said. "I distinctly remember eating my lunch."
Till He Comes
Why did Jesus command His followers to participate in what we call the Lord's Supper or Communion? Because He wants us to remember His death on the cross and to anticipate His return.
The Choice To Rejoice
When a grief-stricken woman was sharing her feelings, her friend said sympathetically, "Sorrow does color life, doesn't it?" "Yes," the woman agreed, and then added, "but I intend to choose the colors."
Alternate Route
My daughter was coming home from college for the weekend to play the piano at her friend's wedding. Before she left, I sent her an e-mail directing her to take an alternate route instead of the one she usually travels for the 6-hour drive home. Why? Because on that road a few weeks earlier my wife and I had been delayed for 2 hours by construction crews.
Through His Eyes
When a woman from another country lived in our home for a few weeks, she kept asking questions I had never thought about. At a drive-in restaurant, she said, "Why would anyone want to eat in the car?" As she glanced at the church page in the Saturday newspaper, she asked, "Why do the ministers put their own photographs in the ads for their churches?" Through her eyes, we began to see aspects of our culture that were so familiar we had never noticed them before.
