A Path Through The Woods
Daddy built a tepee in the woods for 5-year-old Bree and her 3-year-old sister Abby. Then he constructed a playhouse for them in a nearby fallen tree. When the leaves were off the trees, the children could see the family cabin from their hideouts. But in the tangled underbrush of summer, the girls thought they were deep in the scary woods.
Honey Or Vinegar?
Bible teacher Robert J. Little wrote about two jars whose contents looked the same but were actually quite different. When the first jar was turned on its side, vinegar ran out. Then the other jar was tipped over and honey came out of it. The two jars appeared to be similar, but when they were upset their true contents were revealed.
Loving Freely
A woman desperately needed a kidney transplant. The outlook for her was not good unless a compatible donor could be found. Then came the break. The woman's brother offered to be the donor. His personal sacrifice seemed to provide the perfect solution; their matching blood types made successful surgery almost certain.
What God Do We Believe In?
For more than 50 years, the Gallup organization has been surveying the religious beliefs of the American people. Here are some of their findings: In 1947, 93% professed faith in God, 73% expected an afterlife, 90% affirmed that they pray, and 41% attended some kind of church service frequently. In 1997, the survey findings were virtually the same, except that professed faith in God went up to 96%.
God's Pottery
The prophet Jeremiah learned something about God in a potter's shop (Jer. 18:1-10). The craftsman was working at his wheel, shaping a pot from the clay that swirled through his hands. Then something went wrong. Perhaps there was some impurity in the clay. But the potter did not fling the clay aside; instead, he started forming another pot with a new design.
How Much Are You Worth?
When a baseball player signed a huge contract that would pay him $8 million a year, he unashamedly declared that he was worth that much. Most of us would disagree. It's hard to understand how anyone can feel he is worth that much money to hit and catch a ball for 6 months.
Courage And Courtesy
I have always admired the boldness, courage, and conviction of Daniel. Recently I was struck by the way he stood for his principles in a pagan culture. The Bible tells us that Daniel "purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself" with food and drink that God said was forbidden for Jews, so he asked his captors for another menu (Dan. 1:8). Instead of crossing his arms and refusing to eat, Daniel asked permission to take a different nutritional approach. When the official refused, Daniel pursued his goal with a polite request to someone else: "Please test your servants for ten days" (v.12).
Needed: A Big Thaw
Several years ago, a fire destroyed a building that contained tons of ice. Author Carl Franke said that although the building had contained thousands of gallons of potential extinguisher, the water was not in usable form. The building was full of frozen assets!
From Complaining To Trusting
Job was a good man. He feared God, helped the needy, and opposed the wicked. Yet he made the mistake of placing too much emphasis on his own good character. We see this in his bitter complaint (23:2). Job claimed that if God would only listen to him the way a judge and jury listen to a defense attorney, He would conclude that Job is pure gold (vv.2-10).
Culprit Or Comfort?
When we experience adversity and trials, we may blame ourselves and feel we have done something wrong to deserve punishment. While honest self-examination is healthy, we should not become preoccupied with our faults and failures.
A Ready Witness
Whenever I read the book of Acts, I'm struck by the spontaneity of the witness of the first Christians. Everywhere they went, in every circumstance, they boldly proclaimed Jesus as the true Messiah and the Savior of mankind—and many people believed. After Peter and John were arrested for proclaiming the good news, Peter told the council, "We cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard" (Acts 4:20).
Do You Care?
It's one thing to tell a friend you care. It's quite another to show it.
Better Than Words
When we are with people who are grieving or suffering, we may feel a need to fill the awkwardness of the occasion with words. Not to say something, we fear, is to let them down. We may even find ourselves avoiding the bereaved because we're afraid we won't know what to say.
Sin Of The Skin
Most people hate to be accused of racism. But racial bias is all too prevalent. Even Christians have had a long history of ethnic prejudice. In the first century, Jewish believers were reluctant to accept their Gentile brothers. In recent years, racial discrimination has been a dominant issue.
Sing Again
As part of a campaign called "Get America Singing . . . Again," a group of music educators has published a list of 42 songs that it believes Americans must continue singing to preserve an important part of the national culture. The list begins alphabetically with "Amazing Grace" and ends with "Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah." The group's president said, "We have a whole generation that has grown up without singing songs like these—songs that are . . . part of who we are."
What Means Most To Us?
How influential is music on the young people in our society? They buy millions of recordings annually. And screaming fans jam-pack concerts by well-known artists. So, whether we like it or not, rock, rap, and heavy metal are making a significant impact on today's culture.
Choosing A Good Leader
I was having coffee at McDonald's when I noticed a man walk in who was holding a white cane. He had his hand on a young boy's shoulder and appeared to have complete trust in his ability to guide him.
Nothing But The Truth
A 12-year-old boy was a key witness in a lawsuit. One of the lawyers, after intense questioning, asked, "Your father told you what to say, didn't he?"
God Is Talking
Years ago, an annoyed senior citizen from Richmond Heights, Missouri, hung up on President Reagan, who was trying to call him. This happened not just once, but half a dozen times! He didn't believe the operator when she insisted that the White House was calling. He was so sure it was a prank that he didn't stay on the line. But the Southwestern Bell operator and a neighbor finally convinced him it was for real. As a result, the man had the privilege of chatting with President Reagan for about 15 minutes.
