You Don’t Need a Pulpit
Champion figure skater Paul Wylie is a cum laude Harvard graduate and a born-again Christian. His mother always wanted him to be a minister, but he has decided to study law. He believes he does not possess the gifts required for pastoral ministry. But he insists—and rightly so—that whether he’s performing on the ice or reading in the library of Harvard Law School, he can serve his Savior Jesus Christ.
Let’s Get Growing
Several years ago my interest in flowers turned our home into something of a nursery. There’s something about the presence of growing plants that I find very enjoyable. As I daily inspected their progress, I gained from my little green friends a new appreciation of the joy and necessity of the wonderful process of growth.
Hearing God
The first morning I heard the mockingbird practicing his bagful of imitations outside my window, I was thrilled by the beauty of his songs. Gradually, however, I began to take this early morning songster for granted. One day as I awoke, it dawned on me that I no longer appreciated my regular visitor. It wasn’t the mockingbird’s fault. He was still there. His beautiful song hadn’t changed, but I was no longer listening for it.
Inner-City Injustice
The trial of three police officers accused in the fatal beating of Malice Green was one of Detroit’s most potentially volatile cases. So when Judge George Crockett III was assigned to the trial, lawyers praised the choice. “He’s fair—very fair— and he’s just,” said one. “He cares about people—victims and defendants,” said another.
Good Listeners
In his book Life Together, Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote, “The first service that one owes to others in the fellowship consists of listening to them. Just as love for God begins with listening to His Word, so the beginning of love for the brothers is learning to listen to them. It is [because of] God’s love for us that He not only gives us His Word but also lends us His ear.”
Good Communicators
A young boy and his stepfather had difficulty communicating with each other. The man was outgoing; the boy was quiet. The elder loved to fish; the youngster loved to read.
Greatly Valued
A British factory worker and his wife were excited when, after many years of marriage, they discovered they were going to have their first child. According to author Jill Briscoe, who told this true story, the man eagerly relayed the good news to his fellow workers. He told them God had answered his prayers. But they made fun of him for asking God for a child.
Our Desire for Praise
Children enjoy being commended by parents, teachers, and others in authority. I saw this recently on the faces of boys and girls who were being publicly honored for their accomplishments in a youth program.
How To Escape Deception
Deception has always been part of military strategy. The British put it to good use during World War II in North Africa against German forces led by General Erwin Rommel.
