In Honor Of Barking Dogs
In the jungles of eastern Sri Lanka, 15 soldiers of a government commando unit were saved by two dogs adopted as mascots. According to a news report, the soldiers were completing a 10-mile hike when their dogs sensed danger. Running ahead toward a water hole where the unit planned to rest, the dogs suddenly began barking and circling the area. The troops searched carefully and found 12 buried grenades attached to a taut wire trigger.
The Real World
The owner of a company was talking with one of his managers about an employee who was stealing from the firm. The owner, who was a follower of Christ, asked, "What do you think we should do about him?"
In His Hand
Author Henri Nouwen writes about Jean Vanier, who liked to tell a story illustrating our need for intimacy with God. Nouwen comments, "When Jean Vanier speaks about that intimate place, he often stretches out his arm and cups his hand as if it holds a small, wounded bird. He asks, 'What will happen if I open my hand fully?' We say, 'The bird will try to flutter its wings, and it will fall and die.'
Prayer, Work, And Praise
A 12-year-old Haitian girl's feet were so deformed that she was actually walking on her ankles. She asked some missionaries if they could help her, but the girl's father, who looked to a voodoo priest for advice, refused to let the doctors operate.
Spiritual Heart Care
You're up at the crack of dawn, doing your exercises. You're not going to let your heart get weak! You've trimmed the fat from your diet. You get regular cholesterol checks. And you're exercising four times a week to keep your cardiovascular system in peak condition.
A Foolish Cross?
Crucifixion is one of the most excruciating forms of death that the depraved human mind has devised. It is difficult for us to comprehend that the Son of God could be murdered in such a hideous manner. Yet today the cross is often used as nothing more than a mere ornament or something that is worn by people who attach no meaning to its rich spiritual significance.
That's My Pay!
A missionary was once asked about his salary. The inquirer knew it couldn't be much, and he wanted to know why anyone would give so generously of himself to help total strangers, yet be paid so little.
Sunscreen
Some people are harmed by the sun's powerful rays. They may be allergic to the sun, or they may have a disease, like lupus. If these people are exposed to direct sunlight for an extended period of time, they have a visible and painful reaction.
What's Wrong With That?
A prominent senator was dropped from the "Green Book"—the list of Washington societal elite who are invited to special functions. Why? Because he never attended the events. Instead, he went home each night to be with his family.
