The Umpire
In his book Men At Work, columnist George Will mentions the firm justice meted out by baseball umpires. He writes, "Toughness is not enough, but it is necessary. Once when Babe Pinelli called Babe Ruth out on strikes, Ruth made a populist argument. Ruth reasoned fallaciously (as populists do) from raw numbers to moral weight: 'There's 40,000 people here who know that last one was a ball, tomato head.' Pinelli replied with the measured stateliness of John Marshall: 'Maybe so, but mine is the only opinion that counts.'"
Witnessing Smarter
Joyce Gleave, an art teacher from Mustang, Oklahoma, had a burden for the spiritual welfare of the 600 students she taught in the public school. So while on a trip to the Holy Land, she purchased 600 tiny wooden crosses. But when she discovered that she would not be allowed to give the crosses to her students in the classroom, her witnessing opportunity seemed doomed.
Abandoned To God
Walter Cizsek, a Christian in the former Soviet Union, was imprisoned and tortured for his faith in Christ. He was forced to make a soul-rending choice: cooperation or execution. Cooperate with liars and murderers? Never! But an agonizing death? How could he endure that?
Goodness And Grace
A teenager whose father is abusive said to me, "I want to be a good man like my Sunday school teacher and like you, not like my dad."
Who Gets The Thanks?
According to USA Today, a Costa Mesa, California, resident found a small package on her doorstep that contained a car key and a note that read, "This is a gift for you because I love you." It also included a Scripture verse and was signed, "An angel of the Lord." In her driveway was a late-model car—just what she needed to replace her old unreliable one.
Fragrant Fruit
We were privileged to be the guests of some friends who live in the mountains. When we entered our room, we were pleased to find a lovely basket of fresh fruit on the table. The grapes, pears, apples, and strawberries looked refreshing and delicious. But it was not until we cut or bit into the fruit that we experienced the full aroma and flavor.
In Your Footsteps
A father and son were walking along the beach. The boy was lagging behind and suddenly shouted, "Look, Daddy, I'm walking in your footsteps!" This prompted the man to think about his responsibility to provide spiritual leadership for his son.
Single Satisfaction
A friend of mine, Elizabeth-Ann, is in her sixties, single, and radiantly contented. "But how is that possible?" she is often asked. To answer this question she wrote a book titled Complete As One, which is based on Colossians 2:10. She recalls being challenged years ago by a comment about a friend: "You know what I appreciate about June? She's so satisfied with Christ."
The Secret Of Joy
One of the shortest books in the Old Testament is the book of Habakkuk. In its three brief chapters we see an amazing transformation in the prophet's outlook on life. His opening words express depths of despair, but at the close of the book he has risen to heights of joy.
