Becoming A Parent
What a great day it is when a couple discovers they're going to be parents! It's even more exciting for those who have been unable to have children. Such was the case for Manoah and his wife, the parents-to-be of Samson.
Don't Give Up
On the last day of spring training in 1979, baseball player Steve Kemp of the Detroit Tigers was hit in the head with a pitched ball and taken to the hospital. But on opening day of the regular season he stepped up to the plate with confidence. Taking fastballs from a veteran pitcher, he smacked a single. The next time at bat he hit a home run.
Beware Of Envy!
Envy may be defined as "resentment at the success or happiness of others." Many cultures regard envy lightly. A home remodeling company in Washington, DC, ran an ad that actually appealed to this vice. It used such phrases as "living room lust" and "kitchen envy." It went on to state that you could become the envy of your neighborhood while enhancing the value of your home.
Sin Saps Us
Sin saps us of our God-given strength. We become spiritually weak and decrepit, but often we imagine that we're just as hardy as ever.
Learning To Comfort
When she heard that her best friend's baby died, Andra didn't know what to do. Should she call her friend right away or wait a few days? What should she say? She asked her mother, Mary Farr, a children's hospital chaplain, for advice. "Phone her now," her mother said. "Tell her you love her and that you'll call back later." Andra followed that advice, and it meant a great deal to her friend.
The King Could
Like many young children, I had a favorite book of nursery rhymes. I particularly remember Humpty Dumpty, a big, egg-shaped creature with a painted face and skinny arms and legs, perched happily on a wall. Then he fell and broke into countless pieces. As a child, I felt the hopelessness of the situation whenever I read that they "couldn't put Humpty Dumpty together again."
Two Pats Of Butter
Honesty must be woven into the fabric of our character if we are to have an effective testimony for Christ. Even the secular world recognizes the importance of integrity.
Humble Stars
Our culture elevates certain people to the category of "star" because of their ability in sports, music, acting, or some other talent. The stars who are often appreciated and loved the most, though, are those who accept their popularity graciously and maintain humility despite their greatness. They are humble stars.
'Looking For Loopholes'
Comedian W. C. Fields (1880-1946) could make audiences roar with laughter, yet he himself was chronically unhappy. Religion apparently played no part in his life. But it's been said that as he faced the possibility of dying, he started to devote time to reading the Bible. When he was asked about his new interest in Scripture, Fields, always the comedian, replied, "I'm looking for loopholes, my friend. Looking for loopholes."
