Our Best Defense
In late January 1956, during the tense days of the Montgomery Boycott, civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. could not sleep. A threatening phone call had terrified him. So he prayed, “I am here taking a stand for what I believe is right. But Lord, I must confess that I’m weak now, I’m faltering. I’m losing my courage. Now, I am afraid. . . . The people are looking to me for leadership, and if I stand before them without strength and courage, they too will falter. I am at the end of my powers. . . . I can’t face it alone.”
The Belayers
I have high respect for brave men and women who climb rugged mountain peaks. They have to take serious precautions as they scale sheer cliffs. One safety feature is a line that’s always connected to a person below, who is called the “belayer.” If the climber loses his balance or falls, the belayer holds him securely until he can regain his footing and continue his ascent or descent. Thus, “to belay” is to anchor, to hold securely, to keep safe.
Richly Blessed
The maple trees in my front yard are the last to lose their leaves in the autumn. So, on a frigid November day, I was grumbling to myself as I raked and bagged the last of my leaves.
Stay Out Of It!
A Christian man in our community received a promotion that greatly increased his income. His fellow salesmen urged him to upgrade his life through large credit card purchases. Whatever the others did, he did—family skiing vacations, cruises, new furniture, expensive shopping trips.
Be Coachable!
Casey Seymour, a successful soccer player and coach, notes that everyone on his team hates the 10-by-100 drill that ends practice. Before the men can leave the field, they must run 100 yards 10 times at full speed with minimal rest. If they don’t beat a prescribed time, they have to do it again.
Eeyore Theology
How does a believer in Jesus Christ cope with life’s brevity and burdens without giving in to what Michael Easley of Moody Bible Institute calls “Eeyore theology”? Eeyore, Winnie-the-Pooh’s gloomy donkey friend, always walks slowly with his head down. He sees the negative side of everything. An Eeyore Christian can be heard making statements like these: “Sin is rampant everywhere—even in the church.” “The world is in worse shape than ever.” “God is about to judge us for our wickedness.”
Fox Trouble
The British are having trouble with foxes. According to The Wall Street Journal, the sly little fellows have moved into London and are making a general nuisance of themselves. They knock over rubbish cans, swipe shoes left out to dry, destroy gardens, and leave a foul odor. With the city borders being pushed farther into the countryside, the little troublemakers are adapting rather than moving—and many Londoners are frustrated and upset.
Dial 9 For Worship
You’re in the dentist’s office and it’s taking longer than expected. You’re late for another appointment, so you ask to use the phone. You dial the number twice and nothing happens. "How do I dial out?" you ask in frustration. "I’m sorry," says the receptionist, "you need to dial 9 first."
The Price Of A Soul
According to a Wall Street Journal article, Hemant Mehta wanted to find out if he was "missing something" as an atheist. So the DePaul University graduate student went on eBay with this proposition: He would spend 1 hour of church attendance for each $10 bid by the highest bidder. A former evangelical minister won with an offer of $504.
