The Comments Section

Thanks to social media, sharing blogs and articles from writers around the world has never been easier.
Which means commenting on blogs and articles written by authors from around the world has never been easier.

And goodness, the things people say.

Sometimes the comments section provides more entertainment then the actual article.
It can also be a jarring display of how easy it is to disagree with and to criticize the thoughts of another.
Especially when the commenters take an openly rude tune and are seeking to discount the article all together.

Now depending on if you agree with the author or the critic, you may view the availability of such a comments section differently but in many cases, it exists, a simple scroll away.

There is an old saying, "If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all."

On its own, this expression is lacking balance; sometimes the things that need saying are not nice.  But consider the above saying combined with the additional words of wisdom below.

"To disagree, one doesn't have to be disagreeable."

"Choose your battles"

Together these proverbs become a strong trio of council when it comes to reacting to opinions whether online or in person.

Walking by Faith

For we live by faith, not by sight.  
2 Corinthians 5:7

It's a beautiful sunny weekend morning.

Nothing that must be done.  Nothing pressing for which I need to prepare.  Just quiet calm time.  

I love mornings like this.

It's also a great time to let thoughts mull around.  To ponder.  To wonder.

Hence the question.  What does it mean to walk by faith?

Second Corinthians tells us that we live by faith and not by sight.   This makes sense from a spiritual perspective and even from a practical perspective sometimes.  But other times, its hard to understand how to live by faith when we open our eyes in the morning and see reality.

How do you gain this spiritual eyesight? Or if you have it, how do you sharpen it?  How do you get better at understanding the true path before you, the larger impact of decision you make, the deepest needs of the people you interact with?

It is natural to see the surface.  How do we learn to look deeper?

I ask the questions, not because I know the answers, but because I want to know them and think they are worth sharing, and worth pondering.

I will close with this verse from the Message translation of Hebrews 11:1-2.

"The fundamental fact of existence is that this trust in God, this faith, is the firm foundation under everything that makes life worth living. It’s our handle on what we can’t see. The act of faith is what distinguished our ancestors, set them above the crowd."  

Lessons from a seed

What is it about life that makes it yearn to live?  To grow?  Even in surprising and unexpected places.

For example. This little seed found a small spot of dirt amidst the concrete and chose to grow.

The seed could have said, "This spot is not ideal."   "I don't have any neighbors."   "How will I meet any butterflies much less start a family?"

But instead the little seed found a safe home in the soil, energy from the sun, joy in the spring breeze, and it grew.   

Kingdoms Crumble

A couple years ago I attended an inspiring concert featuring many Christian artists and offering  a unique perspective through song and video into the lives of some of the characters in the Bible.

The story of Daniel is described in this song "No Compromise" by Peter Furler from the Newsboys.   You can see the music video here

The below lyrics are found toward the end of the song:

"Kingdoms crumble.

Rulers fall.

My God you will

Out rule them all."

These lyrics have come to mind for me in recent days.

My generation hasn't seen a lot of wars.  We weren't around for World War I or II.  We were still young when the Cold War took place.  Aside from what we have read in history books or seen in movies, most of us in the West probably have not spent a lot of time considering what it would mean for one country to conquer another country.

Certainly there have been powers that have risen and fallen in our lifetimes across the world, but none that have drastically changed the western world map.

The possibility of a conquering King/Rule/Czar is not one that sits well with 21'st century ideals.

And yet we have watched Ukraine struggle with this very issue.

Which brings me back to the song.

I am grateful to be an American.  But I am infinitely more grateful to be a Christian.  

As Christians, the kingdoms and powers of this present life impact us, but they do not define us.   We know from prophecy that all earthly kingdoms will one day fall.

According to Daniel 2:44, "In the time of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It will crush all those kingdoms and bring them to an end, but it will itself endure forever."

So as unsettling as it is to listen to the news, we can have confidence that no matter which kingdoms crumble around us, we are members of an everlasting kingdom which will never fall.   

Forever praise be to the only true King, our Redeemer and our Friend.

The Last Tuesday

This week I happened to get in the elevator with someone I didn't really know.  While making small talk I mentioned that it was only Tuesday.  To which he responded that it was his last Tuesday.

Without additional clarification this statement would have been rather disturbing, but he went on to say that he was retiring at the end of the week.

Thus it was his last Tuesday as a full time employee.

I was struck by the importance of the occasion for his life.

What will he do with his time now?  Will he relocate to live near family?  Finally have hours of uninterrupted time for a favorite hobby?  Volunteer more at church?

It's also an interesting perspective for me as I'm still early in my career.  But one day if God does not return before this time in my life arrives, I too will face retirement.

What do I hope to accomplish between now and then?

What kind of a difference do I hope to make in the working world?

And am I using my talents and abilities where they can bring wisdom, joy, and hopefully blessing to others?

These are types of questions that we would all probably do well to ponder from time to time as we ask God to continue to guide and bless and lead.



"And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ."   Philippines 1:6

Doing what you were meant to do

Last night I was walking to the mailbox when I saw a strange sight.  In my neighbor's driveway was a possum laying down.  And he didn't move as I walked by.  Instead he just watched me with sad eyes.

I was surprised and concerned so I paused and watched him for a bit.  Finally he struggled to his feet and limped across the driveway and into the bushes pulling his injured leg(s) with him.

Now I do not have a fondness for possums.  I generally find them dirty and unappealing.  But I felt sad for this possum.

Why is it that as humans we can have sympathy for creatures that we don't really even like when we see them hurting or unable to function as they normally do in nature?

The movie Hugo explores the idea of people and things having a purpose.  And the sadness that can accompany the sight of something not able or willing to do what it was meant to do.

Which leads me to the question, what am I meant to do?   And am I doing it?

In Acts 1:8 Jesus gives what can be called the Great Commission.  "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

What does it mean to be witnesses for God?  We are not all called to be preachers.  We do not all have extroverted 'evangelistic' personalities.  But yet, every Christian is called to be a witness.

May we each continue to learn what that means in our individual lives.  May we know when to speak and when to be silent.  And how to live in such a way that our lives point to Jesus as our Hope, Redeemer, and Friend.

A Quiet Day

I love the holidays.  I love festive parties, special food, Christmas traditions, and the excitement of a long stretch of time off from work to spend with friends and family.  I enjoy the excitement of New Years Eve for the year a head and the time of reflection it often invokes for the year behind.

But after what can feel like a month long celebration, I find myself drawn to solitude, to quiet, and to time at home.

Today, with it's gray sky and slight but continual rain, provides just such an opportunity.

As Ecclesiastics so famously points out,  "There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens."

"A time to keep and a time to throw away....A time to be silent and a time to speak."

I think it's good to have times of energy and laughter and conversation, and also times of quiet, reflection, and recharging.

It's easy to imagine God as having part of the later, but I imagine he also wants to be part of the social gatherings and family traditions as well.

In closing, below are a couple more thoughts from King Solomon that seemed appropriate as we consider the new year ahead.

"Do not say, "Why were the old days better than these?"  For it is not wise to ask such questions."  Eccl 7:10

"Go, eat your food with gladness, and drink your wine with a joyful heart, for God has already approved what you do.  Always be clothed in white and always anoint your head with oil."  Eccl 9: 7,8

May God's purpose prevail for each of us this year!