Biblical Freedom
Galatians 5:13, “For brethren, you have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion for the flesh, but by love, serve one another.” Our culture screams about freedom and liberty, ad nauseam. Almost any restraint on actions or speech is branded as deprivation of “my rights.” In 1860, Lord Acton, a British […]
Kindness
I was running late for work, stuck in traffic, and racing against the clock. The driver of a massive rig was turning left against the flow of traffic to then merge onto the interstate. Much to the dismay of the driver behind me, I stopped and allowed his left turn in front of us. The […]
Acceptance
The human need for acceptance explains why criminal gangs are replete with members, as well as clubs, cults, and many other entities. We ALL want and need acceptance. We ALL dread rejection. Ever walk into a room of strangers and NO ONE approached to welcome or engage you in conversation? It’s so awkward and unsettling. […]
Good For YOU!
Communication classes generally stress that the “you” pronoun should not be employed when handling conflict: “YOU said…,” “How could YOU not…,” “YOU were the one who…,” “I expected YOU to handle…” and so on. Those “you” pronouns can promote blame, fault, and defensiveness, not to mention wounds and further disagreements. As I pondered this, I […]
The Alternative
At the risk of being impolite, we often remain quiet, possibly to avoid a challenging conversation or even an argument. Are we sacrificing our beliefs, values, or faith to avoid conflict and maintain peace by staying silent? One of our Christian principles is to combine honesty with compassion. In his letter to the Ephesians, Apostle […]