Neglected Words

Posted on September 2, 2013 by jesustrek
Elizabeth Barrett Browning

Elizabeth Barrett Browning

A childhood accident caused poet Elizabeth Barrett to live very cautiously in her early years. Perhaps this is why her father became so over-protective of her.

Mr. Barrett disapproved of his daughter’s courtship with Robert Browning. When they married in 1846, they did so secretly because they did not want to incur the wrath of her father.

After the wedding, Robert and Elizabeth left for Italy, where they spent the rest of their lives.

Even though they disowned her, Elizabeth tried to reconcile with her parents. Nearly every week, she wrote to them, but they never did reply.

Years later, Elizabeth received a large box in the mail. It contained all the letters she had written to her parents. Not one of the letters had been opened.

Today, those letters are treasured as some of the most beautiful classical English literature. If her parents had only taken the time to read them, those loving words might have led them to be reconciled to their daughter.

The most loving words written to mankind are recorded in the Bible. There we read of God’s unconditional love for the people he created. He loves us so much he sent his Son Jesus to die for us! His love for us continues, even when we fail him.

What a shame that so many people neglect to read these loving words, thereby rejecting any hope of reconciliation.

“Blessed is the one who reads the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near.”—Revelation 1:3.

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Hope for Our Society

Posted on August 29, 2013 by jesustrek

Now that we have had a few days to think about Miley Cyrus’ controversial, raunchy performance on MTV’s Video Music Awards, maybe we can see a silver lining in this story. It seems that the overwhelming majority of viewers who tweeted their reactions to the show expressed shock and outrage. Perhaps this means that we have finally reached rock bottom and are now fed up with indecent words and actions that are being passed off as entertainment.

Syndicated columnist Kathleen Parker sees a glimmer of hope for our society. She writes, “In free societies, the call to civilized behavior is strictly voluntary. Like democracy, it has to be willed by the people by community consent. To that end, Cyrus inadvertently may have performed a public service. Provocation for the sake of provocation is rarely provocative. When all things are permissible, then permissiveness loses its allure. And the pendulum always comes back.”

Here’s hoping she’s right.

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Best Speech

Posted on August 29, 2013 by jesustrek

We recently marked the 50th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s famous “I Have a Dream” speech. King’s speech is one of the most famous in human history.

There are many reasons why this speech stands out. For one thing, its message was sorely needed, with racial tensions at a boiling point. Secondly, it was delivered by an excellent orator. Third, it contained an unforgettable hook, that wonderful line that gives the speech its name.

Dr. King has become so associated with “I Have a Dream” that it is difficult to picture him without thinking about his most famous speech.

Here’s a thought. If people remembered you for the most memorable speech you ever delivered, what would that speech be? Would it be a good thing or a bad thing?

I suppose a lot of us hope that our best speech is still ahead of us!

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Leading Attitude

Posted on August 28, 2013 by jesustrek

Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton understands that having the proper attitude is an important part of being a leader. Newton has learned from his earlier mistakes, and he plans to make some changes in order to become a more effective leader.

In the past, Newton would show his frustration when things weren’t going well. He was often seen sulking on the sidelines, something that you wouldn’t see from elite quarterbacks in the NFL. His negative behavior had an adverse effect on his teammates. Instead of inspiring them, he was distracting them.

Newton is changing his approach now. His goal is to help his team become a consistent playoff contender. He knows that a better attitude will go a long way toward fulfilling that desire.

Church leaders should recognize the importance of exhibiting a positive attitude, even when things aren’t going so well. People pick up on negative vibes they get from those in positions of leadership. Church members are discouraged by leaders who seem more concerned about what went wrong in the past than on the positive things that could take place in the future.

This is not to say that you should never point out a mistake. Sometimes this is the proper thing to do. However, if you want to lead well, be careful that you have a good, positive attitude.

“…Brothers, if you have a message of encouragement for the people, please speak.”—Acts 13:15.

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You Shall Not Steal

Posted on August 27, 2013 by jesustrek

James Bagarozzo worked as a parking meter mechanic for the city of Buffalo, NY. At least he was supposed to be repairing the meters. In fact, he was stealing from them. Over a period of 8 years, Bagarozzo brought home $210,000 worth of quarters—10,500 pounds of them! He was recently sentenced to a two-and-a-half year prison term.

People find many ways to rationalize stealing. Some might think that it’s OK to steal a little bit at a time, especially if you take it from a person or organization that has a lot of money. And it might not seem so bad if no one notices that the money is gone. Robbers can give all kinds of reasons to defend their actions. However, stealing is stealing.

“Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me. ‘But you ask, ‘How do we rob you?” “In tithes and offerings.”—Malachi 3:8.

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Call It What It Is

Posted on August 23, 2013 by jesustrek

Two Duncan, Oklahoma teenage boys were charged with first degree murder in the shooting death of an Australian baseball player. A third teen was accused of being an accessory to the crime.

Christopher Lane

Christopher Lane

Christopher Lane, 22, of Melbourne, was shot in the back as he jogged along a road in Duncan. The boys reportedly planned to kill someone to relieve their boredom. In their own words, they gunned down Lane for “the fun of it.”

No doubt, much will be said about the defendants’ youth, their upbringing, their lack of opportunities, the fact that they fell in with bad company, etc.

When all is said and done, let’s call it what it is.

It is evil.

“…Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.”—Romans 12:9.

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Learning to Lead

Posted on August 22, 2013 by jesustrek
Kobe Bryant

Kobe Bryant

In order for professional sports teams to win championships, the players have to play together to the best of their ability. Rarely can one superstar carry his team to a title. He needs his teammates to play their very best. Truly great players are the ones who find ways to enable the players around them to take their game to a higher level.

Kobe Bryant gives Michael Jordan credit for giving him “phenomenal advice” on how to elevate his teammates. Bryant says, “My demeanor and my temper probably calmed down a bit. I go into games today looking at what are my guys going through, who is struggling, what I can do to help.”

Church leaders can learn from the world of sports. Serving God is a team effort. In order for a congregation to be successful, it can’t rely on one talented leader to carry the load. The other members of the church must be challenged to be involved in the work and to do their very best.

Are there certain individuals in your church who need to be encouraged, inspired, equipped and released to do ministry? Identify them, and give them the boost they need to succeed.

“And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others.”—2 Timothy 2:2.

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Something about that Name

Posted on August 21, 2013 by jesustrek
Johnny Cash

Johnny Cash

Johnny Cash had a big hit with A Boy Named Sue. This hilarious song is about a man who grew up hating his name and all the suffering that it brought to his life. “Sue” wished that he had a different name.

Some believers have suggested that it is time to get rid of the name “Christian”. Their reasoning is that the world has such negative connotations of the name.  It is true that many people are put off when they hear the word “Christian”. They think of people who are rude, pushy, narrow-minded and judgmental. Therefore, it is the thinking of some Christians that perhaps we should find a more seeker-friendly label.

It is unfortunate that some followers of Christ have exhibited behavior that is unbecoming of a Christian. However, I think that the world will have a negative view of us no matter what we call ourselves.

Furthermore, “Christian” is one of the biblical names for followers of Jesus. Should we do away with a perfectly good biblical term simply because some non-believers don’t like it?

Maybe we should simply toughen up, like “Sue” did!

“However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name.”—1 Peter 4:16.

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Continual Fruit

Posted on August 20, 2013 by jesustrek
Our pear tree

Our pear tree

We just noticed that the pear tree in our yard has some blossoms. This surprises me, since it is the middle of August and the tree already has pears that are nearly ripe!

I don’t know enough about fruit trees to know just how unusual this occurrence is. I don’t expect to get a second crop of pears at Christmas time. (But it would be cool to have a partridge in a pear tree that actually had pears on it!)

I’m not sure if there is anything to learn from a late-blooming pear tree. But if there is, perhaps it is that we need to be continually bearing fruit. Even as we are harvesting the results of some of our labor, we need to be sowing the seeds of the next crop.

“He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither.”–Psalm 1:3.

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Desperate to Lose

Posted on August 19, 2013 by jesustrek

A woman in Iowa has reportedly swallowed a tapeworm…on purpose! The lady did this in an apparent attempt to lose weight. Dr. Patricia Quinlist, director of the Iowa Department of Public Health, says that, in theory, this technique could work. Tapeworms eat the food that is in a person’s digestive system, and one of the symptoms of having a tapeworm is noticeable weight loss.

Parasitic tapeworm

Parasitic tapeworm

Still, isn’t this more than a bit extreme!? Did this lady really give exercise and proper nutrition a fair chance? If drastic measures were indeed necessary, wouldn’t some type of surgery be a more logical (sane?) choice if a person was struggling to lose weight?

Where did she find a tapeworm anyway? Is there an aisle at Walmart that I haven’t discovered yet?

This seems to be an attempt to avoid any pretense of taking responsibility and practicing self-control. Many people wish that they could constantly eat and drink excessively without suffering any consequences.

Let this be a reminder to us that the Bible warns against gluttony. “Do not join those who drink too much wine or gorge themselves on meat, for drunkards and gluttons become poor, and drowsiness clothes them in rags.”—Proverbs 23:20-21.

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