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How the wisdom of true sincerity allows God to work
A famous journalist once said about sincerity, “If you can fake it, you’ve got it made.” But is sincerity something you can really fake?
The wisdom of impartiality
Each person is valued by God and should be made to feel that way. It’s not manipulative or artificial to make someone feel important, it’s wise. You’re meeting that person’s heart hunger to be loved. God is no respecter of persons and neither should we be.
Let’s contrast the wisdom of joy and earthly wisdom
In the midst of conflict, it’s hard to get the right perspective. Let’s contrast the “pure and peaceable” wisdom from above with the “earthly and unspiritual” wisdom from below. One is “easily entreated” and furthers our relationships. The other is harsh, driving people apart.
The harvest of joy in our relationships
Many of us struggle with trusting people in our world today. Relationships are often shallow and people take care of themselves at the expense of others.
Words and Actions
The email from the student in my college writing class expressed urgency. It was the end of the semester, and he realized he needed a better grade to participate in sports. What could he do? He had missed some assignments, so I gave him two days to complete those papers and improve his grade. His response: “Thank you. I’ll do it.”
Two days—and the deadline—passed, and no papers appeared. He didn’t back up his words with action.
Jesus told about a young man who did something similar. The boy’s dad asked him to do some work in the vineyard. The son said,…
Imitators
Kids love to imitate. That’s how they learn. And just as we pass down our wisdom, skills, or hobbies to our children, God asks us to follow His example. There’s no better way to learn how to love life and live life than from the One who created us.
The Power of Words
Nelson Mandela, who opposed the South African apartheid regime and was imprisoned for almost 3 decades, knew the power of words. He is often quoted today, but while in prison his words could not be quoted for fear of repercussion. A decade after his release he said: “It is never my custom to use words lightly. If 27 years in prison have done anything to us, it was to use the silence of solitude to make us understand how precious words are, and how real speech is in its impact on the way people live and die.”
King Solomon, author of…
Why Live with Purpose?
It is not uncommon to hear people asking these questions: What is my purpose in life? What can I do to improve my life? These are important questions. Before I found my true purpose, I felt that something was missing in my life.
Web Wisdom
Scroll to the bottom of many online news sites and you’ll find the “Comments” section where readers can leave their observations. Even the most reputable sites have no shortage of rude rants, uninformed insults, and name-calling.
The book of Proverbs was collected about 3,000 years ago, but its timeless wisdom is as up-to-date as today’s breaking news. Two proverbs in chapter 26 seem at first glance to contradict each other, yet they apply perfectly to social media. “Do not answer a fool according to his folly, lest you also be like him” (v. 4). And then, “Answer a fool according…
Learning to Die 1,000 times every day
My left eye hurts and keeps on tearing probably because I’ve been given the wrong prescription for my spectacles. I’m thirsty from walking around all day running errands for my dad.
How Taking Up the Cross Became A Daily Affair
Eons ago, my would-be-mentor gave me a little card when she first invited me to join my church’s youth ministry leadership team. I do not recall what she wrote, but the quote on the card remains etched in my memory, some fifteen years on. It said, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.” (Luke 9:23)
What Carrying the Cross Really Means
As a Christian, I know it is important to attend church on Sundays, as God has commanded us in his Word: “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another” (Hebrews 10:24-25).
Working Out An Imperfect Marriage
It should have been the perfect marriage. After all, God Himself had indicated that they were meant to be together. But even with such an auspicious beginning, the union of Isaac and Rebekah did not work out perfectly.
Why I Came Out Of My Comfort Zone
Written by Sukma Sari Cornelius, originally in Bahasa Indonesia “There is no comfort in growth zone, there is no growth in comfort zone.” I cannot help but think about pearls when I read this statement. The beautiful gems are formed not in the midst of comfortable situations. Instead, they are formed from many layers of […]
Grace in Our Hearts
A few years ago, four-star General Peter Chiarelli (the No. 2 general in the US Army at that time) was mistaken for a waiter by a senior presidential advisor at a formal Washington dinner. As the general stood behind her in his dress uniform, the senior advisor asked him to get her a beverage. She then realized her mistake, and the general graciously eased her embarrassment by cheerfully refilling her glass and even inviting her to join his family sometime for dinner.
The word gracious comes from the word grace, and it can mean an act of kindness or courtesy, like the…
