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Gentleness
The troubles of life can make us cranky and out of sorts, but we should never excuse these bouts of bad behavior, for they can wither the hearts of those we love and spread misery all around us. We have not fulfilled our duty to others until we have learned to be pleasant.
The New Testament has a word for the virtue that corrects our unpleasantness—gentleness, a term that suggests a kind and gracious soul. Ephesians 4:2 reminds us, “Be completely humble and gentle.”
Gentleness is a willingness to accept limitations and ailments without taking out our aggravation on others. It shows gratitude…
The Last Will Be First
Recently I was among the last in line to board a large passenger jet with unassigned seating. I located a middle seat beside the wing, but the only spot for my bag was the overhead compartment by the very last row. This meant I had to wait for everyone to leave before I could go back and retrieve it.
I laughed as I settled into my seat and a thought occurred that seemed to be from the Lord: “It really won’t hurt you to wait. It will actually do you good.” So I resolved to enjoy the extra time, helping other…
Being Human Beings
When asked to define his role in a community sometimes uncooperative with law enforcement, a sheriff didn’t flash his badge or respond with the rank of his office. Rather he offered, “We are human beings who work with human beings in crisis.”
His humility—his stated equality with his fellow human beings—reminds me of Peter’s words when writing to first century Christians suffering under Roman persecution. Peter directs: “All of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble.” Perhaps Peter was saying that the best response to humans in crisis is to be human, to be aware that…
Take a Number
We have an ancient cherry tree in our backyard that had seen better days and looked like it was dying so I called in an arborist. He checked it out and declared that it was “unduly stressed” and needed immediate attention. “Take a number,” my wife, Carolyn, muttered to the tree as she walked away. It had been one of those weeks.
Indeed, we all have anxious weeks—filled with worries over the direction our culture is drifting or concerns for our children, our marriages, our businesses, our finances, our personal health and well-being. Nevertheless, Jesus has assured us that despite disturbing…
Serve and Be Served
Marilyn had been ill for many weeks, and many people had encouraged her through this difficult time. How will I ever repay all their kindnesses? she worried. Then one day she read the words of a written prayer: “Pray that [others] will develop humility, allowing them not only to serve, but also to be served.” Marilyn suddenly realized there was no need to balance any scale, but just to be thankful and allow others to experience the joy of serving.
In Philippians 4, the apostle Paul expressed his gratitude for all those who shared “in [his] troubles” (v. 14). He depended…
Living Anonymously
My well-worn and often-read copy of Jane Yolen’s essay “Working Up to Anon” (Anonymous) was clipped from The Writer magazine many years ago. “The best writers,” she says, “are the ones who really, in their heart of hearts, aspire to the byline Anon. The story told is important, not the storyteller.” The story we tell […]
Our tone is a key part to effectively engaging others
Have you ever put your foot in your mouth? Of course, you have. We’ve all felt the pain of speaking with the wrong tone or motive. And today on Discover the Word, Darrell Bock warns us that when we trip over our reckless words, we’re actually falling into the trap of the devil. Discover how […]
Loving others well . . . even our enemies
Today on Discover the Word, the team wraps up another installment in their series, “Falling into Love” with a powerful discussion on loving others well, even our enemies. It’s something that requires a true change of heart that comes from God alone. Join us as we seek God’s heart today on Discover the Word!
Surrendering our need for control and trusting God
You’ve probably met someone who you might call a “control freak.” Maybe you look at one in the mirror every morning! Well, today on Discover the Word, we’ll discuss how we can surrender our need for control and trust God more. Join the team and learn how to truly fall in love with God when […]
Discover how our manners reveal deeper spiritual truths
Do manners matter? We certainly tell our kids that they do, so the answer might seem obvious, but how can our manners actually reveal deeper spiritual truths? Today on Discover the Word, we’ll kick off the final week of the series “Falling into Love” on Discover the Word. Love is not rude—listen today!
Enough
When my husband and I were first asked to host a small group in our home, my immediate reaction was to decline. I felt inadequate. We didn’t have seats for everyone; our home was small and couldn’t hold many people. I didn’t know whether we had the skills to facilitate the discussion. I worried that I’d be asked to prepare food, something for which I lacked both passion and funds. I didn’t feel like we had “enough” to do it. I didn’t feel I was “enough” to do it. But we wanted to give to God and our community, so despite…
Does pride have any place in a Christian’s life?
Does pride have any place in a Christian’s life? Is there “good pride” and “bad pride”? Today on Discover the Word, the team comes back to find the difference between falling into the trap of pride and “Falling into Love.” Join us today for a convicting and relevant discussion on Discover the Word!
Find how God’s love changes the way we boast!
Did you know the Bible tells us to brag? As a general rule, it’s safe to say that the Scriptures are against boasting, but there is one exception. Today on Discover the Word, we’ll sit down for another discussion on “Falling into Love.” Find how God’s love changes the way we boast. Join us today […]
Defeating the green-eyed monster
No one wants to admit that they’re green with envy. But we’ve all found ourselves struggling with jealousy at one time or another. Today on Discover the Word, the team looks at Paul’s teaching to the Corinthians on how we can defeat the green-eyed monster, with the love of Christ. Be part of the group […]
Developing kindness as a daily discipline
You’ve probably heard stories about people doing “random acts of kindness.” But as a Christian, how do we develop kindness as a daily discipline? Today on Discover the Word, we continue the study titled “Falling into Love.” Join the team today as they explore how we can do random acts of kindness on purpose! That’s […]
