Today’s Thought

Viral Friends

Is this Christian viral marketing?

Pulitzer Prize-winning author David Halberstam died in a traffic accident 5 months before the publication of his landmark book about the US war in Korea. In the days following the author’s death, fellow writers and colleagues volunteered to conduct a national book tour on his behalf. During every engagement, they paid tribute to Halberstam by reading from his new book and offering personal recollections of their friend.

[…]

At times we may feel that witnessing to others about our faith in Christ is a frightening task or a burdensome duty. But talking about a Friend whose presence and influence have transformed our lives helps us see it in a new light.

The gospel of Christ has always been most powerfully presented by the witness of His friends.

— David C. McCasland

I read the full piece in my print copy of Our Daily Bread — you may read it online here.

Picked On?

Not necessarily! Four measuring sticks to answer the question...

Everyone has felt picked on. (I assume that to be a reasonably accurate statement, don’t you?)

Too easily and too often, though, we feel picked on when we shouldn’t.

So, in the interest of clarifying that statement (as well as in the interest of helping you not feel picked on when you shouldn’t), I offer up four measuring sticks to answer this question:

Are “they” picking on you?

  1. If they are just fault-finding, yes.
  2. If they are sincerely concerned about you, no.
  3. If they want to know your view instead of assuming to know it, no.
  4. If they want you to tell them more about The Issue in order to balance their own views, no

Does that makes sense to you like it does to me?

But what if you truly are being picked on?

What are godly responses to being picked on?

  1. Pray blessing on them.
  2. Be open to what might apply to you anyway.
  3. Forgive them.
  4. Look for the opportunities to love them.
  5. Reject anger, bitterness, self-pity, vengefulness, and further fault-finding.
  6. Don’t gossip or resort to evil speaking of them.
  7. Remember: Any “lumps” you get actually are less than you deserve.

Ringing Quote

Ringing in my ears, that is. (Does that mean I have tinnitus?!) 😆

“He’s healthier than you are.” 😯

About someone half my age. 🙄

😀

Nevertheless, a good reminder to go from sedimentary to sedentary to healthier.

Now…if he’s twice as healthy as I am (being half as old as I), could I possibly be twice as discerning, wise, considerate, spiritual, and balanced as he?

Sigh — alas, such things just don’t hold true. 😆

Seriously, though, what do I have to show for all my years lived and all the aging I’ve done?

What about you?

Peace

[Peace (1 Thessalonians 1:1)]
from 1 Thessalonians 1:1

In my Bible reading this morning, my troubled heart grabbed at that single word in that verse.

Then in casting about for a background to use for it, I remembered a photo my friend and minister Peter Turner took last week while we were in Mexico with several other Mission Board members.

Beautiful flowers on a thorny saguaro (aka sahuaro) cactus — peace in the storm.

Maybe it will be just what you need as well.

(Thank you, Lord, for that reassuring promise: peace.)

The Best Eraser

Not Pink Pearl. Not…well, I don’t remember any other brands. But that’s OK since this is about God’s eraser.

I read the print version of Our Daily Bread this morning and was blessed.

So I looked up the online version and present to you the closing portion thereof:

You may not be able to forget your past. But the Lord offers to blot out, “like a thick cloud, your transgressions” (Isa. 44:22). — M.R. De Haan

The deep remorse that’s in the soul
No human eye may trace;
But Jesus sees the broken heart,
And can its woes erase. —Bosch

The best eraser is honest confession to God.
Private
Above all, love God!