Today is Good Friday. Christians from all over the world gather at special services to ponder the cross and to thank God for what he has done for us in Christ. He has given his life for ours. The Reformer Martin Luther called it the “glorious exchange.” We’re the ones who deserve to be up … Continue reading Four words for Good Friday
And we are its hands
Today is Maundy Thursday. It’s not as well-known as Good Friday, Easter morning, or even Palm Sunday. Some churches hold special services; some don’t. Either way, it’s a very significant day. The word “Maundy” comes from the Latin translation of Jesus’ words in John 13:34. “Mandatum novum” means “new commandment.” This new commandment is to … Continue reading And we are its hands
Talk not only about what you’re doing, but why
Holy Week is upon us. Like Christmas it can be a time of traditions. We wave palms on Palm Sunday, sing “The Old Rugged Cross” on Good Friday, and say “He is Risen!” on Easter morning. Some people also have family gatherings or Easter Egg hunts. At its heart, a tradition is about passing on … Continue reading Talk not only about what you’re doing, but why
An upside of tradition
When it comes to traditions, Christians sometimes have mixed views. On the one hand we can be suspicious of them. Fair enough. Over time people can elevate man-made traditions and give them an authority they should not have. In fact, Jesus warns against this in Mark 7:8: “You have let go of the commands of … Continue reading An upside of tradition
Generosity or animosity
In April 1958 a young Korean student attending university in Philadelphia wrote a letter to his parents back home. After putting it in the mailbox he was brutally attacked by eleven teenage boys and died. The city was outraged. The district attorney got authority to try the boys as adults so they could receive the … Continue reading Generosity or animosity
God is bigger
According to an old legend, many years ago when spies were taken captive by the Persian Army and brought in to be killed, the general did something strange. He would give the spy an option. He could choose to face the firing squad, or he could choose to be subject to whatever was behind a … Continue reading God is bigger
A nap and a snack
You want to be faithful. You want to be loving. But if you’re always running on empty that will be hard to do. It will also be difficult if you’re always giving and giving and giving. Yes, giving is good. It can be a blessing when we give our time and talent to help others. … Continue reading A nap and a snack
A love-first mentality
“Do everything in love” (1 Corinthians 16:14). Jesus had a love-first mentality. Therefore, we also want to have a love-first mentality. Love isn’t wishy-washy or wobbly. It is a resolute commitment to seeking the good of others. It honours God and is often self-sacrificing. But it takes some work. Our default setting is to take … Continue reading A love-first mentality
Unofficial leadership
The great physicist Albert Einstein once said: “The significant problems we face today cannot be solved at the same level of thinking we were at when we created them.” True! We need better thinking to get better results. But what is “better”? It’s certainly not coercion, power-lust, or blind conformity. I think we’ve had enough … Continue reading Unofficial leadership
Don’t let your eyes deceive you
In the movie Poseidon, there is a dramatic scene where fancy people are in a ship which flips on the water. Inside the ship those who go ‘up’ the stairs are actually going deeper down. It is only the people who realize what is happening and who go against conventional logic who do the right … Continue reading Don’t let your eyes deceive you
