The California Redwoods are massive trees, apparently the biggest living things on earth. Some are higher than 360 feet, and some are more than 60 feet around. Many are over 100 years old, and some are even over a thousand years old. Some of them have even been somewhat burned in forest fires—but they still … Continue reading Be a California Redwood
character
Virtue standeth
People are motivated by different things. Some people feel motivated to do something if they know they’ll get a nice reward at the end. Others are motivated if they know they are doing something that will make someone feel good. Today I want to appeal to those who (a) are experiencing difficulty, and (b) are … Continue reading Virtue standeth
Humility: He asked him to step on his neck
St. Francis is one of great heroes of the faith. He died in 1226. I’ve always been inspired by his example of humility, sincerity, love, poverty and charity. There’s a little known story about an interaction he had with someone named Friar Bernard. Apparently, Francis had a negative thought about the Friar. Upon realizing this, and … Continue reading Humility: He asked him to step on his neck
Trust in the jungle of unpredictability
Life can be chaotic. And volatile. And hard. That’s why friendship is so important. Christian ethicist Lewis Smedes wrote an article about the power of making a promise. He says that when you make a promise to someone, “You have created a small sanctuary of trust within the jungle of unpredictability.” I think that’s great … Continue reading Trust in the jungle of unpredictability
Dragged away
Unfortunately, temptation is often a part of life. Some people are tempted to over-spend or worry too much. Some are tempted to engage in habits they know dishonour God. Some people are tempted to laziness or excessive screen time. It really just depends on the person. Recently I was reading the book of James and … Continue reading Dragged away
The cardinal virtue
The cardinal virtue is humility. It stands opposite pride and ego. So the more you cultivate humility, with God’s help, the more you prepare yourself to be a more loving person. In fact, and just in case you need some extra motivation to cultivate humility in your life, check out James 4:6: “God opposes the … Continue reading The cardinal virtue
Unhealthy vs healthy “success”
Success is good, right? But what is “success”? A lot of people think of it in terms of career advancement, or money, or popularity. We can even try to be “successful” when it comes to our faith. We want to be successful at praying more or reading our Bibles or serving in a particular ministry or … Continue reading Unhealthy vs healthy “success”
Your impact can last
Being a person of your word—a person of integrity who does their best to do what they say they’re going to do—has a positive impact that can literally last for generations. Skeptical? Think of someone from your past who had a really positive impact on you—someone who was a person of their word, someone who … Continue reading Your impact can last
When you haven’t kept your word
For the past two days I’ve been talking about being a person of your word—a person who is honest and trustworthy. In Matthew 5:37 Jesus taught about the importance of speaking with sincerity: “All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.” It’s a statement that … Continue reading When you haven’t kept your word
A light, even in your words
Yesterday’s devotional was about being a person of your word. I said that people who keep their promises keep track of their promises. It makes total sense. If you’re going to be a person who is trustworthy and who keeps their promises, you have to know what they are. You need to keep track of … Continue reading A light, even in your words
