Having a sense of entitlement can be a huge problem for those of us who live in places like North America and Europe. The more we have the more we seem to want. And the more we have the more we seem to think we have to have. And the more we have, the more we … Continue reading The chains of entitlement
faith
Does someone in your life have issues?
Does someone in your life have issues? Someone in your family? A co-worker or classmate? Or maybe a friend? Perhaps it’s just that their priorities are frazzled. And you just don’t know what to do. Maybe it’s legitimate. Maybe it’s not. Maybe you’re just not sure. The point is that it can be complicated. But … Continue reading Does someone in your life have issues?
Over-committed people
Let me start by throwing something out there that might rattle a few cages. Over-committed people are un-committed people. Here’s what I mean because I realize I'm going to have to put a few footnotes on that statement! When you over-commit to the wrong things you can’t deliver on the right things. In other words, … Continue reading Over-committed people
Butter tarts on a tombstone
Recently I visited my dad’s tombstone with my son Ben. The last dessert I had with my dad before he died was butter tarts. So we brought one for Ben, one for me, and one for my dad. As we sat there snacking (we placed the one for him on the top of his tombstone), … Continue reading Butter tarts on a tombstone
He’s got you
Dr. J. Robertson McQuilkin used to be the president of Columbia Bible College and Seminary. But he gave up his presidency to care for his wife Muriel who was struggling with Alzheimer’s disease. Dr. McQuilkin wrote about a time when he was with his wife and their flight was delayed for several hours. Every few … Continue reading He’s got you
The spirit in which you act
From what I can tell, the word “obedience” in wealthy, western societies (like mine) is a heavy, negative word. It smacks of blindly and mindlessly doing what someone else tells you to do. In popular culture it reeks of oppression. But in Christianity, chosen obedience is a positive thing. Since God and his will are … Continue reading The spirit in which you act
When condescension starts
One of the things I’ve noticed in our modern society is that it’s easy for civility to go out the window. I realize that the internet has helped with a lot of things, but one of my concerns is that people do and say things online that they would never do and say in person. … Continue reading When condescension starts
“Mama, Jesus catched me”
The Drew family got into their car and headed down the street to a neighbour’s pool. Noah was only two years old. He somehow got loose, opened his door while the car was moving, and fell out. The car ran over his tiny legs. They rushed him to the hospital where his parents later learned … Continue reading “Mama, Jesus catched me”
Honesty in a world of spin
Santa Clara University did a study of 2600 managers. They were trying to identify the top leadership quality. Do you want to know what it was? It was honesty. Honesty ranked higher than intelligence. Honesty ranked higher than competence. And it ranked higher than a leader’s capacity to inspire others. But why? I think it’s … Continue reading Honesty in a world of spin
Clinging to mistakes
Someone once said, “Don't cling to a mistake just because you spent a lot of time making it.” I think there’s incredible wisdom in that statement. But what does it mean? The last I checked, we humans don’t like to be wrong. But we sometimes are. Even still, we will defend decisions, words or actions … Continue reading Clinging to mistakes
