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
relationships
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
Trampling others down
I’m a big fan of building yourself up, of encouraging yourself for the journey. But there are times when we can get so focused on getting ahead—in life, at work, in our achievements, and even in our spiritual lives—that we start to think we’re better than other people. Recently in my small group a friend … Continue reading Trampling others down
The poisonous root of bitterness
Yesterday I said that there can be unaddressed wrongs in our past which continue to exert an influence on us. Just because something is in the past that doesn’t mean it has passed. [If you missed it, click here.] That’s why forgiveness is so important. Usually when we think about forgiveness we think about giving … Continue reading The poisonous root of bitterness
When the past hasn’t passed
Sometimes there’s something hold you back… Holding you back from moving forward in your life with a greater sense of mental freedom, peace of mind, and personal integrity before God. Quite often that “something holding you back” is some unaddressed wrong from your past. But just because something is in the past that doesn’t mean … Continue reading When the past hasn’t passed
A companion of fools suffers harm
Lately I’ve been thinking about how wildly impressionable we humans are. It’s not always a bad thing, but I think it really is the truth. One study I read suggested that you’re more likely to have warm and favourable thoughts toward someone you’re talking to if you’re holding a warm drink at the same time. … Continue reading A companion of fools suffers harm
Fertilizing joy
Joy. It’s listed as one of the “fruit of the Spirit” in Galatians 5:22-23. That means it’s something God grows in you when you become a Christian... “love, JOY, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” For some, joy grows quickly. For others, not so much. But is there anything you can do to … Continue reading Fertilizing joy
Reactivity skews reality
In high school science class we learned one of Newton’s laws: “For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.” I think this can teach us something about relationships as well. Imagine a time when someone said something that really upset you. You probably had an emotional reaction. …it may have been really powerful. … Continue reading Reactivity skews reality
Being a Christian would be easy if it weren’t for this
I remember having a conversation with someone who said, “Being a Christian would be easy if you didn’t have to deal with actual people.” He was being funny, of course. But what he meant was that following Jesus and God’s commands are easy… until you have to put them into practice with actual flesh and … Continue reading Being a Christian would be easy if it weren’t for this
Connect in conversation
“I want to grow in my faith.” I hear some variation of that statement almost every week. And I think it’s awesome. It’s a desire to learn more about God, about how to live in a way that honours him, or about spiritual progress and following Jesus more closely. Each person is a bit different … Continue reading Connect in conversation
