Yet another said, “I will follow you, Lord, but let me first say farewell to those at my home.” Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”Luke 9:61–62 (ESV) During Lent we give extended thought to the suffering that Jesus endured, but we know the outcome—an empty tomb. For us, this is an exercise in reflection, but for the disciples it...
I once asked a Jewish friend to forgive the church and me for what we did to Jews in the name of Christ. I waited for him to tell me to get lost or, maybe, to forgive me. Instead, he started weeping. I had no idea why and asked him. “Steve,” he said, “I didn’t hear a ‘kicker’ in your remarks. Often people will say something like what you said to me but there is always a kicker. You guys want me...
Children notice from a young age when something about their appearance makes them different. A little girl may not like her freckles, or a young boy may be picked on because his ears stick out a little bit. It’s important for our kids to understand that even if they feel different, God made each of them special. God Made Me in His Image: Helping Children Appreciate Their Bodies by Justin S...
It was just a friendly game of racquetball. Our racquets were tethered around our wrists in case things got slippery, and then we started pounding the dickens out of the ball, all in the spirit of friendly fun and exercise. Maybe my friend expected to win handily; maybe he expected consistently great shots from himself. But whatever was going on within him, he was getting louder. What began as a...
Why do children lie? For that matter, why do any of us lie? We exaggerate details in our favor, twist the truth to make ourselves look good, and hide facts to protect our guilt. No matter the form, we lie because we love ourselves and want to protect ourselves at all cost. Children are no different. Like us, they will even deny the obvious to save face and avoid consequences. Lying shows a lack...
