understanding

Wisdom is Weightier than Gold

“How much better to get wisdom than gold, to get insight rather than silver!” – Proverbs 16:16 Let me ask you a question: Would you rather have a million dollars or the wisdom to make a million dollars? How you answer that says a lot about your priorities. However, don’t feel bad if you chose the money — who wouldn’t want resources like that just thrown in their lap? Though it’s always tempting to go the route of instant gratification or a quick-fix, living in the Kingdom of God means that you don’t have to. You already have all that you need! We talked yesterday about the fact that you have many callings and that everything you do in life has a purpose that builds upon the one before. Today, I want to encourage you with the thought that all of your jobs, positions, and vocational appointments work together to

April 23, 2022 2 Comments

Radical Respect

“Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.” – Romans 12:10 Daryl Davis is a person I’d like to tell you about. Daryl endured many injustices as a child growing up in the south, including being the only black boy in a white Boy Scout troop and being thrown items (mainly horrible insults). Daryl went on to be a pianist and a member of a rhythm and blues band when he grew older. However, a friend asked him to fill in for him in his country band one day, so he went to a completely other location and sang a bunch of country tunes. After the show, a man came him and complemented him, saying he’d never seen a black man play like Jerry Lee Lewis. “Well, where do you think he learned to play?” Daryl joked back. Following that, the two began up a long

October 31, 2021 No Comments

Don’t Make Assumptions

“Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.” – Luke 6:37-42 I mentioned yesterday about the time Dallas Willard visited my church and talked to the audience. Though the most important lesson I learned from him that day was by his example, he also gave me some life-changing leadership advice that I’ll never forget. He believes that strong leaders don’t assume, pretend, or push. Today, I’d like to look at the first of those exhortations, and see what it means to lead without presumption. We typically interpret Jesus’ warning not to judge lest we be judged to mean that we should not pass judgment on others because God will pass judgment on us if we do. What if, on the other hand, the Lord’s words have a different meaning? Perhaps our Father was attempting

October 28, 2021 No Comments

What’s Your Battle?

“Sovereign Lord, my strong deliverer, you shield my head in the day of battle.” – Psalm 140:7 The late actor Robin Williams once paraphrased Plato in saying: “Everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about, so be kind, always.” And as cliche as this expression sounds, I think it’s important to understand how true it is so that we allow it to shape our interactions with others. The reality is that life is hard, and humanity is struggling with all kinds of issues — some people are just better at hiding it. No one has it all together, and the mistaken belief that they do is what causes many of us to feel alone in our pain. Nevertheless, we’re not flawed because we’re going through stuff, and it’s important to give ourselves grace so we can heal and extend mercy to our fellow brothers and sisters. Nobody

September 28, 2021 No Comments

A Compassionate Touch

“When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things.” – Mark 6:34 While there are many words we can use to describe how healing happens in the church, if I were to pick one, it would be compassion. Nearly every time Jesus restored, touched, or taught in the Bible, it says that He had compassion for the people He was helping. In fact, this familiar word literally means to “suffer alongside.” The term passion, which is often used to describe the cross, comes from the french word for suffering, which is pati, and when you add the prefix co, it means to “suffer with.” Truth is, there’s great healing power in offering sympathy and tenderness to an emotionally-wounded neighbor, and since we live in a world that can’t seem to stop

July 30, 2021 No Comments

The Blessing in Wisdom

“God gave Solomon wisdom and very great insight, and a breadth of understanding as measureless as the sand on the seashore.” – 1 Kings 4:29 In addition to righteousness, the second of the three virtues I believe leads to a blessed life is wisdom. While many of us hear this somewhat intimidating term and think it refers to intelligence or “book smarts,” the truth is that wisdom is inextricably linked to character. For this reason, it can always be cultivated and inherited in greater measure. Perhaps this is why James 1:5 says to ask God for more of it, and He will gladly provide. So what exactly is wisdom? I believe it’s simply humility — the opposite of arrogance. Wisdom is an attitude of heart that doesn’t assume it knows best but that seeks advice and input from others. It yields to the Lord’s way and is willing to consider

February 12, 2021 No Comments

Wisdom is Weightier than Gold

Radical Respect

Don’t Make Assumptions

What’s Your Battle?

A Compassionate Touch

The Blessing in Wisdom

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