Posts Tagged ‘Discipleship’
Between the Rock and the Hard Place
I do not have a deep kinship with the King James translation of the Bible. I certainly do not revere the translation as a “Holy of Holies” among Bibles the way some do. It is a translation. It is a good one. It’s not without its challenges, and it is dated in its English language…
Read MoreThe Calling of Matthew
The confrontations we noted last week wherein the scribes and Pharisees were incredulous that Jesus ate and drank with tax-gatherers and sinners stemmed from (on one occasion, at least) Jesus’ invitation to Matthew to follow him.1 But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law who belonged to their sect complained to his disciples, ‘Why…
Read MoreStaying Focused on God’s Calling and Purpose for You
There was a time when I habitually listened to ESPN’s Mike and Mike in the Morning as I drove to work each day. On one of those morning commutes, I heard a rather humorous interview between Alabama head football coach, Nick Saban, and ESPN reporter Marty Smith. Saben related a story from an early-career recruiting trip he…
Read MoreThere Are No Priorities
Originally, the word “priority” was a mass noun, meaning it cannot be modified by an indefinite article and it cannot be made plural. There is only priority, not priorities, and not a top priority with lesser priorities beneath it. From the purist vantage-point, “priorities” is an oxymoron, an incongruity. It is self-contradictory. That said, I…
Read MoreThe Peril of Willful Disobedience
Some people are oblivious. Or perhaps they are aware but simply do not care. Or maybe it is that they are aware but don’t believe X, Y, or Z applies to them. For months, now, our local Safeway store has had arrows on the floor designating one-way aisles. I have been diligent to observe these…
Read MoreWill You Forgive Me?
While attending a speaker conference in Arizona, I made a request of a friend and in doing so, unknowingly put her in a difficult, awkward position. When I realized what I’d done, I pulled my friend aside and began apologizing, tears in my eyes, genuinely sorrowful for what I’d done. When my friend saw how…
Read MoreExcellent Behavior in Less-Than-Excellent Times
[Scary Thought Alert]You are being watched. The apostle Peter exhorts us (1 Peter 2:12) to keep our behavior excellent among the unbelievers. His logic holds that though they speak against us, they will see our honorable behavior and will glorify God because of it. Those of us who are Christ-followers, who walk with the indwelling…
Read MoreListen Well / Hear Well
Head and shoulders, knees and toes, knees and toes.Head and shoulders, knees and toes, knees and toes.Eyes and ears and mouth and nose.Head and shoulders, knees and toes, knees and toes. Fess up! If you have kids you’ve performed that aria. Indeed, many of you read it with the melody playing in your head as…
Read MoreThese Things (Part 2)
This week, we take our second look at the apostle Peter’s repeated use of the phrase “these things” – ταυτα. By way of reminder, this is a single word, “these,” in the Greek text, but the various translations will append “things,” or “qualities,” or some other phrase-completing word because it feels awkward in English to…
Read More