In his book The Word: Jewish Wisdom Through Time, Noah benShea tells the following Yiddish folk tale:
An old man sat outside the walls of a great city. Soon a traveler approached and asked him, “What kind of people live here?” The old man answered, “What kind of people lived in the place where you came from?”
For the old man knew that if the traveler answered, “Only bad people lived in the place where I came from,” then the old man would reply, “Continue on; you will find only bad people here.”
But if the traveler answered, “Only good people lived in the place where I came from,” then the old man would say, “Enter, for here, too, you will find only good people.”
We’ll typically find people to be exactly what we expect them to be. And God only has good thoughts for each of us. What will He find in us today?
Tags: acceptance, relationship, wisdom
The great sequoia trees of California tower as much as 300 feet above the ground. Strangely, these giants have unusually shallow root systems that reach out in all directions to capture the greatest amount of surface moisture.
Their intertwining roots also provide support for each other against the storms. That’s why they usually grow in clusters. Seldom will you see a redwood standing alone, because high winds would quickly uproot it.
Just as Jesus needed support from his disciples in His hour of trial (Matthew 26:37-38), so do we need such support from one another. Let’s stay connected.
Tags: fellowship, support, tree
This weekend we looked at part 1 of New Hope’s Core Values. These values should play into every ministry and decision we make as a church. How do you think the church is doing at living up to these Core Values? Are there areas where we could improve? Do you have any anecdotes of how these are working or not working? This is your opportunity to give feedback to the weekend message. What do you think?
Beethoven, the great composer, began to lose his hearing in his twenties, yet he had learned the sound of music so well that he could compose in his mind. Some of his greatest masterpieces were created after the composer was unable to heat a single note of music!
Milton, the great poet, went blind – yet he taught himself to compose in his head and dictated to his daughters. O. J. Simpson and Wilma Rudolph both wore leg braces as children, yet they overcame their handicaps to become great athletes. As Renoir’s arthritis became so bad he couldn’t hold a paint brush, he had friends tie a brush to his hand – and continued painting. Moreover, he continued painting masterpieces!
What are you complaining about? When you face adversity, be flexible and open to alternate routes. As Zig Ziglar says, “When life hands you a lemon, make lemonade.” That’s good counsel.
Tags: adversity, trouble
American History is loaded with fantastic bits of information. For example, do you know who the tallest president was? Probably you’re right: Abraham Lincoln at 6′, 4″. But did you know the smallest president was James Madison at 5′, 4″, and weighing in at only 100 pounds. And guess who the largest president was.
Elected in 1908, the six-foot William Howard Taft weighed in at 335 pounds. Once, Chauncy Depew, a renowned turn-of-the-previous-century orator, pointed to Taft’s massive stomach and asked, “What are going to name the baby?”
Taft replied: “If it’s a boy, he will be junior. If it’s a girl, I’ll name her Helen. But if, as I expect, it is only gas, I’ll name it Chauncey Depew.”
I enjoy a quick wit like that. Jesus was a master of turning offensive statements around, and doing it so people liked it. I’m praying that God helps me be unoffensive like that in my comebacks. How about you?
Tags: humor, William Howard Taft
One of the richest gold mines in the world is under Mount Morgan in Queensland, Australia. For many years, though, the original landowners lived in deep poverty on the mountain’s barren surface. Even though the vast wealth was out of sight, it was beneath their feet all the time.
Many Christians live in a similar situation. They plod along and struggle through their spiritual lives, laboring every step of the way. They are unaware of the vast riches God has promised them, and therefore they do not claim them.
Let’s go a little deeper in our Christianity. The real gold is under the surface and we’ve got to dig for it. The next time you open your Bible, dig a little deeper. Christianity is not easy, but it is well worth it.
Tags: hidden, riches
Today Anita and I celebrate 36 years of marriage. We were married by Pastors Dennis Kutzner and Rod Hall at the Waterloo Church of Christ, which eventually became Calvary Chapel, and then New Hope Christian Center. Our reception was in the old Waterloo High School cafeteria next door to the church back then.
We left that day on a honeymoon trip to Niagra Falls, and then through Canada, which turned into a spiritual experience.
While we were engaged we had an experience that glued us together. We were attending a prayer meeting in the home of Dick and Joan Kutzner on Center St. across from the church. About 20 people had gathered for fellowship and prayer. After a brief devotional, we all entered into prayer. Anita and I were sitting beside each other on the hearth. Anita and I both began praying in our prayer language – about one sentence worth – when we both noticed at the same time that we were praying word-for-word the same thing. We looked at each other in shock! We had never heard of that before and have never done it since. We both saw that as a sign from God that we were destined for each other.
Over the years, whenever we feel like killing each other, we remember that experience and consider that it is always God’s will for us to be partners in ministry.
Tags: marriage, spiritual gifts