Siblings
They sold their brother into slavery. But, by his talent and the mercy of God, Joseph rose to prominence while his siblings languished in famine. Now, after all these years, it was Joseph’s turn to wield power and to take revenge. This is the way the logic of our...
Battered
Their boat was, “…battered by the waves, far from the land and the wind was against them.” This distress lasted all night. Our present battering has lasted more than four months. We are far from getting a handle on things. We are battered by the waves of breaking news...
Filled
Jesus fed five thousand people, the story says…took up scraps and blessed them. All that ate were filled. This story teaches a profound lesson about the nature of God. God is lively and breaks into situations and transforms them. But there’s another lesson here....
Great/First/Different
A mother of two sons came requesting a favor from Jesus, she wanted greatness and first-ness for her sons. That’s where Jesus’ leadership lesson begins. Leadership is not actually about aspiration to a role. It can’t actually be granted. Sure, titles can be conferred...
Foundness
Peter and Paul, were both beneficiaries of God’s search and rescue mission. Both were lost in their own way. Both were found by God’s locating grace, mercy, and purpose. Their spirituality comes from remembering their lostness and how God rescued them and positioned...
Bare
“…there is no condemnation in Christ Jesus” is what Paul wrote. How could he have known this, except by the certainty of personal experience? Paul benefitted from oppression and he extended the reach of oppression to the fledgling church. He would later discover he...
America
“Let America be the dream the dreamers dreamed— Let it be that great strong land of love. Where never kings connive nor tyrants scheme That any man be crushed by one above. O, let my land be a land where Liberty Is crowned with no false patriotic wreath, But...
Sacrifice
Authentic life with God includes sacrifice. That’s what we learn in the Abraham story and again with Jesus. In fact, we do grotesque things to God, our souls, and to our common life when we attempt to engineer life without sacrifice. Sacrifice is the denying or...