Topic(s): Christian Life, Love

At the end of World War I, Herbert Hoover, later to become President of the United States, led the allied relief efforts in Europe. He kept hundreds of thousands from starving, and a new word entered the Finnish language. In Finland, to hoover means, “to be kind, to help.” If someone coined a word from your name, what would it be? Would it signify character? Helpfulness? Cheerfulness? Or would it be some mean and ugly word?

“A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold” - Proverbs 22:1

Bloom Where You Are

Topic(s): Blessings

Is your place a small place?
Tend it with care! He set you there.
Is your place a large place?
Guard it with care! He set you there.
Whate'er your place, it is
Not yours alone, but his
Who set you there.

You Don’t Have to Be Lonely

Topic(s): Depression, Pain & Suffering

Because of her health, Mrs. Appleton [not her real name] hired a lady to come in and clean her house once a week. One week when the lady came to clean, Mrs. Appleton said, “sit down a while and let’s talk.” The cleaner replied that she was sorry, but she had work to do and must get about her business. Mrs. Appleton replied, “I would almost pay you just to sit here and talk to me.”

That is truly sad. Unfortunately, there are many Mrs. Appleton’s in the world, even in our community. The number of older people is increasing. With better medical expertise we are enjoying longer lifetimes. However, with the longer lives, we have inherited another problem, loneliness. It is not just a problem of one or two people, but it permeates our society. On most streets you will find people who are lonely. What can they do? What can we do?

People are lonely because they have lost purpose in life. A widow’s family grows up, her husband dies and she seems left without purpose in life and little to do, but “keep house.” But in the process she becomes very “alone.”

Some people are lonely because they live in sin. The very root of sin is selfishness. People with sinful, selfish and ugly attitudes are left alone by others because they are uncomfortable to be around. They have not built or lack the ability to build strong relationships. Often loneliness results because people do not know God. Man’s purpose is to seek God and know Him (1 Peter 2:5,9). Often the lonely person has not taken the time to understand their need for God and His love for them. Thus they have never sought God and having never sought Him, they never found Him. The solution for loneliness is to turn to God and live a life that He desires one to live. “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man” (Ecclesiastes 12:13).

Nothing outside of God can cure the loneliness that many people feel. Only by submitting to God, by seeking Him through His Son, Jesus can that lonely spot be filled. In turning to God, we also become part of His family on the earth. Through our interactions with this group of people we can find a solution to the loneliness that plagues us. We also find purpose in our life as we begin to obey God’s Word, reach out to others and strive every day to do His will.

Are you lonely? Seek God. Obey Him. Do His Will. In doing this you will find the ultimate solution to your loneliness and should not be lonely again. - Gordon Gentry

A Thousand Dollars—In Quarters

Topic(s): Christian Life

Fred Craddock, in an address to preachers, caught the practical implications of consecration. “To give my life for Christ appears glorious,” he said. “To pour myself out for others...to pay the ultimate price of martyrdom—I’ll do it. I'm ready, Lord, to go out in a blaze of glory. We think giving our all to the Lord is like taking a $1,000 bill and laying it on the table—‘Here's my life, Lord. I’m giving it all.’ But the reality for most of us is that He sends us to the bank and has us cash in the $1,000 for quarters. We go through life putting out 25 cents here and 50 cents there. Listen to the neighbor kid’s troubles instead of saying, ‘Get lost.’ Go to a committee meeting. Give up a cup of water to a shaky old man in a nursing home. Usually giving our life to Christ isn’t glorious. It’s done in all those little acts of love, 25 cents at a time. It would be easy to go out in a flash of glory; it’s harder to live the Christian life little by little over the long haul.”

"And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward" - Matthew 10:42