Topic(s): Faith, Prayer

As children bring their broken toys
With tears for us to mend,
I brought my broken dreams to God,
Because He was my friend.

But then instead of leaving
Him In peace to work alone,
I hung around and tried to help,
With ways that were my own.

At last I snatched them back and cried,
“How can you be so slow?”
“My child,” He said,
“What could I do? You never did let go.”

“If any man serve me, let him follow me . . .” —John 12:26

Friendship

Topic(s): Love

A survey published in American Sociological Review revealed that in 2004, one out of every four Americans had no close friends, and there was a 33 percent decline in the number of friendships over the past two decades. On average, Americans had only two people they would call close confidants (Today in the Word, May 2007).

“A man that hath friends must show himself friendly . . .” —Proverbs 18:24

First Impressions

Topic(s): Humor

A company, feeling it was time for a shake-up, hires a new CEO. This new boss is determined to rid the company of all slackers. On a tour of the facilities, the CEO notices a guy leaning on a wall. The room is full of workers and he thinks this is his chance to show everyone he means business!

The CEO walks up to the guy and asks, “And how much money do you make a week?”

Undaunted, the young fellow looks at him and replies, “I make $200 a week. Why?”

The CEO then hands the guy $200 in cash and screams, “Here’s a week’s pay; now GET OUT and don't come back!”

Feeling pretty good about his first firing, the CEO looks around the room and asks, “Does anyone want to tell me what that slacker did here?” With a sheepish grin, one of the other workers mutters, “He’s the pizza delivery guy.”

“Lay hands suddenly on no man . . .” —1 Timothy 5:22

Goals Vs. Wishes

Topic(s): Wisdom

In the February 2008 edition of Fast Company, Chip and Dan Heath write about the difference between a resolution and a goal. The former is a wish, while the latter involves planning. They note that our mental attitude is key: “The psychologists Peter Gollwitzer and Veronika Brandstätter studied college students who had to write a paper about how they spent Christmas Eve. The catch was they were supposed to submit the paper by December 26. At this point, the paper is in resolution territory: It feels good to imagine yourself getting a good grade by writing the paper. But, as with January gym memberships, the outcome was not pretty. Only a third of the students got around to submitting a paper.

“A second group of students were given the same assignment, but were required to note exactly when and where they intended to write the report (i.e., ‘in my Dad’s office on Christmas morning before everyone gets up’). A whopping 75 percent of these students wrote the report. The act of visualizing yourself in Dad’s office, writing your paper, changes the way you respond to the environment when you encounter it. Now when you see Dad’s office chair, an association springs to mind: Get to work. You’ve managed to outsmart your future self. Dozens of studies have shown similar results. When people took the time to visualize exactly when and where they would do what they needed to do, they met their goals.”

Think about your own goals for your church and your spiritual life—are you planning to achieve them, or are they still in the “resolution” category?

“Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.” —Proverbs 4:26

Fighting Spreads Devil’s Cancer

Topic(s): Church, Christian Life, Forgiveness, Love

The headline came from the cover of the February 4, 2006 issue of Science News. When I saw that headline, I had to read the accompanying article. The devils discussed in the article are some fierce creatures from Tasmania with the scientific name Sarcophilus harissii, but with the common name Tasmanian devils. Scientists at the University of Tasmania in Hobart have found that fighting Tasmanian devils have been transmitting cancer by biting one another on the neck and face. The resulting tumors usually cause the animal to die of starvation within six months.

The real devil also kills by biting and devouring. Peter warns us, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: whom resist steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world” (1 Peter 5:8–9).

We must be careful that we do not fall into the devil’s trap by acting like little devils ourselves. Paul writes, “For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another. This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh” (Galatians 5:13–16).

My favorite cartoon character is Taz, the Tasmanian devil. I like to see him whirling around in that tornado, because I know that some comic mayhem is going to happen. Comic mayhem is one thing, but real mayhem in the church is certainly not comic. Let us see that we do not bite and devour one another! —Bob Prichard