Come to him, a living stone, though rejected by mortals yet chosen and precious in God’s sight. — 1 Peter 2:4. Peter’s reference to Christ as a stone is similar to when Jesus asks, “Have you never read in the Scriptures, ‘the stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.’” (Matthew 21:42.) Many of Jesus’…
Little Children
The gospel of Matthew records a simple moment in the ministry of Christ: “Jesus said, ‘Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.’” (Matthew 19:14). This was not merely a gesture of affection; it was a radical statement against the structured,…
Plowshares and Swords
Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruning hooks into spears. — Joel 3:10. Reading today’s verse, I wondered how do I reconcile Joel with the verses in Micah 4:3 and Isaiah 2:3-4 where we are to beat our swords into plowshares. The core tension is not merely a contradiction, but a paradox that highlights the…
The Clean Car Effect
This morning, I had the pleasure of taking Suzy’s car—a vessel that had recently doubled as a refuse hauler for Goodwill and Habitat—to the industrial spa known as The Dilworth Car Wash. The interior was a biohazard of fallen leaves, dusty boxes, and what I suspect was petrified bagel. After a thorough cleaning, both in…
Arkansas v. Texas — Rivalry and Ritual
A while back, a perfect fall weekend in Arkansas meant one thing: the Razorbacks versus the Texas Longhorns. This was the pinnacle of college football, a time when the leaves had turned to brilliant color, and the air was crisp. The competing anthems—the “Razorback Fight Song” and “Texas Fight”—would blare from every car cruising down…