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…
Lost In Blame
When a judge asks an individual about to be sentenced if they have anything to say, the quality of their counsel—and, more importantly, their character—is revealed. It is always best to be humble, show remorse, accept responsibility for the damage inflicted, and above all, resist the urge to cast blame. This judicial ritual highlights a…
The Peril Of Stumbling Blocks
Woe to the world because of stumbling blocks. — Matthew 18:7. Today’s verse caused me to do a little research. I couldn’t imagine that Jesus used the words “stumbling blocks.” Now, most translations substitute “temptations” for “stumbling blocks,” but I wondered in Matthew’s original Hebrew or early Greek what word was used and what it meant.…