And they immediately left their nets and followed him. — Mark 1:18. This simple verse has always sparked a flurry of questions in my mind: How did they know? What explanation could they possibly offer their families for such an abrupt departure? And surely, did doubts not creep in as they walked away from everything familiar?…
Fear
When we’re young, we often feel invincible. As we move into our middle years, we might start to feel the weight of what we have and the years ahead, perhaps becoming a bit more cautious. Interestingly, when we reach our senior years, there’s often a return to a kind of fearlessness, though our physical capabilities…
Innocence
Certainly this man was innocent. Luke 23:47. The centurion’s declaration rings with a heartbreaking truth that transcends millennia. It’s a truth that should be the bedrock of any just society: innocent until proven guilty. Yet, in our modern world, this fundamental tenet of the American justice system, once a guiding star, seems to have faded into…
Fall Apart
You could be standing next to someone who is trying their best not to fall apart. So whatever you do today, do it with kindness in your heart. — Anon. When we think of someone on the verge of “falling apart,” our minds often go to highly visible crises—families separated, or people in dire public…
No Time To Celebrate
My father, a man who believed sports instilled lifelong lessons, had a simple rule about end zone celebrations: don’t ever celebrate until the game is over. He’d likely be shaking his head at today’s athletic theatrics, where every first down, every turnover, and even every tackle becomes an excuse for a choreographed jig. “Save the…