I say to you, stand up, take your mat, and go to your home. — Mark 2:11. Today’s verse, might initially strike us as harsh or unfeeling, a stark contrast to the compassionate image of Jesus. However, as with many important statements, its true meaning and power emerge only when we understand its context. Consider the…
Patience As a Force
“Patience is a virtue.” If I heard it once, I heard it a thousand times from Suzy’s mom. She was a wonderful woman with a saying for every occasion, but her wisdom on patience was a recurring theme. Yesterday, Suzy herself echoed her mother’s words, sending me an insightful essay on patience by Oren Jay…
How Did They Know
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…