The stark imagery of Isaiah 50:6 – “I gave my back to those who struck me, and my cheeks to those who pulled out the beard” speaks of an individual stripped bare, not just physically assaulted, but also publicly humiliated and demeaned. This prophetic foreshadowing finds its ultimate and agonizing fulfillment in the Passion of…
Walk In Their Shoes
The wisdom of “walking in another person’s shoes” is a recurring theme, but it struck me with particular force upon reading a similar reflection in Chaim Potok’s The Chosen. It’s a principle I strive to keep present. Today, this principle brings to mind the horrifying situation of the man wrongfully abducted to El Salvador. Imagine…
Innocent
Certainly this man was innocent. — Luke 23:47b. The declaration in Luke, “Certainly this man was innocent,” underscores a timeless recognition of where a wrongful accusation can lead. The verse highlights the need for the fundamental tenet of the U.S. legal system: the presumption of innocence, where every individual is considered innocent until proven guilty. However,…
Finding Our Song on Alien Soil: Reclaiming Joy in Uncomfortable Places
How shall we sing the Lord’s song upon an alien soil? — Psalm 137:4. Sometimes, a familiar Bible verse suddenly hits us with new meaning. This happened to me with Psalm 137:4. Initially, living comfortably in Charlotte, the idea of “alien soil” didn’t seem relevant. But then I realized it’s more than just foreign lands.…
Future With Hope
For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope. — Jeremiah 29:11. “For surely I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord in Jeremiah 29:11, “plans for your welfare and not for harm, to…