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.…
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Rules of the House
My father was not a harsh man; in fact, he was a quiet, gentle soul most of the time. His authority was not built on bluster, but on a few, uncompromising “rules of the house” that formed the bedrock of our family life. These rules were crystal clear: Voices were never to be raised at…
At Ease
I go to the doctor’s office often, and no matter the reason—even if it’s just an annual checkup—a layer of nervousness always settles over me. This same familiar reluctance follows me into every new situation, whether I’m walking into a new room or preparing to discuss one of my books with a group. I often…
The Impossible Harmony
The prophet Isaiah’s vision—”The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, the lion will eat straw with the ox”—is not merely a pleasant image; it is a declaration of the impossible made real. To the original hearers in Biblical times, this passage must have sounded like pure fantasy, an audacious dream of cosmic reordering. It…
Season For Living
Please forgive me for using this site the last couple of days to air my own struggles with loss. I should be telling you about my visit with my granddaughters, Maggie and Riley, who are four years old and two. Or perhaps talk about two more of my granddaughters, Rebecca and Frannie, who spent time…