“If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!” (Luke 23.37) As he waited for his wife to come out of the office where she worked, his eagerness to call it a day apparent in his face, the not-old, but not-young man used the minutes to wipe off the water from his new black… Continue reading The Opposite of Saving Yourself

“When you hear of wars and insurrections, do not be terrified; for such things must happen first, but it will not immediately be the end.” (Luke 21.9) In 1979, the respected movie director, Francis Ford Coppola, released an epic film starring some of the biggest names in Hollywood, such as Marlon Brando, Robert Duvall, and… Continue reading Apocalypse Now — Not the Movie

“They can no longer die, for they are like angels; and they are the children of God because they are the ones who will rise.” (Luke 20.36) I once knew a woman who had seven ex-husbands. Also, a current one. Not only did she have all those men in her life, she had a good… Continue reading Seven Husbands

"Zacchaeus . . . a tax-collector. . . was seeking to see who Jesus was, but he could not see him because of the crowd." (Luke 19.2-3) One day a mom heard her eight-year-old daughter Grace whispering, although no one was nearby. Her mom asked Grace just what she was doing. The little girl answered,… Continue reading Hide and Go Seek

"The tax collector stood off at a distance and would not even raise his eyes to heaven but beat his breast and prayed, 'O God, be merciful to me a sinner.'" (Luke 18.13) A common exercise that was used for many years to build self-esteem in elementary age students was to have each student make… Continue reading “A Wretch Like Me”

"Moses' hands, however, grew tired; so they put a rock in place for him to sit on. Meanwhile Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side and one on the other." (Exodus 17.12) C.S. Lewis made the argument in his book, "Screwtape Letters," that the physical posture we take when we pray makes… Continue reading Orans

"Ten were cleansed, were they not? Where are the other nine?" (Luke 17.17) Ingratitude has an ugly face and no amount of makeup can turn it pretty. I remember an attorney friend telling me a story about the ugly face of ingratitude that he had seen. He explained to me that he had served as… Continue reading Thank You, Jesus!

"So, you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, 'We are unworthy servants. We have only done our duty.'" Luke 17.10 My uncle wore an apron every Sunday morning. Whenever I think of him, my first memory goes to the long white apron that he looped over his neck… Continue reading “Put On Your Apron”

"Between us and you a great chasm is established to prevent anyone from crossing who might wish to go from our side to yours or from your side to ours." (Luke 16.26) A rabbi remembers the moment he found his calling. It happened the summer he volunteered to help on a building project in Ghana.… Continue reading “Walling In and Walling Out”

"You cannot serve both God and mammon." (Luke 16.13) When the Roman city of Pompeii was layered with lava from the explosion of the volcano Vesuvius in the year 79 A.D., the residents had minutes to escape. Most were buried under the molten ash. Their lives were cemented at the moment of the eruption of… Continue reading Either/Or