Naaman was a valiant military commander, but he suffered with leprosy. He traveled to Israel, hoping the God of the Hebrews would heal him; but when Naaman arrived at Elisha’s house, the prophet didn’t even bother to step outside. Instead, Elisha sent a messenger with odd-sounding instructions: “Go, wash yourself seven times in the Jordan.” […]
God calls us to impact the world, but not to imitate the world. I have been trying to think of a clever catchphrase to describe the difference between worldly people and those who change the world in a positive way. Kosmos, the Greek word translated world in the New Testament, is a multi-faceted term. From […]
Caesar Augustus thought he was solving a governance problem when he ordered a census throughout his empire. Who knew a far more important plan was unfolding? Joseph and Mary thought they were complying with an inconvenient Roman edict by returning to their ancestral hometown. Who knew they were fulfilling a prediction written centuries before by […]
Have you received any Christmas letters this month that seem too good to be true? The photos show everyone cleaned up, dressed up, and smiling cheerfully, and the single-spaced review of the past year is jam-packed with humble brags. Johnny got straight A’s and batted clean-up for his Little League team. His sister Jenny won […]
When you go to the hospital for surgery, you count on the doctors and everyone else in the operating room to be professional, skillful, and trustworthy. You ask questions like, “What is the success rate of this procedure? Are there other options I should consider?” You might ask the surgeon, “How many of these operations […]
