“Do not toil to acquire wealth; be discerning enough to desist. When your eyes light on it, it is gone, for suddenly it sprouts wings, flying like an eagle toward heaven.” (Proverbs 23:4–5, ESV) The Bible has many different genres. It has books of history and books of poetry. But it also has books of practical wisdom, which is what we find in Proverbs. As…
How can we best celebrate Mother’s Day–and Father’s Day for that matter? We know that a “Day” in the course of a year means little if its values are not lived many other days of the year. We also know that parent-child relationships are often quite complicated in ways that a card can never capture. A healthy parent-child relationship ought to serve as a foundation…
“For God alone my soul waits in silence; from him comes my salvation. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be greatly shaken.” (Psalm 62:1–2, ESV) Tumultuous events can often shake us. Sometimes we are shaken by events on the news or on the international stage. But other times, we are shaken by tragedies in our own lives: a…
It is Passover, a Jewish holiday with so many meanings and also designed around questions. On this Easter Sunday in the middle of Passover which itself is in the middle of Ramadan, I wish all who celebrate a Happy Easter, a Chag Sameachand/or Moadim L’Simcha, and a Ramadan Mubarak. May your happiness and joy come from the celebrations and from finding yourself in your tradition…
If you grew up in church, then congregational singing is something you may take for granted. It feels like a normal part of Christian life until you stop and think about it: singing is strange. Where else do you see people gathering to sing every week in modern society? Why is singing such a vital part of Christian worship? Many passages in the Bible address…
I promise you that I expressed the wish to have that hour back. I expressed it in multiple ways from resenting the calculation to go to sleep early, the argument with the alarm clock that it had to be wrong, the fight with my body begging to keep its rhythms, and the disappointment at just how dark morning appeared just when it was recently getting…
Smartphone addiction is a problem. It robs us of free time, preventing us from reading as many books as possible or smelling the roses. It distracts us from our children and loved ones. It even causes car accidents and the breakdown of relationships. But is there a solution? First, turn your smartphone into a dumb phone. If you have a smartphone, delete all your distracting…
What makes a good prayer for the Eagles to win Superbowl LVII? Five years ago, I was lucky, and this reflection was due for publication after they won. I got to write about how to express gratitude. I have no recollection of the prayers before that game. So, I too, am faced with the question: What would make a good prayer for an Eagles victory?…
“I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” (Ephesians 4:1–3, ESV) I love the image of “walking” for the Christian life in Ephesians…
“Two Jews, three opinions,” so goes the adage, part inside joke, and part truism. If you have seen a page of the Talmud, it is layered with opinions from centuries of rabbis interpreting, disagreeing, and commenting on previous conversations. The differences of opinion on the page span not only opinions and generations but also cultures and continents. It is easy to look at the page…
Whenever we suffer in life, whether it is our own suffering or coming alongside someone else in the midst of suffering, we’re tempted to be discouraged or lose heart. And that’s why, in the Bible, the Apostle Paul says, “So I ask you not to lose heart over what I am suffering for you, which is your glory” (Ephesians 3:13, ESV). We know from verse…