“Kind words do not cost much. Yet they accomplish much.”                                                                             Blaise Pascal

“Never underestimate the power of words to heal and reconcile relationships.”                                                                                    H. Jackson Brown

“Your words carry amazing power. So, when you speak make sure you uplift someone and never put them down.”                                                                                                                                                        Anonymous

“One kind word can change someone’s entire day.”                                                       Anonymous

 Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof
Proverbs 18:21 (KJV)

Amazing isn’t it, the power that we have? Our words can make someone’s day, or week maybe; and our words can ruin that day, that week- maybe that life. The quotes above are just a few that attest to that power. I think we all know the power that we have in words, yet we often seem so cavalier about how we use our words.

When we are not face-to-face, such as when we are on social media, there seems to be even less attention to the power of words. Because we are at a distance, we may not use the discretion that we would use in face-to-face conversations. I don’t know.

What I do know is that we wield great power with our words. James in the Bible said that the tongue, though small, has great power- much like the little rudder which can change the course of a great ship.

So, I suggest we use that power to affirm others whenever possible. It is the highest use of a great power.

Prayer: Lord, you have gifted us with speech and words. Help us to use them to build others up, Amen

 You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people.                                                                                                                                               Genesis 50:20

These are the familiar words from the beginning of the iconic TV show Twilight Zone. I loved that show, which unfortunately aired late on Friday nights when I was a kid. I loved the show, but when it was over, I had to run upstairs to my bedroom to get to the safety of lights and comfort. Yes, some of the shows really creeped me out.

And I wouldn’t have missed an episode of that show for the world!

I write about the show, and its creator Rod Serling, because he was born this time of year- on Christmas Day, 1924.

Rod Serling, was a World War II veteran who served in the South Pacific, and was awarded the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart for his service. The war had a deep effect on him, and I am guessing that he had what we might now diagnose as PTSD. Serling seemed to write in the science fiction genre in order to exorcise some of the demons of war he may have fought. He was able to get his points across in this genre and it was accepted as genius. I think he truly was a genius.

Earlier, he had written Emmy award winning shows like Requiem for a Heavyweight which helped to bring serious social and interpersonal issues to the light of public awareness. Serling was able to work out his emotional pain in a creative way. He turned his pain into our gain.

The Twilight Zone series still impacts our culture, even though the show left the airways in the late 1960’s. Syndication, and media like YouTube and the SY-FI channel keep this marvelous series alive in the public. It still influences audiences after all these years.

I cannot know if Rod Serling would know how his writing has continued to influence the culture decades later. His courage and writing genius responded to his emotional pain in a creative and healthy way.

Thanks Rod Serling. Maybe you are standing in the corner, commenting as we acknowledge your impact on us…

Prayer: Lord, help us all to continue to redeem pain into gain, Amen

I thank my God upon every remembrance of you,

Philippians 1:3

I wrote this blog entry last year, and unfortunately, the COVID issue is still with us in the form of the Omicron variant. I was just planning to write a piece titled “Take Up Your Cross”. The content would have been similar to the entry below. Then I stumbled onto this one. Just change the dates to 2022, change the months we have been battling COVID to 21, and we are at the same place practically. Yet this year, we have another tool in the fight- the powerful weapons of vaccination and boosters in the fight against COVID. My sincere prayer is that we all continue our part in the COVID fight. We need to get vaccinated and boosted to help ourselves and our communities. We need to help our frontline workers too, – they are dying themselves…

Lots of people who are “in the trenches” every day serving others in a selfless manner, do not see themselves as heroes. Those doctors, nurses, police officers, paramedics, emergency room staff, and other first responders (and many others) will tell you that they are simply doing their jobs. And they are. The thing is, they have chosen heroic careers, even if they do not see themselves as heroes.

As this COVID-19 pandemic reaches into 2021, we are looking at over 9 months of battle with an invisible enemy. Yes, we all fight the fight. Most of us are defensive fighters- we mask up, social distance, sacrifice gathering with friends and family, etc. We are trying to cut down the overrunning of hospital capacity by our prudent behavior.

Others are on the offensive, running toward the battle. They see people falling and they run to help. Yes, that is their chosen profession. I contend that those people on the front lines are heroes, no matter whether they agree with that assessment or not.

I could not be prouder of my own children in this battle. My daughter, a physician who encounters patients at their most vulnerable times, has had to spend time away from her own family, at times, when she thought that she might be exposing them to a possible virus danger. My son, a police officer, typically makes the first contact with dangerous situations, no matter whether he knows if there is COVID-19 present or not. He does not have the luxury to ask.

Many, many front-line workers do the same, and they have done so for nearly a year without much respite. This story is repeated daily throughout this country, and indeed the whole world. I simply ask that we pray for these heroes, and thank them whenever we can.

OK, we will not call you heroes. We will just say, “Thanks for your service, and we love you”

Prayer: Lord, please protect those who protect us, Amen.

“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6

I want to wish my readers a very warm and Merry Christmas. Thank you for your faithful following and support. I am including that wish to readers who have followed this blog from other countries. My apologies if the translation is not perfect. The sentiment is!

Frohe Weihnachten

“Feliz Navidad”

Geseënde Kersfees

God Jul

Kala Christouyenna

Geseënde kersfees

Merry Christmas to all!

 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.  The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it                                                                                                                                                   John 1:4-5

As Christmas approaches in the harshness of winter (here in the Northern Hemisphere), we become obsessed with the little light that is available this time of year. The light of the Christmas Star is seen as a beacon of hope in a dreary time. Artificial lights abound this time of year on homes, trees, buildings, etc. We take heart from seeing the beauty of lights this time of year. We yearn for light.

I was struck the other night as I was walking into my dark living room from my bedroom, which had a sliver of light shining through the slightly ajar door. I had some trouble seeing my way through the living room since I was walking away from the light source.

However, my return trip to the bedroom was nicely illuminated because I was walking toward the light. The metaphor struck me at once. As we move toward the light, our path is illuminated. As we walk away from the light source, our vision is altered- dimmed and dangerous.

So, dear reader, I pray that as we approach another Christmas under the shadow of COVID-19, you may walk in the light that God sent forth for us in his son’s birth.

Prayer: Lord, light dispels darkness. Help us to clearly see the light this Christmas season, Amen.

John Lewis

“The world is full of so-called prayer warriors who are prayer-ignorant. They’re full of formulas and programs and advice, peddling techniques for getting what you want from God. Don’t fall for that nonsense. This is your Father you are dealing with, and he knows better than you what you need. With a God like this loving you, you can pray very simply. Like this: Our Father in heaven…                                      Matthew 6:7-9 (The Message)

Praying for other people is a right and proper thing to do, but often, the prayer is not complete without an action. There are several old proverbs about the idea of prayer and behavior. One of them, “You can’t pray without moving your feet” is a variation of an old West African proverb, “When you pray, move your feet”. That saying was used by civil rights icon John Lewis, who passed just last year.

What do these sayings mean? Surely one can pray effectively without moving one’s feet. Indeed, that is true in the technical sense. In the practical sense however, perhaps prayer is not really complete without an accompanying action.  For example, when we pray for health, we better be practicing some good habits of eating, exercise and sleep. When we pray for a good grade on that exam, we better have studied hard for it. When we pray for the job we applied for, we better be prepared for the interview and have practiced the skills needed for it.

In other words, prayer is not a magic incantation to make things just appear without us doing our part. When we pray for that person who is sick, we may need to complete that prayer with a note, a call, or bringing them a meal. When we pray for our elected leaders, we should also participate in good government by voting and contacting those legislators.

No, we cannot accompany every prayer with an action. It is also true that there are many things that we cannot do a thing about. We just rely upon God who will move in his own way and in his own timing. Sometimes we just acknowledge that we are helpless in a situation. Prayer is the recognition that God is in control of the things we are not. But let us not take the easy way and just say “I’ll pray about that”.  

We need to do what we can do to accompany the prayers.

Prayer: Lord, you have given us the power and privilege of prayer. Help us to understand it and honor you with complete prayers, Amen

“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.                                                                                                                                                                    Luke 1:38

In yesterday’s blog, I talked about the unique use of the word “grace” (charitoo) used only twice in the Bible. Once it was used as the word to describe the grace given to Mary when she assented to accepting the role of “God carrier” from the angel who declared her to be the vessel to carry Jesus into the world. The other instance is when Paul told the Ephesian believers that they had that same grace to carry the message of healing to a broken world. So, I think we have established that this seems to be a unique calling that we have, akin to Mary’s role as giving birth to the Savior.

It also struck me that Mary had a say in this. This was not some edict that God enforced on Mary. While she had been set apart for this important mission, she did have a decision to make. She did not need to sign up for this assignment that was fraught with pain, anxiety and uncertainty. She could have said “No”.

But Mary did not say no. Because of that, we have a wonderful plan, an unsurpassed story that we celebrate every year. Mary agreed to be the human host of the “Lamb of God”.

So too do we have a say in our part of the plan of being “God carriers”. We can agree to it and bear the costs attendant with it, as well as the rewards of it. Mary’s agreement was the start of God’s plan of redeeming his lost sheep. Our agreement keeps that legacy going forward.

Prayer: Every day we have the opportunity to say “Yes” to your plan. Give us continued grace to do so, Amen.

And coming in, he said to her, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.”                       Luke 1:28

to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. Ephesians 1:6

I do so love the Christmas season! The story of Christmas is so rich and so deep that it cannot really be understood unless one understands the nature of God- as the one who loves us and wants to give his very best to us. That is why he sent his son, Jesus into the world.

We start with a miracle. The miracle of incarnation. Literally, we understand incarnation as  –“a central Christian doctrine that God became flesh, that God assumed a human nature and became a man in the form of Jesus Christ, the Son of God and the second person of the Trinity. … (Oxford Dictionary)

That, of course, is a miracle of the highest order, and it is central to Christian belief. The announcement of the angel to young Mary, a virgin, is found in Luke chapter 1, staring at verse 26. He went on to tell her that she was highly favored, and that she would be giving birth to the Savior, son of the Most-High God. She was literally to be a “God-carrier”.

In the next few blogs, I want to discuss her role as God-carrier. More importantly, I want to discuss our role as “God-carriers”. You see, the very same word that the angel used to describe Mary to tell her of her mission to carry Jesus into a broken world, is used by Paul in Ephesians as he speaks to young believers in that city. That Greek word for grace, (pronounced “charitoo”), is used only one other time in the Bible, and it is used to describe those who accept the mission of spreading grace to a broken world in Ephesians 1:6. So, we have the same role as being carriers of grace to a broken world.

 I will be talking more about this in coming days. Stay tuned.

Prayer: Father, you have chosen us for a mission that we are unable to do without your incredible gift to us, Amen.

To trust in, wait for, look for, or desire something or someone; or to expect something beneficial in the future  

-Baker’s Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology

“but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”                                                               Isaiah 40:31

 There are multiple ways to look at the concept of hope. The definition above conveys several of those aspects of hope. It is one thing to “wait for” an event with anticipation. It is quite another to trust in that event happening. Then there is the concept of expecting something beneficial, as opposed to wishing that something bad does NOT happen.

All these concepts seem to be embodied in the word “hope”. All of them are true depending on how we use the word.

I like to think that hope is more about a mindset than just a fleeting variable of the moment.

A mindset of hope is based upon our belief in God’s provision and love for us. In that sense, hope is more like the “trust in” part of the definition above.

Isaiah wrote that those who hope in the Lord will” renew their strength, they will soar on wings like eagles, they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint”

So, we see that hope is not just a desire, but it is our source of energy, no matter the circumstances we face.

As we grow closer to Christmas, hope lies in our language and our hearts. We have a hope that the Spirit of Christmas can transform a culture increasingly rife with hostility and conflict.

The hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight. ( O Little Town of Bethlehem)

Prayer: Father, you have given us hope, no matter the circumstances. Thank you for this lifeline of how to look at the world, Amen.

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.                                                                                                                                                            Isaiah 9:6 (KJV)

We are in the “home stretch” of the Christmas buying season. Days are slipping by as we count down to Christmas. Most people, often women, take great care in trying to get good things for their loved ones, spending hours, even days, searching out just the right gifts.  Some men I have known have spent up to 20 minutes trying to find the right gift before resorting to the tried-and-true gift certificate.  Hey, people appreciate them!

If buying gifts were all that Christmas was about, we would indeed be the most miserable of people.  I truly enjoy giving gifts to people, but that, of course, is not the essence of Christmas.  Christmas is truly an invasion of the heart with a renewed spirit.  The first Christmas was an invasion of earth by the visitation of Jesus born in the flesh.  This invasion was little noted at the time, being witnessed only by a select few people who scarcely knew what to make of the occasion. From that humble invasion came a spirit that we now know as God’s idea of how to show real love.  Christmas giving is meant to be an expression of love to one another, shown that day some 2000 years ago. 

So the expression of love, which is the real idea here, can be done in many ways, only one of which is physical gift giving. We can give the gift of life by listening closely and intently to others, especially in their time of need.  We can give the gift of life by a word of encouragement to others when they look a little defeated by the day’s worries.  We can give the gift of life to people without a word, but through a glance and a smile, or maybe a nod of approval.

In the next few days before Christmas, try a little experiment.  When you are sitting in a meeting, a group setting, church, or some other gathering where someone is a speaker, look directly at the speaker, give a little smile, and nod approval.  You will have just given to that speaker a little gift of life.

Most people reading this column have already sent their Christmas cards for the year.  However, I encourage another experiment. During the rest of the year, send a card of encouragement periodically to people, for no apparent reason other than to affirm them. You will be sending life to them.

So as we settle into the commemoration of the gift of life that God has given to the world, let us give the gift of life to others.  Have a merry and blessed Christmas! 

Prayer: Lord, help us to spread the giving spirit of Christmas all year, Amen