Gentleness is one of those characteristics we often admire but don’t always understand. In a world that rewards being loud, forceful, and reactive, gentleness can easily be mistaken for weakness. We sometimes assume that strong people must be tough, decisive, and unwilling to back down. But Jesus offers us a different model. Jesus described himself […]
Who comes to mind when you hear the word “faithfulness?” Is it someone trustworthy? Someone dependable? Someone who shows up no matter what? Someone who keeps their word? I like that one. Someone faithful is someone who keeps their word. Maybe a better way to say it is, someone who keeps the Word. In John […]
If you are like me, when you hear the word “generosity,” you immediately think of someone giving a significant gift like money. But have you ever considered that being generous might also mean giving someone the benefit of the doubt? Think about it. Instead of jumping to the worst possible conclusions, you might consider that […]
What comes to mind when you hear the word “kindness?” If you are like me, it is words like nice and polite. But in the scripture, kindness is deeper and richer than being nice or polite. It is a deliberate expression of God’s love that seeks to make life good for others. It is active, […]
“…the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control” Galatians 5:22-23. Have you ever prayed for patience? It is not an easy prayer. I heard of a person who once prayed, “Lord, make me patient and make me patient now!” Patience As much as we sometimes think it […]
Every time I hear the words “Let there be peace on earth…” I think of the absence of conflict. But the meaning changes when I hear the next phrase of that song, “and let it begin with me.” The song is not about the absence of conflict as much as it is being at one […]
As a child, when I attended Vacation Bible School, I learned the song, “I’ve got the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart.” At that time in my life, I had no idea what I was singing, but obviously, it made an impact on me. What is the joy we sing about? If we […]
Loving like Jesus is not easy. Learning to love and modeling love is the challenge of every follower of Jesus. Some people put a lot of emphasis on the social aspects of love, while others emphasize the personal aspects. Loving like Jesus is not easy. In the midst of our cultural wars, we have made […]
As we celebrate our nation’s 250th birthday, I want to offer a way that can and will make America great again. The way I propose is rooted in the Wesleyan movement started by John Wesley in the 18th century. Leonard Sweet says that the Wesleyan Revival was born on its knees, rooted in fasting and […]
There is a legend of a conversation between Jesus and the angel Gabriel, after the ascension. The conversation focuses on how Jesus’ work on earth will continue. Gabriel approaches Jesus and asks, “Master, you suffered terribly on earth to pay for the sins of humankind. Does everyone down there know and appreciate the extent of your […]