Faith & Life Inspirational Message

I would have no idea how many times I have told people, “take care.”   And I am sure there are just as many people out there who have said the same thing to me: “take care.”   It is very much like the phrase, “how’s it going?”   Most of the time I hear someone ask me that question, I assume it is not a real question.   It is a figure of speech---something we likely are to say to someone we know as we pass him or her on the street or in the hallway.             I am not against this act of cordiality.   I just don’t assume it means much more than that---people being cordial to one another.   It is an extended form of “hi.”   It is not a negative thing and I am not complaining.   In fact, I know the two phrases can become quite meaningful with the right kind of eye contact or voice inflection.   If I actually stop, look someone in the eyes and ask, “how are you,” with the right kind of v...

Everyone knows there are good days and there are bad days.   Sometimes we hear people say, “life has its ups and downs.”   We probably learn this lesson pretty early in life.   Actually, I think little kids experience the reality of life’s ups and downs even before they have language to explain it.   But they know it deep in the core of their beings.             I am also sure that most of us conclude early on that there is not much we can do about those “downs” in life.   Of course, some of those less than desirable periods are of our own making.   We do stupid things and pay the price.   But there are other “downers” in life that come our way and we are no more than sitting ducks for malady.   We get sick and sometimes suffer.   I know no person who gets up and says, “boy I hope I get really sick today!”   But clearly not a day goes by when someone in the world does not experien...

I like the word, solace.   If I were to use it in a college classroom, I am not sure how many students would know exactly what the word means.   I don’t think this is one of those places where I lament how much the younger generation does not know that I would claim my older generation knew at their age.   I am not sure that is true.   I do know that I learned so much along the way in life.   One great thing that college taught me was how little I knew!   Learning new words and being more articulate was an important learning, but it was one of many.             I know solace means offering comfort to those who are sad or somehow grieved.   Solace also means offering cheer and making folks cheerful.   It comes from the Latin word, solacium , which means to console.   A significant element of the ministry I have done throughout my life has been to offer solace.   I have been wit...

I learned a long time ago (as most adults do), that life inevitably hurts us from time to time.   Even though we know this will happen, it always is a tough and lousy situation when it happens.   Even though we know we will make it through, the “making it through” is not a fun experience.   I know the old saying assures us that “time heals,” but it often takes a lot of time!             Recently, there have been a number of people I know and hold dear that have been hurt.   Unfortunately the hurting was not of their own making.   This can make the hurt even more biting.   It is one thing to hurt ourselves; it is another to have the hurt inflicted upon us.   Finally, it perhaps does not matter how the hurt happens, but in the beginning it is tougher when the hurt is inflicted upon us.            Hurts come in various forms.   Probably the ...

Recently I had the occasion to encounter one of my favorite healing stories in the New Testament.   It is the healing of a man who could not hear and did not speak very well.   It is not the first time I had encountered the healing story, but I do think this time some new insight came my way.   I am always grateful when old things keep teaching me new things. The healing story comes from the seventh chapter of Mark’s gospel.   Jesus is ministering in the northern part of Palestine.   Hence, he is a long way from the religious center of Jerusalem.   In fact, the previous story narrates how Jesus heals the daughter of a Gentile woman, based on the Syrophoenician woman’s faith.   Then we are told “they” brought a deaf man to Jesus.   We are not told who “they” are, but we can assume they were some of the people who followed Jesus.   In light of some of his ministry and earlier healing events, perhaps Jesus was attracting some more attentio...