The Plumbline

Ever eat your words? I have and they don't taste too good sometimes! A meal of my words sometimes consists of a plateful of complaining, a side dish of fretful words, and a handful of impractical advice. We all have those moments when our words don't actually match up to our intentions, don't we? They just kind of tumble out without our even noticing they did - all because we weren't paying attention. Did you realize that was one factor in communication? Paying attention is probably the biggest factor in communicating our thoughts in such a way that they not only make sense, but so they are spoken in kindness, with a degree of intellect, and in a manner than actually helps build the relationship instead of tearing it down! A person eats well when he speaks wisely - but if we forget to engage our minds in the process of speaking, we will likely only dine on some pretty nasty stuff. A person eats well when he speaks wisely, but the treacherous crave violence. Those wh...

Voice your allegiance - we can do this for many causes, right? There are animal rights groups asking for support all the time - to save the whales, rescue animals from environments that have not provided well for their needs, and provide foster homes for rescued animals. In days gone by some may remember pledging their allegiance to God and country in the form of the Pledge of Allegiance we said in our classrooms every morning. Still others will recount giving their allegiance to any number of 'activist' groups to further women's rights or get equal pay for equal work. Causes abound and allegiance can be granted or rescinded quite easily, but there is one 'allegiance' we need more than any other, and if we want to make wise choices with our allegiance, this one should never be rescinded! So if you believe deep in your heart that God raised Jesus from the pit of death and if you voice your allegiance by confessing the truth that “Jesus is Lord,” then you will be sa...

What lies behind you and what lies in front of you, pales in comparison to what lies inside of you. (Ralph Waldo Emerson) Inside is much different than what is outside, is it not? Right now, Arizona is warming up and the temperature outdoors is hot, while the cool of the air conditioned inside is much more pleasant. Have you ever tried to take something inside that really needed what was outside in order to prosper and grow? In time, you found it could not adjust to the change and it either beckoned to be released outside again, or it died. We are coming to a peak and possibly the decline in this pandemic. What lies behind each of us with recent events? Some will have no job to return to because they were furloughed and now must find new work once the country 'reopens'. Others will realize they didn't even make a small dent in the cleaning supplies, toilet paper, and foodstuff they squirreled away against 'impending doom'. Still others will emerge with a strong...