The Plumbline

I’m not saying that I have this all together, that I have it made. But I am well on my way, reaching out for Christ, who has so wondrously reached out for me. Friends, don’t get me wrong: By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I’ve got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus. I’m off and running, and I’m not turning back. (Philippians 3:12-14) I am NOT someone who has a it all together with a "complete package" as it comes to talents, treasures, looks, or ability. We might like to give a good impression of having it "all together", but in reality, it takes a whole lot of duct tape and bailing wire to keep it that way! It takes a whole lot of work and emotional effort to live that way. In fact, I had decided a long time ago the "all together" / "complete package" just didn't "fit" who I wanted to be in this life. It took a while to get to the point of not being afraid to let others know...

Let each of us please our neighbors for their good, to help them be stronger in faith. (Romans 15:2) Our neighbor is really any other human being in close proximity to us. During the pandemic, many of us did not really make much contact with our 'neighbors'. We were living like 'shut-ins' and some of us even lost contact with the 'human race' except through things like Zoom or Skype calls. The things we may have 'endured' during the pandemic may just have contributed to a few of our 'neighbors' losing contact with us and vice versa. The loss of contact has actually made us a bit 'weaker' - as each of us really strengthens the other. "The impersonal hand of government can never replace the helping hand of a neighbor." (Hubert H. Humphrey) Take this idea one step further and you might say we became a bit more 'impersonal' in the age of the pandemic. We lost that 'helping hand' of neighbors. Remember, we aren't ...

We have all probably heard the saying: Don't Worry, Be Happy! Try that one on for size and you might just find worrying is just a part of life and it is kind of "Pollyanna-like" to just think you can shut it off and "Be Happy". God wants his kids "happy" - but we get this word "happy" confused with a state of mind or euphoria. Instead, we need to learn to think of this as a lifestyle - one of being blessed, even in the midst of conflict. Consider what we know to be true about God. He is listening. One of the things which contributes to anxiety more than anything else is the belief that no one knows the situation we are in. It is comforting to know God hasn't forgotten to listen to our needs. He is ready to rescue. If we are worrying, we aren't looking for a rescue, but rather for a way to rescue ourselves! This may not seem significant at first, but trust me, God's rescue is always going to be better than our own! God is no...