What would Paul say if we actually obeyed God’s call for justice and compassion? Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the saints in the United States of America. I rejoice to hear of your great love for all God’s children, that you are not like the unrighteous who live in fear of strangers. Even the wicked know how to care for their own families, but you do much more than that, abiding in the perfect love that casts... Read more
What if we stopped rewriting the Bible’s clearest truths? Today’s Bible (with qualifications) reads: Share with God’s people who are in need … unless you think there won’t be enough to go around. Practice hospitality … unless they aren’t your kind of people. Look after orphans and widows … unless they come from a dangerous part of town. Anyone who has food should share with those who have none … unless they are addicts and felons and you’re not comfortable... Read more
The eye-opening backstory to 19 cents of fruity fantasy. Five young women gather for tea in a swanky suburban home. “Were you raised here?” asks Laurel, addressing Dora, the attractive 30ish Latino woman. ““I’m originally from Guatemala,” Dora says, setting her napkin on her skirt, “but I lived here since I was 13.” “Kent and I had such an incredible time in Central America,” says Kylie. “We stayed at a gorgeous resort on a lake with hot tubs heated by... Read more
~ Would a God of love turn into a hideous monster at the stroke of midnight? ~ Your village has gathered to hear the king describe a wonderful new city he’s built. “The walls glimmer with diamonds and the streets are paved with gold,” he says. “You will lack nothing there and all are welcome!” “And what will it cost us?” asks the cobbler. “Our firstborn children?” “My gift is free!” exclaims the king. “Only say ‘yes’.” You turn to... Read more
~ Once acknowledged, this self-denial is as simply fixed as the Emperor’s New Clothes. ~ “Unless you become like a child,” Jesus said, “you cannot enter the kingdom.” The take-away is to maintain a posture of humility and curiosity, to be open to new ideas and correction, and to admit that our perspectives may be wrong. In truth, when people question our beliefs, the last attitude we tend to display is childlike curiosity. “They don’t understand,” we say. “They’re deceived.... Read more
It’s the 1930s Dust Bowl, all over again. 1936. The lusty strains of Benny Goodman’s orchestra fill a Santa Barbara café, nourished by the variegated aroma of coffee, bacon and citrus bloom. A man pushes aside a plate of half-eaten special, lights up a smoke and grabs the morning paper. Inside, he discovers a black and white photo. Greasy Dust Bowl farmer, shirtless with worn overalls. Exhausted wife with baby in tow. A passel of kids. The sagging porch of... Read more
Do we care enough to leave our children a livable world? After 75 years of flush ticket sales, Bambi has had a good run in the forest. Cinderella and Mickey are living comfortably off their golf courses and holiday rentals. Jiminy Cricket and Donald Duck are in the gravy, thanks to strategic product placement and embedded marketing. The Little Mermaid (who is not so little anymore) is also doing quite well, managing her restaurants and cosmetic chains. All of the... Read more
What if Jesus really meant what he said about loving — not condemning — the world? God so loved the world that he sent his only Son to show you how to be respectable, church-going Christians. Your neighbors need to see God’s love in action, which means dressing sharp and driving away to church on Sunday morning. The important thing is to look religious. Don’t sleep in like your neighbors who were probably out drinking last night. There’s no better... Read more
How does our materialism impact “the least of these” in forgotten places? You and three friends are navigating a monolithic canyon of electric luminescence. “Better than Las Vegas,” says Chuck. “There must be a billion lights,” says Rodney. “Those video walls are wicked,” says Betsy. You are literally speechless, gaping at an enormous dancing green-skinned chocolate that melts in your mouth but not in your hands. “That screen must be 10 stories high,” says Betsy. “Twenty at least,” says Rodney.... Read more
Although biblical inerrancy has been a cornerstone of Christian doctrine in recent years, it has not always been so. Errors in the text were taken for granted by many church leaders. Martin Luther said, “When discrepancies occur in Holy Scripture and we cannot harmonize them, let it pass. It does not endanger the article of the Christian faith.”[1] In fact, we risk idolatry when we elevate the written word above the “word made flesh.” Jesus fully reveals the God who... Read more
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