Human Interactions
When a man of Paul’s standing says he walked among a community of people with fear and trembling, you might want to crouch to the edge of your seat in wonderment. How could that be? What kinds of people would put this renowned zealot in a state of fear, let alone trembling? But the apostle uses that exact phrase, not […]
Nothing says more about a person than the individual’s perception of self. Diverse attitudes playout in the marketplace every day. Folks would have you view them a certain way, and if you don’t, they are insulted. Façade matters more to them than reality. In a day when social influencers teach people to advertise their significance, it’s the horse of a […]
Can you bear with other people’s shortcomings? What is the measure of your tolerance? Do you condemn others for faults you are guilty of? Human nature is blind to its own errors. Humans have infinite forbearance for personal flaws. Self-biased, we crucify others for what we excuse in ourselves. Tenderly self-appraising, we justify in us the ugly things for which […]
Ethical lessons are often taught by contrasting humans against other creatures. Hyenas, wolves, pigs, etc. are symbols of ferocity, filth, and greed while doves and sheep denote virtue, meekness, purity, peace, etc. How about houseflies? Flies are small insects with an amazing capacity to transmit pathogens. Their hairy bodies and legs pick and drop grime from surface to surface, facilitating […]
Paul’s epistle to the Romans has been called the apostle’s greatest work. Chosen by God to reach the Gentile world with the gospel of salvation, Paul’s task is anything but easy. To begin with, salvation through faith in Jesus Christ is a new concept, not only to Gentiles, but to Jews themselves. Secondly, Gentiles have persecuted Jews for millennia. To […]
Have you ever wondered if someone you held in high regard even cared about you? Existence of doubt is very telling about a relationship. Love belongs in a special class of values. Its elevated position makes it as unmistakable as daylight. Under what circumstances would you wonder if it’s day or night? The moment love becomes doubtful, a relationship hangs […]
What does it mean to take the Lord’s Table in an unworthy manner? Have you ever heard those lines from a Church pulpit just before a Holy Communion service? Did you make a quick prayer of repentance to ‘acquire worthiness’ before the bread and juice reached your pew? Have you ever felt so unworthy you altogether skipped the sacrament? By […]
Hope is a potent virtue. It nudges us forward with a strange expectation of rewarding outcomes, even in the face of ominous circumstances. Let’s use an example from annals of the ancient world. Once upon a time, Benhadad king of Syria besieged Samaria, capital of Israel’s northern kingdom. Consequently, the city was famished for lack of supplies. Famine was so […]
Exhibition of human greatness has few men as tall as Moses. God Himself testified of it. In protesting Israel’s sin, He told Jeremiah, “Even if Moses and Samuel stood before me pleading for these people, I would not feel pity for them!” Spiritual greatness derives from someone’s ability to bend omnipotence to human need. Moses’ intercessions altered the course of […]
Humans have incredible capacity to adapt to adversity. Driven by inordinate fortitude, many make-do, and survive, when forced into near impossible situations. It doesn’t even take that much effort. Ironically, invitations for advancement are often greeted with stupefying resistance. For instance, four hundred and thirty years of tyranny didn’t prepare Israel for the liberty they craved. They couldn’t conceptualize its […]
