Safe People & Safe Community

When you were a child, where did you go when you needed a snack, a bike repair, comfort for a skinned knee, or a referee for a dispute with a sibling? More than likely, you sought out your mom or dad or a trusted guardian, because God gave them the responsibility of caring for your needs. But no human can parent perfectly, as all mankind is affected by brokenness. However, if you have trusted in Jesus Christ as your Savior, then you are a child of God. So when you pray, you&rsquo…

“These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.”  JOHN 15:11 What was the joy that Jesus had? Joy should not be confused with happiness. In fact, it is an insult to Jesus Christ to use the word happiness in connection with Him. The joy of Jesus was His absolute self-surrender and self-sacrifice to His Father— the joy of doing that which the Father sent Him to do— “…who for the joy…

The two women occupied the aisle seats across from each other. The flight was two hours, so I couldn’t help but see some of their interactions. It was clear they knew each other, might even be related. The younger of the two (probably in her sixties) kept reaching in her bag to hand the older (I’d guess in her nineties) fresh apple slices, then homemade finger sandwiches, then a towelette for clean up, and finally a crisp copy of the New York Times. Each hand…

The Lord’s encounter with the Samaritan woman is a wonderful example of His loving response to hurting individuals. Although this meeting may have appeared accidental, it was really a providential appointment with the Messiah. As the woman approached the well, Jesus initiated conversation by asking for a drink of water. Since Jews and Samaritans didn’t fraternize with one another, His direct approach surprised her. But it opened the door for dialogue. Throughout…

A monk named Telemachus lived a quiet life, but his death at the end of the fourth century changed the world. Visiting Rome from the East, Telemachus intervened in the blood sport of the gladiatorial arena. He jumped over the stadium wall and tried to stop the gladiators from killing each other. But the outraged crowd stoned the monk to death. The emperor Honorius, however, was moved by Telemachus’ act and decreed the end of the 500-year practice of gladiator games.…

Sarah Young writes: “One thing that traps you in self-absorption is being overly concerned about how you look—in the mirror or in the eyes of others.” (Jesus Always: Embracing Joy in His Presence) I love learning from other people. Watching how a person interacts with others often instructs me on how I can interact more wisely and lovingly myself. Seeing how another honors her husband, parents her children, organizes her schedule, or prioritizes her…

All of us feel lonely from time to time, perhaps because of ill health, a busy work schedule, or moving for a new job or school. When that happens, we find it harder to reach out to friends. Our mind starts telling us no one’s interested in our thoughts or feelings, and we build walls around our heart that let few people in. The more we withdraw, the worse we feel. But it’s important to distinguish between loneliness and aloneness, because believers are never…

When the Bible tells us that Christ came to “redeem mankind” it offers a whole lot more than forgiveness. To simply forgive a broken man is like telling someone running a marathon, “It’s okay that you’ve broken your leg. I won’t hold that against you. Now finish the race.” That is cruel, to leave him disabled that way. No, there is much more to our redemption. The core of Christ’s mission is foretold in Isaiah 61: The Spirit…

The apostle Paul writes, “For just as the body is one and yet has many parts, and all the parts of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ” (1 Corinthians 12:12). He explains that though one part of the body can’t accomplish what another part can, this doesn’t mean it is any less important. So it is with us. We are each different, and every difference represents a unique contribution we can make in serving the Lord. Whether we…