One of the most serious dangers confronting those who minister in the city is that their lives come to be built on frenzy and compulsive busyness. This usually leads to a lack of focus, a tendency to accumulate more and more things, a collapse of reflection, and the...
01479 – Telling People What to Do
Never tell people how to do things. Tell them what to do...and they will surprise you with their ingenuity.
01471 – Nations No Stronger than Weakest People
No matter how big a nation is, it is no stronger than its weakest people, and as long as you keep a person down, some part of you has to be down there to hold him down, so it means you cannot soar as you might...
01469 – The Cost of False Fundamentals
It seems that a whole lot of people, both Christians and non-Christians, are under the impression that you can’t be a Christian and vote for a Democrat, you can’t be a Christian and believe in evolution, you can’t be a Christian and be gay, you can’t be a Christian...
01466 – Moving in the Right Direction
The heart of love is treating all persons equally, regardless of their proximity to us in life. When we care about other people’s children and not just our own, other people’s life chances, and not just our own people, then we have moved in the direction of the love...
01459 – We Are Not Alone
Anything that's human is mentionable, and anything that is mentionable can be more manageable. When we can talk about our feelings, they become less overwhelming, less upsetting, and less scary. The people we trust with that important talk can help us know that we are...
01440 – Fearing the In-Between
The issue is not that people fear change so much as they fear the in-between. What is known is what is comfortable, even if it is not the healthiest of situations. Anything that brings uncertainty into our lives can be paralyzing. People are inclined to stay in the...
01434 – Memories Matter
If you find out next week that you are terminally ill--and we're all terminally ill on this bus--what will matter are memories of beauty, that people loved you, and that you loved them.
01422 – The Collateral Damages of Living
Everyone around you; the people you share the grocery store line with, pass in traffic, sit next to at work, encounter on social media, and see across the kitchen table--are all experiencing the collateral damage of living.
01413 – Be Gentle with Yourself
You can't heal the people you love.You can't rescue them.You can promise that they won't journey alone.You can loan them your map.But this trip is theirs. Be gentle with yourself--it's hard work to be present to the freedom of the Other.