My Geode
My seven year old friend and I were looking at my geode. I showed him the outside first. It looked like a piece of moldy cheese. “Ugly, isn’t it?” “Yeah,” he agreed. “But wait,” I told him, “wait until you see the inside!”
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Comparing Ourselves With Others
Do you ever try to boost your self-esteem? Of course you do – we all do – typically by comparing ourselves with others. I recommend against such comparisons, and so does the apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians 10:12. What’s wrong with this practice? Several things.
Romans 3:23 cuts out pride and shame. Compare yourself w/ God, not w/ people.
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Gender Identity and the Image of God
I’m sad. Not angry, not scared, just sad – sad for all that’s lost when we use gender to define who we are. It brings tears to my eyes. Gender identity is such a limiting concept.
Gender identity is such a limiting concept. Identity goes far deeper than gender.
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Christian Hypocrisy
Hypocrisy is acting like what you aren’t, The phony biblical Pharisees looked good and hid their evil hearts. Christians are phony in a different way. When a Christian sins they look bad and obscure their newly good hearts. For a Christian, sin is hypocrisy.
Hypocrisy is acting like who we aren't. For a Christian, sin is hypocrisy.
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Self-Esteem & Self-Worth (They’re Not the Same)
Self-esteem is what we think we’re worth. Self-worth is what we’re actually worth. The two don’t always match. Our estimate of our worth may have nothing to do with reality.
God (who epitomizes worth) has made us like Himself. We don't need to strive for worth – it's already there.
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Redeemed (I’m Not Who I Used to Be)
I’m sitting in my parked car overlooking the Pacific listening, not to the thunder of waves, but to the message of Mike Weaver’s heart-piercing song, Redeemed. I listen and I write. I’ve put the CD player on “Repeat” to let the words sink deep. Redeemed. New. Free. I listen to the words over and over. Thirty times … fifty times. I need these words. Redeemed. New. Free. Free from who I used to be. Free to live differently from how I used to live. Free to personally access the richness Jesus brings.
Read moreBeing Me at the Airport
Here’s a true story about a horrible/wonderful experience. A disfigured stranger at the airport gave me a close glimpse of the profound difference between humiliation and humility. He reminded me of Jesus. He was at ease with himself. He lived out humility: not trying to be more than he was … not settling for less than he was. His example furthered my own journey from a pervasive sense of shame to knowing that God has given each of us – including me, including you – unassailable and unchanging dignity.
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