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Anger

January 9, 2026

The early Jesus-followers were magnificent psychologists. They observed how the deepest emotions could grab priority in our lives disrupting our spiritual balance, as well as, our relationships.

Anger held a special place of dishonor on the “Wall of Shame.”

James observes offering advice, “My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.”

Silence works wonders. That purveyor of sweetened poison—Pepsi—used to advertise “the pause that refreshes.” The real pause that refreshes occurs in the moment between provocation and response. And the Lord knows that I know how difficult that pause is. I’ve done better over the past 20 years. But sometimes it’s still a struggle.

Quick to listen; slow to speak. Excellent advice for living.

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Posted in Listening, Silence, Wisdom | Leave a Comment »

Temptation

January 8, 2026

Put a bag of potato chips near me, and I am tempted. I know they will show up as added white adipose tissue (fat) on my abdomen the next day. Knowledge does not negate temptation.

Put a woman in close proximity to some men, and they are tempted to reach out and touch.

Put a sweet treat near some women, and temptation insidiously injects into psyche.

We have small temptations. We have temptations that can lead to life-changing folly.

You can refer to Freud, Jung, Adler, James, or other psychologists. Or, better, check out early Christian writers. For example, our current guide—James.

When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.

Temptation is a fact of life. Quick check—are you breathing? Then temptation lies just around the corner. Even worse today are companies that hire scientists and engineers to develop products (from chips to social media) specifically designed to subtly tempt you into excess.

Self awareness of the desires that pop into consciousness plus a developed routine to avoid such nonsense protect us from yielding. Build a solid foundation that thwarts the invasion of tempters.

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Posted in Awareness, Wisdom | Leave a Comment »

Compassion

January 7, 2026

A small text document sits always at the top left of my computer screen. It shows me a blessing written by the Irish poet John O’Donohue.

May I live this day compassionate of heart…

Our pastor had a sort of lottery bowl at the front Sunday. It contained cards for us to draw at random. Referring to the star that guided the Magi, these were to be our “Star Words” for the year.

I drew Compassion.

I try to keep a clean desk (Even though Albert Einstein supposedly quipped, “If a messy desk is the sign of a disordered mind, of what is an empty desk a sign?”). I have placed the card on the desk lamp as a reminder for the year.

When someone does something foolish (even me) or stupid or even evil, it’s a reminder that there is some part of that someone in need of compassion. Perhaps even my small thought of compassion reflects on me as a reminder to also hold some compassion for my stupidity.

When an interview turned somewhat political and the interviewer asked executive coach Jerry Colonna how he could be compassionate toward the personality of Donald Trump, he replied, “I see an injured little boy trying to live up to his dad’s expectations, and I feel compassion.”

Where can we look beneath the surface and offer compassion today? And tomorrow?

(Yes, I digress from exploring the letter of James—but I think he’d approve.)

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Posted in Attitude, Compassion | Leave a Comment »

James-A Glimpse Into The First Followers

January 6, 2026

Imagination, according to Albert Einstein, is the first important component of the mind. Reason is its servant.

I love reading the early documents of the church as much for their glimpse into the early gatherings of Jesus-followers.

Imagine this. An event happened. Witnessed, documented according to the means of the time. An extraordinary event. A man, a teacher, predicted he would be killed by the religious/political leaders. Not only that (that would have been commonplace), he also predicted that he would return to life..

And it happened.

The story spread rapidly from Jerusalem through the eastern Mediterranean region both north and west and south and west. And also to the east. The message was that this was not a Jewish phenomenon. It was a human phenomenon. And the teaching was for all people—rich and poor, female and male, slave and owner. And the message was to turn the Roman culture of power structure on its head with a culture of love one another.

Small groups formed. People who had never associated with each other in a fellowship now worshiped and studied together.

At first, they must have gathered but also clustered into cliques along familiar societal lines.

Enter this general letter to Jesus-followers from his brother James.

His first advice for living in this new community (and he’ll address this in greater detail later) is this—forget your former identities and forge a new relationship.

OK, what he really says, “Believers in humble circumstances ought to take pride in their high position. But the rich should take pride in their humiliation—since they will pass away like a wild flower. For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed. In the same way, the rich will fade away even while they go about their business.”

So, when we gather, we should not gather into groups of rich and poor. The poor should think more highly of themselves (change in attitude) and the rich should realize in Jesus-terms it is easy to lose their riches and be humbled. 

Jesus-followers and those seeking or wondering gathering for singing, worship, and teaching must not gather into socially (or other) defined cliques but should be one group.

Think on that during your next gathering. I think this is very like Alcoholics Anonymous (which I’ve not experienced) or an Emmaus Community (which I have). No artificial structures. All are accepted as they are (and could be).

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Posted in Worship | Leave a Comment »

Wisdom

January 5, 2026

I have recommended a month of reading Wisdom literature to start the year on a good frame of mind for most of the 15 years of this blog. Usually I recommend the book of Proverbs. I will be reading James and the Sermon on the Mount this year for a change.

A class I led once tried to read Proverbs, but they soon grew bored. It’s tough to read straight through. James reads more like a homily. Not quite like your dad yelling at you constantly.

I rather like Andy Stanley’s theme for his podcast (and sermons)—Make Better Decisions and Live a Better Life. The best summary of Wisdom I’ve heard.

And, of course, at this site we are considering the words of Jesus as the foundation for Wisdom—sometimes explained or amplified by other writers. Maybe Paul or James from the New Testament, or maybe the desert Fathers, or later spiritual writers.

James calls himself a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ. He continues, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who, gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given himBut let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.”

Shall we then ask God for wisdom to help us live through 2026?

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Posted in Wisdom | Leave a Comment »

One Represents Many?

January 2, 2026

One media theme I’ve observed for decades that continues to generate smoke concerns acts by individual people.

You’ve seen it. You may have participated on social media. You may have been influenced. This is not an American thing. It’s a people thing.

One person does something—good or bad, but usually bad. People in media immediately extrapolate from the one to the many. Instead of this individual doing something, the reports make it seem that all people like that person are the same—gender, nationality, race, religion, age.

If you got caught doing something—bad or good—how representative would that be of people like you? Maybe you wish that it would reflect well on people like you.

Maybe 2026 will be the year where we truly represent what it means to be a Jesus-follower. Wouldn’t that be nice?

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Posted in Attitude, Living, Witness | Leave a Comment »

Happy New Year 2026

January 1, 2026

May your 2026 be filled with blessings and generosity and kindness. And may you face your challenges with grace and strength.

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Posted in Gratitude | Leave a Comment »

Wisdom January

December 31, 2025

January has 31 days. The Book of Proverbs has 31 chapters. Coincidence? I think not. (Well, since January was invented 1,000 years after the Proverbs was published, maybe it is.)

My longstanding tradition, as well as suggestion for others, consists of reading a chapter a day during January and reflecting on them to start the year off on the front foot.

The general letter of James, the brother of Jesus and early church leader, is written in the Wisdom tradition. It is pithy, short, advice as relevant today as 2,000 years ago.

Further, Matthew’s portrayal of Jesus is that of a Wisdom teacher. 

This year’s focus for Wisdom January will include reading and reflecting upon James and the Sermon on the Mount from Matthew 5-7.

I may not be writing every day from them, but I promise to study them faithfully—again.

You could do worse than to devote about 10 minutes every morning or evening to these guides to Life with God.

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Posted in Disciplines, Wisdom | Leave a Comment »

Close Out One Year–Begin Another

December 30, 2025

The end of a season of life calls for reflection and anticipation. I’m posting this on December 30. We are all, no matter the culture or geography, closing out a calendar year. Sometimes a semester of school ends. Or graduation from high school or university. Or a child marries and leaves the nest.

Reflecting on the past brings with it opportunities to consider what we did to help people during the past time and, perhaps, where we fell short. We failed to put a donation into a cup somewhere. We failed to give a kind word when it would have helped so much. 

Perhaps we read something that deepened our spiritual life. Perhaps we had deep conversations. Perhaps we did help someone in need.

In the Examen promulgated by Ignatius of Loyola, we are told to review the day, face our shortcomings, and look forward to the new day.

I suggest that you avoid New Year’s Resolutions. Unless, that is, you make something very specific. Perhaps I will walk five days per week. Or, I will work out at the fitness center three days per week. (Not like Dave, who goes into our fitness center every Monday, steps one foot on the treadmill, then goes out to coffee hour and tells the men he went to the fitness center today 😉

Best is to be intentional about what sort of person you will be this year.

  • I am the type of person who intentionally eats nutritious meals.
  • I am the type of person who is physically fit.
  • I am the type of person who meditates and prays to deepen my spiritual life.
  • I am the type of person who is kind and generous to others along the way. 

And, if we slip up a day, that’s life. And, we go on to the next day.

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Posted in Attitude, Intention | Leave a Comment »

Fear Not!

December 29, 2025

That is the most common “command” in the Bible.

Every time a person in the Bible has a spiritual encounter with a messenger of God, the first words from the messenger are, “Fear not!”

I have had “nudges” from God and have had some spiritual experience within meditation. But I imagine if I had a full on vision, I would need those first words of calming.

I talked a bit yesterday about Jesus’s invitation. It’s simple, yet life changing. He needed a bit of that Fear Not discussion with his closest followers more than once. I imagine that many of his followers during the ensuing 20 centuries have needed that bit of reassurance.

Maybe that is why today we can find many who say they believe in Jesus. How many are actually followers? Obeying his commands about loving one another.

Many, it seems, put their own pride and prejudices ahead of these simple instructions from the Master. When we finally come into awareness of our wrong path, it’s time to stop and take stock.

Perhaps at that point we need to consider honest answers to these questions. What if you were not afraid? What path are you on? Who are you following? Yourself? Has someone led you astray?

You don’t need to be a theologian. It’s simple. Get up and move—“Follow me.”

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Posted in Awareness, choosing, Intention | Leave a Comment »

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