Exodus 18 is very often used in leadership books written by Christian writers. Many have described it as the foundation of the US legal system (and other similar systems throughout history). It simply is the idea of delegation, but it took someone giving Moses the idea before it ever became a reality. Jethro, who was the father-in-law of Moses, saw that Moses was attempting to take care of every dispute among the people, and he was making both the people and himself weary. So Jethro had a simple but needed idea. Basically, he told Moses to only handle the biggest disputes and let trusted men handle smaller groups of people…

What is your first response to the sins that are committed by other people? Wait a minute, should I clarify? Let’s say that someone who doesn’t like you or who has hurt you in some way does something to stain their character. Maybe they do something that is obviously not morally right. What is the first thing that goes through your mind? OK let’s go again. This time let’s say your sweet grandmother was to sin? (Yes, grandmothers sin, too). Let’s say she does something that is obviously not becoming a person who claims to be a Christian. Now, what’s your first response? Should the identity of the person matter…

The post that appeared here last week was originally scheduled for a little over a year ago. [Here is that post.] That did not happen, though, because of some “production issues.” A little editing was done in order for what I wrote at that time to be able to be published last week. Those “production issues” have provided a unique opportunity. They have allowed something that has taken a year to develop to be condensed into only a week. A year or so ago, when I wrote what was posted only last week, I was writing in anticipation of a new phase in my life. On December 31, 2016, I “retired” from full-time local preaching. On…

It was one of the ancient scholars who said, “Nothing is permanent, except change.” Things in life are going to change. You cannot stop change. You age. You go through different periods of life, and you cannot return to the past. I look at another year coming and going – there have been changes in family and friendships because of the losing and the gaining of people. There is also the development of different traditions and experiences. William Arthur Ward said, “Change, like sunshine, can be a friend or a foe, a blessing or a curse, a dawn or a dusk.” How we respond to inevitable change is really the difference…

A stranger held the door open for me as I was entering the restaurant and he was leaving. I responded with a heartfelt “thank you.” When Jim opens the car door for me and sees that I am safely inside (which he almost always does), I try to always thank him for that kindness. When I receive a gift from someone, I thank them verbally for that gift, and sometimes send a thank you note. When I am asked to speak at a Ladies’ Day at a congregation, I usually begin my talk with a thank you for the invitation and the hard work that went into making the day possible.…

Happy holidays. Merry Christmas. It’s the most wonderful time of the year. While there is a lot of stress associated with Christmas–with all the shopping and outings–it is a time of the year I always enjoy, especially while we still have children at home young enough to be totally into Christmas. For some, though, Christmas isn’t easy. They may enjoy the day, and get to see family, and take part in all sorts of traditions, but, at some point during the day, they may shed tears. And I’m writing today’s article to say that it’s quite okay to cry on Christmas. To me, Christmas is all about memories. We make memories each year,…

On the day that I am typing these words, I heard a man use an interesting expression as he was interviewed on a radio program. I found out as I listened to the man who used it that it is, as he said, one of those “old sayings.”  I suppose that I need to do more reading, listening, and/or something because it was the first time I’d heard it. I am quite sure that it will not be the last time I think about it.  The man, who is a coach of an athletic team I don’t even follow, was talking about how some people are fountains and how others are…