Only What You Give

“Remember that when you leave this earth, you can take with you nothing that you have received…but only what you have given: a full heart, enriched by honest service, love, sacrifice, and courage.” – St. Francis of Assis (via Sojourners Magazine)

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Salt, Hope, and the Christian's Responsiblity

“The tongue has the power of life and death…” – Proverbs 18:21

Our communication has huge implications for the lives of those we come in contact with. It’s a fact that most people realize, but rarely think about. Lately, the fact has been haunting me a little.

A couple days ago, I was told about Walmart’s branding principles and guidelines. The company makes sure every ad and graphic communicates three things—which couldn’t all be remembered at the time. But the summation of the three points is hope and a better life. That is what Walmart is communicating to its audience.

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Failure ought not deter…

“The probability that we may fail in the struggle ought not deter us from the support of a cause we believe to be just.”

- Abraham Lincoln (via Sojourners Verse and Voice of the Day Blog)

Thoughts on The Common Good

Pursuing the concept of the common good can powerfully transform the lives and worldviews of Christians. “The common good” is the concept of what is good and best for those in society, not just the majority, but even what Jesus would consider “the least of these.” Living out the common good is practicing a faith that looks to the good of others before the good of one’s self.

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Capital Punishment & Jesus

I was listening to the radio this morning and happened upon a preacher that was preaching about a Christian view of government. I’m currently struggling to develop a good understanding of how a Christian should engage in politics and interact with government entities, so I decided to keep listening.

After about a minute or two, the preacher started talking about how capital punishment is a God-appointed institution. Instantly, I started feeling uncomfortable.

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A Small Group Can Change the World

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”

Margaret Mead

Responsible To People, Not For People

Reading Less Clutter, Less Noise, I came across a great sub-point about responsibility. Too often we feel like we are responsible for other people’s spiritual growth. The reality is that Jesus has called us to be responsible to people regarding their spiritual lives. It’s our responsibility to help others and give them opportunities to go, but we are not responsible for their growth. That’s between them and God.

Here are two quotes from Mark Waltz (as quoted in Less Clutter, Less Noise about the freedom we have when we are responsible to people, not for people:

“When I’m responsible to people, I know they must figure out their next step. When I’m responsible for people, I try to tell them what their next step is….

When I’m responsible to people, I talk to God on their behalf. When I’m responsible for people, I talk to people a lot on God’s behalf.”

Let me ask you: Do you feel like you are responsible to people or for people?