VBA Rules

If you are nominated, you’ve been awarded the Versatile Blogger award. Read more…

Much fascinates me about the story of Balaam in Numbers 22-24. Even though I did an academic paper on the translation problems the humour still gets me.

The Prophet Balaam and the Ass, by Rembrandt van Rijn, 1626. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Balaam makes a living as a prophet. His use of black magic (or demons) to curse people may well have made him rich.

So when Balak hires him to do a cursing off he goes to earn the big fee.

Unknown to Balaam (who is not a prophet of the True God) he has taken on people protected by Creator. Surprise! God sets out to destroy this enemy of the exodus people. Balaam’s gift of dark  prophecy cannot discern God at work. But, fortunately for him, his donkey has insight and saves his life.

The true prophet speaking for the True God is an ass. I’m laughing, especially as one with that gift. Never take yourself, or your gift, so seriously as to think you have importance beyond membership in the family of God. God doesn’t share credit or glory.

Now, if Jesus replaced you with a jackass, would anyone notice the difference?

My Father died when I was about seven. Mother raised the three of us, at great personal cost.

Mother

Sometimes the food wouldn’t divide four ways and so she went without anything. Since this all happened before the modern trend towards rights and protections we moved often. All her attempts at a new relationship rested on shaky terms because of her instinct to protect her brood.

She raised us in Baptist churches, though the specific breed never took on importance. The only thing that mattered in the choice was could we get a ride, or could we walk.

While such things escaped me when I was a child, it haunts me now to think that she went hungry so we kids could share the last of the bread and milk. The stress of single-parenting, all the weight of earning the money, finding accommodation, making what little we had go around makes an almost unbelievable story.

Had she just given up on us her own life might have turned out better for her. But she didn’t.

I make no pretense of my Mother living without flaws, nor does she. But I honour her model of faith, endurance and a love that goes far beyond words or definition.

When I look at my Mother I see Christ at work, not theologically, but in the dirt and grime of some of the worst that humans have to endure.

I tell her this. Here I do that again. And now I pass it on to you. Jesus lived the love of the cross, even though it costs. My Mother did, too.

Will you?

When we accomplish something it feels good if someone notices and compliments us. Often we look for that. Somehow an achievement feels better if we get praise.

There’s a difference between encouragement and flattery, however. Read more…

Law Library DVDs (Photo credit: William & Mary Law Library)

People don’t like to obey the law. Many even express pride at how they broke the law, and got away with it.

For instance, many times I have been in a clergy meeting and there’s been a bragging session about how quickly a trip was made, achieved only by speeding. Apparently Romans 13:1-7 (obey the government when it enforces God’s principles) has no authority about such things because it is, after all, a command.

Likewise some people still don’t wear seat-belts. They still talk on their cellphones while driving.

To make matters worse, religious people don’t like anyone pointing out their sin, civil or spiritual. Gossipers Read more…