Tag: Self Righteousness

Choosing to Drop the Mask

Who wouldn’t want an opportunity like Bilbo the Hobbit? The thrills of having a magic ring. Oh, the mischievous things that could be done! In addition, there would be the tantalizing comfort that comes with the ability to turn invisible, hiding from the prying… Continue Reading “Choosing to Drop the Mask”

Choosing to Be Right

Wife: “You forgot to put the garbage can out this morning.” Husband: “I put it out last night.” Wife: “I’m pretty sure I just saw the garbage truck go by, and it did not stop at our house.” Husband: “I put it out! You… Continue Reading “Choosing to Be Right”

Choosing to TRUST in the Dark

I was five years old when I had my tonsils removed. Medical concerns and procedures were different back then. They had me spend the night before surgery in the hospital. I remember my initial impression was that of getting to do a sleep over… Continue Reading “Choosing to TRUST in the Dark”

Choosing to NOT “Fix It” Myself

“I will kill as many of them as I can.” A man in his early 20’s from Prizren, Kosovo said this to me quietly through clenched teeth. Not knowing how to respond, I silently reflected on the story he had just told me. It… Continue Reading “Choosing to NOT “Fix It” Myself”

Choosing to Love My Enemies

My father was a boy during World War 2. He often heard of atrocities that America’s enemies, the Japanese and the Germans, were committing. According to the stories, those foreigners were the villainous aggressors, and they were seeking to come to our country to… Continue Reading “Choosing to Love My Enemies”

Choosing to Acknowledge My Need

“I’m so disappointed,” the young man said to me. “I came here wanting to experience God’s love. But I have felt nothing new. This has been a waste of my time.” I was interviewing one of our discipleship students as the program was winding… Continue Reading “Choosing to Acknowledge My Need”

Choosing to Avoid the Spiritual Black Hole

“I will kill as many of them as I can.” A young man from Prizren, Kosovo said this to me quietly through clenched teeth. Not knowing how to respond, I replayed the story he had just told me. It was July of 1999, and… Continue Reading “Choosing to Avoid the Spiritual Black Hole”

Choosing the Path of the Unoffended

I was deliberately maligned. A ministry co-worker, years ago, told my supervisor that I had screamed at her when she had confronted me. When this was brought to my attention, I knew right away that she was covering for her own bad behavior in… Continue Reading “Choosing the Path of the Unoffended”