rebelling against low expectations
“I don’t think bad words are really that bad.” A lot of us may be tempted to agree with this comment I once heard a girl make, wondering if “bad words” really are bad. Some Christians won’t say curse words, but they’re okay with watching movies and listening to music that has language in it. Where should Christians draw the line, and why are bad words, um, bad? Here are a few things to keep in...
Have you ever felt that fire in your chest that makes you want to yell the truth? Perhaps you just read a social media post that twisted Scripture. Maybe you heard something on a podcast that didn’t sit well with you. Or perhaps you were at youth group and someone’s answer made you cringe inside. That fire begins to burn and it’s all you can do to refrain from screaming the truth from the...
Have you ever said something you later wished you could take back? Or gossiped about someone behind their back? Or told a lie? I know I have. Poison in Your Mouth James 3 warns us about a deadly poison that we must keep under control: our tongues. “For every kind of beast and bird, reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind,” James says, “but no human being can tame the...
As Election Day approaches, I hear many friends and family members name-calling their rival candidates. Although it’s not surprising, the saddening part is that some Christian’s echo the world. There’s nothing wrong with desiring a good leader, especially in times like this. But this desire does not permit us to disrespect others who are “fearfully and wonderfully...
College is bursting with causes to get involved with. Want to solve global poverty? There’s a group for that. Want to fight for animal rights? There’s a group for that too. You can find student activist groups for just about everything. Cool! I want to change the world too. Where do I sign up? Many young people want to be world-changers who defy cultural norms. We’re idealistic. We’re energetic...
Recently I’ve been learning the art of communication. In other words, I’ve been learning how shallow our words and actions can be. For instance, many Christians say, “I’m praying for you” when the reality is: they’re not. “I’m praying for you” can be synonymous with “I have better things to do” or, “Oh, I’m sorry to hear that, but…” Such a beautiful thing—prayer and the...
rebelling against low expectations
