Anxiety weighs down the heart, but a kind word cheers it up. In recent years psychologists have seen a rise in anxiety disorders, at the same time that social media usage has exponentially grown.  Everything in today’s online world encourages comparison and all marketing technologies are built upon the phenomenon of FOMO (Fear of Missing Out). How would you describe your heart today?  Does it feel cheerful or heavy, empty or full, hopeful or despondent, anxious or peaceful? When our hearts are heavy, it can feel like our whole selves are dragged down – our […]

Whoever derides their neighbor has no sense, but the one who has understanding holds their tongue. We know that the second greatest commandment is to love our neighbor as ourselves.  Yet, somehow we regularly fall into the habit of gossiping and carelessly speaking about those closest to us. Bitterness, broken trust, unmet expectations, jealousy, insecurity, and boredom are some of main the reasons we speak badly of others.  I wonder if we had a better understanding of how loved we are by God, a conviction that His love covers a multitude of sins, whether our […]

The wise in heart accept commands, but a chattering fool comes to ruins. I don’t know about you, but I can find it difficult being told what to do.  Many of us have had negative experiences of authority in our lives; times when we have felt misunderstood, used, or even manipulated by those above us, older than us, or more powerful than us.  It is easy for us to project our earthly experiences of authority onto our impression of who God is. Rather than trusting in who God is and how He tells me to […]

Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser; teach a righteous man, and he will increase in learning. Being teachable is the foundation of spiritual growth and Christian character-building. Having a teachable spirit means having the mindset of a lifelong learner. Regardless of age, those who grow in their spirituality and understanding of God are those who never tire of learning. Whenever I put in even the smallest amount of effort to get through or achieve a goal; when I don’t ask questions, I don’t ask for advice, I don’t try […]

Choose my instruction rather than silver, and knowledge rather than pure gold. After John Paul Getty told him that he refuses to pay the ransom for the life of his kidnapped grandson, because he has no “extra” money to spend, the mysterious Fletcher Chase asked him – “How much more do you need to be sure?” “More,” answered, perhaps at that moment, the richest man in the world. All this happens in the movie All the Money in the World, which is the story of the kidnapping of the grandson of John Paul Getty, an […]

Love wisdom like a sister; make insight a beloved member of your family. Proverbs 7:4 “If you are wise and understand God’s ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom.” (James 3:13) Wisdom and prudence, according to the teaching of the apostle James, is manifested in the totality of life, and not in the inspiration of the moment. Almost everyone can surprise us with an insightful thought during a conversation or good advice in a moment of crisis, which is also desirable, necessary, and good. […]

Can a man scoop a flame into his lap and not have his clothes catch on fire? Can he walk on hot coals and not blister his feet? “Don’t play with fire” – my grandmother used to tell me. Fire is one of the most important natural phenomena that man has partially tamed, which greatly contributed to the faster development of mankind. When used correctly, fire is a great blessing, but it is disastrous when it is ‘played’ with it. The context in which these two sayings are found indicates that something similar happens with […]