When I was very young my mom told me many times to "consider the source". I always took it to mean that the other "source" was somehow less than me. I don't know that is how she meant it, but that is how I took it. He or she wasn't worth my hurt feelings because they weren't as good as me in some way, or worth as much as me in some way. Of course as an adult, I completely understand how my childish understanding was skewed.  However, I do believe in the statement "consider the source".  Let me give a few examples why "considering the source" is helpful. A person who has never had a cavity requiring a dentist to fill it may not understand why another person doesn't look forward to going to the dentist.   A person living in California may not understand why a person from the Midwest might have reservations about visiting the San Andreas fault area. The person in the Midwest might not understand why a person from California might

Several things today popped up about being refined. I listened to a sermon this morning about digging deep into your thoughts and motivations then got home and started reading devotions. The first book I picked up is called Everyday Life in Bible Times .  I haven't picked up this book for months. It is a beautiful book of pictures and rich descriptions of things, terms, and concepts in the Bible. I started where I left off last time I read it. The word was smelt (to refine metal). Next, in my chronological Bible , I am to a grouping of Proverbs full of verses about examining motives and the heart and references to refining.  Proverbs 16:2   All a person’s ways seem pure to them,      but motives are weighed  by the  Lord . Proverbs 17:3   The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold,      but the  Lord  tests the heart. Proverbs 27:21 The crucible for silver and the furnace for  gold ,      b ut people are tested by their praise. I don't know about you, but when

I often say that I hope this happens or that happens. Sometimes I get corrected. "Don't you mean you'll pray about it" or some other correction. People want to call my faith into question when I say "I hope". That is wrong thinking. To have hope is to have faith. I hope because I have faith. Hope is part of my faith.  Hope anchors my faith. We have this hope as an anchor for our soul, firm and secure .  Hebrews 6:19a NIV What is hope? How does it anchor our soul? For me, hope bubbles up from my faith that God is good, that God knows best, that God has everything under control and that He loves me and desires all good for me.  In fact, He works all things for the good of those who love Him. Sometimes good has to be worked through. To get good, we have to strain and struggle. The butterfly won't fly if it doesn't work to get out of the cocoon as nature intended - I mean chrysalis, not cocoon. A toddler doesn't learn to walk unless allowed

God's love for us is revealed in the story of the two sons, the younger, irresponsible son and the older responsible son. Let's not focus on the sons, but on the father.  Read Luke 15 . Especially verses 17 - 24    “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death!   I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned  against heaven and against you.   I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’   So he got up and went to his father. “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.  I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe  and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger  and

I have a rather flippant answer for why does bad stuff happen. I don't mean for it to be flippant but I'm certain it sounds that way. However, I get the answer straight from the Bible.  Here is the answer: to know God, really KNOW God. Many places in the Bible, things happen that are not "good" by our standards. Job lost his wealth and if that wasn't bad enough, he lost his children too. There was nothing (apparently) good about the situation. However, because of his great loss, he was able to gain strength in his knowledge of who God is and in his own trust in a good God.  As early as Exodus 4:5 , God states His reasons for doing something. " This ", said the LORD, " is so that they may believe that the Lord, the God of their fathers -.....has appeared to you." In Exodus 8:10 , God, through Moses says "It will be as you say, so that you may know that there is no one like the Lord our God." Deuteronomy 4 :35 states that &quo