God points to the sparrow, the most inexpensive bird of his day and says, “Five sparrows are sold for only two pennies, and God does not forget any of them…You are worth much more than many sparrows” (Luke 12:6-7). God remembers the small birds of the world. We remember the eagles. But God notices the sparrows. We make bronze statues of the hawk. But God notices the sparrows. We celebrate the majestic birds, but Christ is partial to the beat up and done in and urges us to follow suit. He said, “When you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind” … Listen Now

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Pecking orders are a part of life. The problem with pecking orders is not the order. The problem is with the pecking. Just ask the shortest kid in class. Or the minority family. Or the new person at work. God says that love is no place for pecking orders. It’s easy to see why!  How can I love others if my eyes are only on me? How can I point to God if I’m pointing at me? Scripture says, love “does not boast, it is not proud” (1 Corinthians 13:4 NIV).  Jesus’ solution to man-made caste systems? A change in direction. The Apostle Paul said, “Regard one another … Listen Now

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What’s the cure for jealousy? Trust. The cause of jealousy? Distrust! In a cemetery in England stands a grave marker with the inscription: She died for want of things. Alongside that marker is another: He died trying to give them to her. Let me ask you, have you seen such envy? Have you seen red-faced jealousy? Are you acquainted with the crimson forehead and the bulging veins of jealousy? Solomon says, “Anger is cruel and destroys like a flood, but no one can put up with jealousy!” (Proverbs 27:4). The sons of Jacob didn’t trust God to meet their needs. The Pharisees didn’t trust … Listen Now

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A warning should be offered about the fire in your heart. Left unchecked, it can burst into a hungry flame and consume all that is consumable. The name of the fire? Solomon tagged it, jealousy! “Jealousy is cruel as the grave. Its flashes are flashes of fire” (Song of Solomon 8:6 RSV). Paul was equally aggressive in his declaration. “Love does not envy” (1 Corinthians 13:4 NKJV). And speaking of envy, put my name on the list. I began smelling smoke when a friend came to me with this report from a church across town. He said, “The church is great! It’s bursting at the seams!” A more … Listen Now

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We attend seminars on strategizing and team building. But I can’t say I’ve ever attended one lecture on kindness! Yet Jesus commanded, “I want kindness more than I want animal sacrifices” (Matthew 9:13). Paul placed kindness toward the top of the pyramid when he wrote, “Love is kind” (1 Corinthians 13:4 NIV). When was the last time you did something kind for someone in your family—without being asked? Kind hearts let the car cut into traffic and the young mom with three kids move up in the checkout line. And they are especially kind at church. They understand perhaps the neediest person they’ll meet all week … Listen Now

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The kindness of Jesus. We are quick to think of his power, his passion, and his devotion. But those near him knew and know God comes cloaked in kindness! “Love is kind” wrote Paul (1 Corinthians 13:4). Nehemiah agreed: “You are God, ready to pardon, gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abundant in kindness” (Nehemiah 9:17 NKJV). David concurred, “Your lovingkindness is better than life” (Psalm 63:3 NASB). But Jesus’ invitation offers the sweetest proof of the kindness of heaven: “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from … Listen Now

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God’s patience. You’ve read about it. Perhaps underlined Bible passages regarding it. But have you received it? Patience deeply received results in patience freely offered. But patience never received leads to an abundance of problems. Remember where the king sent the unforgiving servant? “Then the angry king sent the man to prison until he had paid every penny” (Matthew 18:34 NLT). Whew! we sigh. Glad that story is a parable. It’s a good thing God doesn’t imprison the impatient in real life. Don’t be so sure! Impatience still imprisons the soul. For that reason, God does more than demand patience from us; he offers it to us! … Listen Now

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Maybe no one has told you about God’s patience and willingness to put up with you! The Bible says, “The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love” (Psalm 103:8 NIV). Stare at the proof of God’s patience! Those thousand sunsets you never thanked him for? Those times you used his name only when you cussed? And oh my, those promises: “Get me out of this, and I’ll never tell another lie.” If broken promises were lumber, we could build a subdivision. Doesn’t God have ample reason to walk out on us? But he doesn’t. Why? Because “God is being patient with … Listen Now

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1 Corinthians 13 is the Mount Everest of love writings. And no words get to the heart of loving people like verses 4-8: Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. Someone challenged me to replace the word love in this passage with my name. I did and became a liar. The … Listen Now

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“Love each other!” we pastors tell our churches. “Be patient, kind, and forgiving,” we urge. But instructing people to love without telling them they are loved is like telling them to write a check without our making a deposit in their accounts. No wonder so many relationships are overdrawn. Hearts have insufficient love. The key to loving is living loved. Remember Paul’s prayer? “May your roots go down deep into the soil of God’s marvelous love” (Ephesians 3:17 NLT). Does bumping into certain people leave you brittle, breakable, and fruitless? Do you easily fall apart? If so, your love may be grounded in the wrong soil. It … Listen Now

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