When did you last use the word “accident” to excuse yourself from liability? Can you remember? Were you accidentally tardy? Did you accidentally dent your car? Accidentally neglect an assignment? How often I screamed as a child: “BUT IT WAS AN ACCIDENT!” I knew accidents were not punished the way intentional acts were. If youContinue reading “Manslaughter.”
Author Archives: Steven Wales
The Way of All the Earth.
When Joshua saw his death approaching, he said: “Behold, I AM GOING THE WAY OF ALL THE EARTH” Joshua 23:14. That puts it in perspective doesn’t it? Everything on earth dies. Every plant, animal, and person. We honor graveyards but sometimes I walk through a forest or pasture and wonder who may have died thereContinue reading “The Way of All the Earth.”
Cookie Cutter.
I used to watch my mom use a rolling pin to make a sheet of thin, flat cookie dough on wax paper. Then she stamped it with tin cookie cutters to cut out shapes: doughy little Christmas trees or stars or bells or stockings. She would bake them, spread icing on them, and—voila! Christmas cookies. Continue reading “Cookie Cutter.”
Disappointment.
“But the Levites among you do not get a portion of land, because their inheritance is the priesthood of the Lord” Joshua 18:7. Life is unfair. You work hard but it goes unnoticed. You earn a promotion that never comes. You are faithful to the Lord, yet He blesses your friends with things He won’tContinue reading “Disappointment.”
Shortcut!
Don’t you love a good shortcut? That feeling when you had a long walk ahead, but found a way under a fence and cut the time in half? Or when you exit the freeway to avoid traffic and it works? What a great feeling! I once shaved an hour from a hike with the BoyContinue reading “Shortcut!”
Perfection and Perfect Obedience.
Is it possible to be perfect? Well, how do you define “perfect”? It is not possible to be perfectly sinless. But it is possible to earn a perfect score on a test, right? Is anyone in the Bible perfect? God’s word never hides the flaws of God’s people: Moses was angry, Joseph was spoiled, NoahContinue reading “Perfection and Perfect Obedience.”
Biohacking.
A Whoop Band can track your “sleep efficiency,” heart rates, and oxygen saturation. Supplements may help you lose weight. Fasts and cleanses may improve your gut health. Golfer Rory McIlroy (not diabetic) injects a continuous glucose monitor so he can achieve “perfect” blood sugars. “Biohacking” encompasses a range of bizarre behaviors. Why do such things,Continue reading “Biohacking.”
Beware.
Have you seen anyone wearing hobo costumes recently? Israel met a bunch of vagabonds once—and it cost them: “When the people of Gibeon heard about Jericho… they gathered worn-out sacks and old wineskins, cracked and mended. They wore old, patched sandals on their feet and ragged clothing. Their bread was dry and crumbly. They wentContinue reading “Beware.”
Do You Need Courage? Part Two.
Remember where courage comes from? Integrity. If you obey God, you will have courage. If you disobey, you will be afraid. After Israel defeated Jericho, the men marched against the kingdom of Ai. But the men of Ai overpowered them, killed 36 of them and chased them away. “As a result, the people’s hearts meltedContinue reading “Do You Need Courage? Part Two.”
Fraud.
There is a downside to the democratizing power of the internet. Whom do you trust? It was easier when you had three TV stations and one local paper. Over time, you came to know the reporters and whether they were trustworthy, biased, competent, or fools. But in recent years, I have watched hundreds of videosContinue reading “Fraud.”
Household Words: 