As I twisted free of my mother’s hand and ran under the trees, I saw the gate approaching and read the words. Could it really be true? A sign above a little square of grass deep in a Pine forest made me feel like part of some royal family. Who am I, the king ofContinue reading “Buy a Cemetery Plot. Then Go Celebrate! Proverbs 31:25.”
Author Archives: Steven Wales
Joseph Wept. Genesis 42:24.
One of the greatest stories in the Bible is the record of the life of Joseph. Until Benjamin was born, he was the youngest of eleven boys, and he was his father’s favorite son. People criticize Joseph for being proud, suggesting he indulged in the fact that he was his father’s favorite. But I amContinue reading “Joseph Wept. Genesis 42:24.”
Islands, Elevators, Cows, and Crops: Migration Economics. Genesis 36:6-8.
The island of Manhattan must have seemed huge to the Dutch who first arrived in 1626, securing the rights to farmland by paying the Lenape people $24 in beads and trinkets for the area that would come to be known as “Manhatto.” Forty years later the British took over and the island would grow soContinue reading “Islands, Elevators, Cows, and Crops: Migration Economics. Genesis 36:6-8.”
Economy of the City. Genesis 34:20-21.
Everybody’s got to eat. And find shelter. And pay bills. The fact is, you need money. Even if you don’t want money, you need it. How does one amass wealth? By selling something for which people will pay. This is true whether you live in a culture based on barter and trade, or whether youContinue reading “Economy of the City. Genesis 34:20-21.”
Jacob and the Troublemakers. Genesis 33:10.
Are you a troublemaker? Do you ever feel like you are being singled out for constant punishment? Like me, did a teacher ever place your desk way off in the corner of the room where none of the other children could talk to you? Curiously, some teachers are drawn to the troublemakers. Some of themContinue reading “Jacob and the Troublemakers. Genesis 33:10.”
The Waiting is the Hardest Part. Genesis 30:22-24.
Abraham and Sarah, Parents at Last! –Image generated with A.I. Have you ever had to wait just–forever? It’s tough, isn’t it? You wait in line. You wait on the phone. You wait for summer. You wait for vacations, marriage, careers, promotions. As children, our experience of waiting for Christmas morning is so universal it hasContinue reading “The Waiting is the Hardest Part. Genesis 30:22-24.”
Blessings and the Power of Words. Genesis 27:27-29.
Jacob received three blessings in only two chapters of Genesis. First, he pretended to be his older brother Esau and deceived his father Isaac. Isaac, thinking he was blessing Esau, offered his greatest blessing to what he believed to be his firstborn son. He began with a comment about the smell of his outdoorsy sonContinue reading “Blessings and the Power of Words. Genesis 27:27-29.”
Divorce. 1 Chronicles 8:8.
A curious fact is recorded in the Biblical genealogies: “Sons were born to Shaharaim in Moab after he had divorced his wives Hushim and Baara. By his wife Hodesh he had Jobab, Zibia, Mesha, Malkam, Jeuz, Sakia, and Mirmah. These were his sons, heads of families. By Hushim he had Abitub and Elpaal” 1 Chronicles 8:8. The writerContinue reading “Divorce. 1 Chronicles 8:8.”
Study Genealogies to Show Thyself Approved. 1 Chronicles 1:1.
Image: In 1946, Norman Rockwell produced this painting for the Saturday Evening Post following his visit to a one-room schoolhouse in Carroll County, Georgia. My son’s first-grade class learned two things “by heart.” They learned to sing the song of the U.S. presidents, and they used a sort of rhythmic chant to help them learnContinue reading “Study Genealogies to Show Thyself Approved. 1 Chronicles 1:1.”
City Planning. Nehemiah 11:1-2.
Image: New York City by Jan Christopher Becke. An article I read begins with a great question: “What do Ron Paul, Nancy Pelosi, and President Donald Trump have in common? They have all promised to ‘drain the swamp’ of Washington politics.”[1] As the article goes on to point out, there never was a swamp onContinue reading “City Planning. Nehemiah 11:1-2.”
Household Words: 