Imagine for a minute that you’re five years old. You have taken your crayons and, on your own initiative, made a card for your grandparents. No special occasion… just an “I love you” message of your own design.
Hopefully you are motivated by a simple desire to express love to your grandparents. At the same time, even at age five, you probably also assume that your parents, teacher(s) or somebody will also be proud of you.
Praise you.
Approve of you.
The big word for that: validated. And it feels good.
But what if you got something else in return? [click to continue…]
This is not a picture of God. It’s a picture of a Nanga Sadhu, or naked Hundu holy man. His face and body are smeared with ashes and he’s breathing out marijuana, not brimstone.
But look again.
I think in a lot of people’s minds, when they think of God, an image sort of like this emerges.
Angry.
Ashen.
Fire-breathing.
Other people imagine the opposite extreme [click to continue…]
Imagine for a minute that you lived in a world where you were the only one who ever told the truth. A world of random mirrors where you never knew whether someone else’s “yes” meant “yes” or “no.” How would you get a loan at the bank? How would you get directions to the nearest gas station? How would you fall in love or have meaningful family relationships? How could you ever function, much less be happy?
Imagine getting up every day and telling yourself and everybody around you how badly your life is going. Have a cough? It’s probably pneumonia. Surprise bill in the mail? You’re going broke. Get a compliment on your appearance? You mumble something about needing new clothes or not feeling well lately. Receive a major blessing? It’s just a matter of time until the other shoe drops.
By now I’m sure you have an image of somebody in mind (certainly not you, of course). I’m thinking of a girl I once knew named Kim. She was a twin; her sister Kay was pretty much an optimist. Kim? Winnie the Pooh’s friend Eeyore had nothing on her. The only seventh grade girl I’ve ever met who was completely dreary.
I made an amazing discovery the other day. Kim (and whoever you’re thinking about) has a soul mate in the Bible. [click to continue…]
Imagine for a minute that you’re five years old. You have taken your crayons and, on your own initiative, made a card for your grandparents. No special occasion… just an “I love you” message of your own design. 
