Greetings!
I hope you had a good week. Mine was busy yet constructive.
For this week’s DHD, I thought I would share six comments I heard or read this week that stood out to me for different reasons. They could be funny or profound, but they stuck with me as I was reflecting on my busy-yet-constructive week.
Thank you for reading!
- “Nobody wins a social media argument.”
This statement was made at the weekly chapel service I attended among Oklahoma Baptists.
I consider this to be profound, and I think you would agree how it’s rather relevant. Let’s face it, in-person arguments are messy enough, but there is something that makes a person empowering when they get on a computer or mobile device, ready to give an emotional response. It’s a false empowerment.
I’ve never heard of anybody changing their opinion by reading a tweet or a Facebook comment. Usually it’s the opposite—they become emboldened about their personal view.
I’m guilty of getting involved in political debates, but I’m learning that such dialogues are usually not productive—especially on social media.
- “Yes. I married a nurse.”
I interviewed Mike Barnett this week for a story I’m writing for the Messenger. For more than 40 years, Mike has been the Baptist Collegiate Ministries director at the University of Oklahoma Health and Science Center in downtown Oklahoma City. And his ministry continues to go strong, even during a pandemic—ministering the med students.
Hearing about Mike’s experiences with med students, including going on multiple medical mission trips, I asked Mike if he had any personal training in the medical profession.
His response: “Yes. I married a nurse.” I loved his quick comeback.
I’m excited about the story I’m writing about Mike and the unique ministry opportunity he has.
- “Don’t argue on the way”
The next two comments come from my Bible reading this week. Today I was reading about Joseph revealing his identity to his brothers in Genesis 45. This is an emotional encounter, as Joseph gives a profound yet humble conclusion to his brothers.
“And now don’t be grieved or angry with yourselves for selling me here (Egypt), because God sent me ahead of you to preserve life” (Gen. 45:5).
Another profound comment Joseph made to his brothers, as they were leaving to report to their father Jacob, was “Don’t argue on the way” (Gen. 45:24).
There’s no explanation why Jacob shared that, but I found it humorous that Joseph felt he needed to direct his older brothers to stick to business at hand without quarrelling.
- “I have seen your face, and it is like seeing God’s face, since you accepted me.”
Earlier this week, I read about Jacob and Esau with Jacob stealing his brother’s birthright and blessing from their father.
Jacob had some difficult experiences—some were warranted by his manipulative actions.
Later on, Jacob and Esau had a chance to meet after many years. Jacob prepared for Esau to seek revenge. However, they embraced and wept when they finally met (Gen. 33:4)
Jacob response, after they made peace and reconciled, is rather poetic. “…I have seen your face, and it is like seeing God’s face, since you accepted me” Gen. 33:10.
Here’s a commentary from the Life Application Bible on the passage: “Life can bring us some bad situations. We can feel cheated as Esau did, but we don’t have to remain bitter. We can remove bitterness from our lives by honestly expressing our feelings to God, forgiving those who have wronged us and being content with what we have.”
- “This new year will be worse for some of us. But, as Christians, we have to be better.”
I read a great article this week that was co-written by Tony Dungy and Benjamin Watson titled “A Call to the American Church.”
There are many powerful statements in this piece written by two NFL personalities I admire. I appreciate they both encourage readers to be involved in daily Bible reading, prayer, church involvement and financially supporting the church.
The writers were realistic in explaining how things appear in American society, but they also were challenging, knowing that all Christians should strive to be better in our relationships and in witnessing to unbelievers.
If you read the article, I hope it encourages you as it did me.
- “I have another plan for you.”
Baptist Press featured a story originally appearing with the Biblical Recorder, the newsjournal for North Carolina Baptists.
The story, titled “Teen chooses adoption, remains part of daughter’s life”, is part of promoting Sanctity of Human Life Sunday, which happens Jan. 17. I hope your church is observing this important day.
Kelsey’s experience is mentioned at the opening of the article. She is pregnant and preparing to graduate from high school. She faces an important decision about her unborn child.
Friends try to support her and suggest they would take her to an abortion clinic. She responded, “…in the back of my mind, I always felt God saying, ‘I have another plan for you.’”
Now Kelsey is 30, and her daughter Kaylee was adopted by a couple, but Kelsey has been in regular contact with Kaylee. The article is a great testimony about how adoption should be a viable option for pregnant mothers, especially over choosing abortion.
For Kelsey, adoption was God’s plan that He revealed to her.
