Strife seems unavoidable in life. In fact, one might say that strife defines life.

We see strife in the Middle East. Strife in Washington, D.C. Strife in economics, strife in politics, strife in culture. Strife between siblings, couples, co-workers, nations. Strife just is. We probably wouldn’t know what to do with ourselves if there were no strife.

Even so, most of us would prefer to remove as much strife from life as possible.

Continue Reading “Reduce Personal Strife by Focusing on Two Things”

The report is that Solomon asked for wisdom, and God granted him that plus wealth, too.

I don’t know whether we think much about wisdom. We think in terms of education, and the type of degree we obtained (if we went to school), and, these days, whether we actually found employment in the same field as the degree. We think in terms of specialized training, such as to build houses, lay plumbing, or install electrical systems.

Continue Reading “Those Times When Wisdom is Demonic”

A heart patient lies on the operating table, chest shaved and dabbed with Mercurochrome, tubes protruding, machines humming. A donor across country has provided a heart for transplant, and the medic delivers the vital organ in a nondescript cooler.

Medical personnel hastily prep the organ and make final adjustments to ready the patient for surgery.

Suddenly the patient’s eyes open wide, and he shouts “No! You cannot have my heart. I will not take someone else’s!” And gives his own orders to the doctors.

Despite their best efforts, doctors are unable to persuade the patient that getting rid of his old heart and receiving a new one are in his best interest, and in fact, is the only thing that could save him. Knowing that the donor’s heart can’t be used elsewhere, and giving in to the patient’s irrational demands, the doctors place the heart on the patient’s chest, and affix it with duct tape.

Continue Reading “Why Duct Tape Isn’t a Surgical Tool”