 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
Matthew 11:28–30 These verses can be very confusing at first. At one level, they are comforting because Jesus says he will give us rest. But he also says to take his yoke, which is something that represents hard labor or oppression. A pair of oxen would be yoked together to plow a field. In the Old Testament, King Rehoboam threatened his subjects with a yoke of hard work (1 Kings 12:11). So how do we reconcile Jesus’ promise to give us rest when he follows that with the imagery of a yoke? We could misunderstand Jesus’ words as a call merely to slow down and take better care of ourselves. We might think the answer to our weariness is to declutter our lives, reduce expectations, practice mindfulness, and seek a calmer, more comfortable life. But these verses aren’t meant to encourage us to find ways to relieve stress and balance our lives. This misapplication takes the verses out of context and strips them of the rich lessons that Jesus intended by these words. In Matthew 11:20-24, Jesus denounces various cities for their lack of repentance. They had heard his words and seen his miracles, yet the people hadn’t changed. Instead of putting on sackcloth and ashes to mourn their sin, they continued to live in pride and would face judgment. Then in verses 25-27, Jesus explains that the Father and the Son reveal themselves to little children. And following verse 28, we see two accounts of the Pharisees complaining about Jesus and his disciples doing something on the Sabbath which was not lawful. The Pharisees had made rule-keeping the center of their religion, but had forgotten about compassion and mercy towards others. Jesus makes it clear that their Sabbath rules had drifted from the true meaning of the Sabbath and rest. So as we contemplate verses 28-30, we see that Jesus is contrasting those who come to him and rest in him with those who do not repent or burden themselves with perfectionistic standards. These two extremes are still seen today. We may refuse to deal with entrenched sins like bitterness, gluttony, laziness, or pride. Or we may be following standards we have imposed on ourselves that we think will earn us favor with God. For example, reading a certain number of Bible chapters each day and praying for every person on the church prayer list. Or never drinking alcohol, playing cards, or getting a tattoo. And making sure that others know that we never do these things. Neither of these extremes will save us from the judgment to come. And so, Jesus shows us the better way. He says, “Come to me.” If we are laboring and weary from trying to deny and hide our sin, come to him. If we are heavy laden by all the extra rules we are trying to carry, come to him. Jesus will give us rest. The rest that Jesus gives is a soul-rest. We can put off the yoke that we have made for ourselves. And we can put on his yoke instead. Yes, we will still be yoked — but we will be yoked to him! He will be beside us, helping us stay on the right path. With his yoke on, we won’t fall into the ditches of unrepentance or works-based self-righteousness. He will keep us on the path that leads to rest for our souls. But there’s more! Jesus doesn’t just give us instruction, he tells us why we should do this. He anchors his command to who he is and his character. We should take his yoke and we will find rest because Jesus is gentle and lowly.* He asks us to come to him, and he draws us to him. Jesus moves towards those who are struggling with sin and suffering. He knows our weaknesses because he was willing to enter into this world as a human. After living a perfect life, he took the heaviest yoke of all by taking up the cross and the weight of all the sins of all who believe in him. He did this for the “joy that was set before him” (Hebrews 12:1-2). What was the joy he was looking for? The joy of welcoming undeserving sinners into eternal life and rest with him. Soul-rest isn’t about working harder or ignoring our sin. It isn’t achieved by scheduling a spa day. It’s about looking at Jesus. Yes, Jesus’ yoke is light. But this doesn’t mean that obedience is optional. The yoke is easy and light, but if we try to do things our own way, we will chafe from pulling in the wrong direction. Jesus will always do what is needed to bring us back. And that is when we will find the yoke easy and light. The question is, are you yoked with Jesus? True soul-rest is found in a relationship with him. Come, and he will give you rest. His yoke is easy and his burden is light because he is walking with you. *In his books, Gentle and Lowly and The Heart of Jesus, Dane Ortlund gives a multi-faceted picture of who Jesus is and shows us his heart for sinners. See also: From the Mercy Seat to Christ
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 I have often walked away from conversations replaying my words in my mind—wishing I had said something differently, or perhaps not said anything at all. Sometimes the words themselves weren’t overtly sinful, but they weren’t especially helpful either. Scripture teaches us that words can hurt and heal. “Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing” (Proverbs 12:18). Jesus reminds us that our careless words matter because they reveal what is in our hearts (Matthew 12:34).
The consequences of words can be devastating; they can indeed hurt us (contrary to what the “sticks and stones” mantra claims). Even when we think our motives are pure, at times we can be blinded to our own selfishness, insincerity, or pride. Our challenge is to think through what we really mean when we use certain phrases, or to examine how it may be perceived by those who are listening. Let’s look at a few common expressions that we say, but may not have carefully considered. These phrases or sayings are not always wrong or sinful. However, depending on the context, the way we use them may be confusing, unhelpful, or even damaging. Instead, we want to use our words to build up, encourage, and give grace (Ephesians 4:29). The first expression to consider is “to be honest…” As ambassadors of Christ, we should be known as people who are truthful. Our words should demonstrate integrity and sincerity. By saying “to be honest”, it can give the hearer the impression that in this particular instance we are being honest, but at other times we are not honest. Not only can it be confusing, but when we say this, it is sometimes followed by a harsh criticism or insensitive remark. Prefacing an observation with “to be honest” may be an attempt to make ourselves look better because it means that we think we are doing what is right, even if it may be hurtful. For example, we might say “To be honest, the sermon was rather boring today.” Rather than criticizing the sermon, we could say “I wasn’t as interested or engaged in the sermon.” Or perhaps we can choose silence if our words are not ones that will build up. Next, let’s consider the phrase “Not that it matters, but…” This expression is also very confusing. If it doesn’t matter, then why are we saying it? Unfortunately sometimes when we use this phrase, what we are about to say is not gracious. Again, we try to soften our harsh words by adding a qualifier. For example, many times people will follow this expression with an unkind comment about someone’s appearance. It’s also common to use this expression to minimize a boastful statement. For example, “Not that it matters, but I finished that report and submitted it on the same day.” In this case, instead of bragging about our achievement, we could offer to help the other person. In light of what we have considered with the first two expressions, take a moment to think about the phrase “Just saying”. At best, this phrase is redundant. People will know that we are “just saying” because …well…we just said it. This expression is frequently used to imply that our way is better. For example, “Our church does communion every week. Just sayin’.” Or “I don’t let my kids do that. Just sayin’”. You can see that not only are these statements prideful, but they also don’t allow for further discussion. A better option is to invite others to offer their perspective. This shows that we are ready to listen humbly and carefully (James 1:19). For each of these expressions, context matters. If you use one of these phrases in a casual conversation with a close friend, these can be humorous and light-hearted. When said in a face-to-face context, our facial expressions, body language, and tone can help to balance what we say so that the person understands our intent. If we are engaging with someone we don’t know as well or are using a written medium (text, email, social media), our words can be easily misunderstood. If there is something important that needs to be said, we can take the time to connect with the person in real time, in real life (or at least through a video call). I want you to know that I write for myself as much for you. The examples I used above are similar to things I have said. I often think back to what I have said and realize that it was said out of proud, selfish motives or was said in a way that was hurtful. I want to do better, but just changing what I say isn’t enough. As Matthew 12:34 says, our words are a reflection of what is in our hearts. If we want transformed speech, we need transformed hearts. One way to renew our hearts our our minds is to think on things that are glorifying to God. In Philippians 4:8,9 we are commanded to think about things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, and excellent. Another helpful practice is to consider Ephesians 4:29: “Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.” We can ask ourselves, “Is what I said (or am about to say) something that will build up? Does it fit the occasion? Do it give grace to those who hear?” Ultimately, our words should adorn the gospel. As we read and study Scripture, we can look to its words to shape our communication. It is not easy to always say the right thing. We don’t always fully understand our own motives or desires behind what we say or do. The good news is that when we speak carelessly or selfishly, as we confess and repent, God will forgive us. In our striving to communicate clearly, accurately, and compassionately, we know that the Holy Spirit is working in us to be more and more like Christ each day. We can’t do this on our own, so we need to regularly pray: “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.” (Psalm 19:14).  Social media “memories” are great, aren’t they? We laugh at the funny picture of our pets, feel nostalgic at photos from our kids’ sporting events, and give thanks for the many memories from a vacation. Or we may cringe because of something we wish we hadn’t posted. It might be a meme that insulted someone or a video that made fun of someone’s misfortune. We may have complained about a minor inconvenience. And what about the quick replies —or extended debates — we left on other people’s posts? We can delete some of our words from social media, yet it’s difficult to erase the impressions they leave on those who read them. As we seek to be good ambassadors for Christ, we can use Galatians 5:19-23 as a framework to put off unbiblical communication and put on Christlike interactions. Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. As Paul writes to the Galatians about the conflict between desires of the flesh and desires of the Spirit, he explains that it will be evident which of these are ruling us. Desires of the flesh will result in the list of “works” in verses 19-21. Most of the actions in these verses are commonly seen in interactions on social media. They can either be the reason why we post or share something — or they can be the outcome of an interaction. Paul firmly and directly warns that these are not appropriate for the citizens of God’s kingdom.
Before we interact on social media, it would be helpful to pray through each of the items in verses 20 and 21. We don’t always understand our own hearts, but the Holy Spirit is our Helper and Advocate. As we humbly approach God, we can ask him to make it clear to us if what we are about to say is motivated by any of these fleshly desires. There have been many times when I look back at something I had written on social media and realized the selfish or spiteful impulses that caused me to say something hurtful. It shows wisdom and humility if we take a few minutes — or days — to carefully consider our words before we post. But Paul doesn’t just warn us and leave us discouraged about our fleshly attitudes and actions. He reminds us that we can exhibit the fruit of the Spirit! Before we look at the evidence of the Spirit, let’s pause to notice that Paul doesn’t say that the qualities in verses 22-23 are “works” of the Spirit. We cannot manufacture the fruit on our own because they are the Spirit’s fruit. The Spirit produces this fruit in our lives because believers are filled by the Spirit at the moment we are saved. We are responsible to put off the works of the flesh and move forward in obedience — but we do not rely only on our efforts. The Spirit progressively shapes us to be more like Christ. Before we type, we can consider if our words truly reflect the fruit of the Spirit. Are my words motivated by love for God and others? Will this post show the joy and peace that I have through Christ? Is this comment or meme kind and gentle? If I were speaking in person, would I say this? When I take time to pray first, I am thankful that the Holy Spirit helps me to rephrase my words — or refrain from saying anything at all! It isn’t easy to know what fleshly desires lie behind our words. We will often choose attitudes and actions that do not reflect the fruit of the Spirit. There is only one person who perfectly exhibited the fruit of the Spirit. Christ’s motivations, words, and actions always displayed the character of God. But he is more than just a good teacher or role model. He willingly chose to take on himself the burden of all our sins. In exchange, he has given to us his righteousness. In Christ, God sees us as if we had never sinned. That includes every unkind rant, off-color meme, and impetuous comment we have shared! When we fail to demonstrate the fruit of the Spirit, and turn to him in humble repentance, he forgives us. The assurance of forgiveness from our heavenly Father should also spur us to seek reconciliation with others. It isn’t possible or wise to try to reconcile with every person who has been affected by our words. But as you pray, ask God to show you whether there is someone you could reach out to. Humbly acknowledging how you hurt them and demonstrating that you want to make it right can be a difficult yet healing process. We are also called to extend forgiveness to others. We can be understanding and forgiving because we know that we are not without fault. When someone else posts or comments something that was hurtful or made us angry — instead of responding in kind, we can choose to show them a glimpse of how God’s love and mercy works. We can overlook the offense or we can reply with a gracious word or encouraging verse. The situation may sometimes warrant a face-to-face conversation — after prayerfully considering how to proceed. Our fleshly desires may lead us to post hastily, but Scripture shows us a better way. By pausing, reflecting on the fruit of the Spirit, and praying before we post, we allow God to guide our words and interactions. Christ’s forgiveness frees us to extend patience, gentleness, and grace to others—even online. Next time you’re about to share, comment, or post, pause, pray, then post (or don’t!). Let your words reflect God’s character, build up others, and honor Him in every interaction.  My God is so great, so strong and so mighty,
There's nothing my God cannot do! My God is so great, so strong and so mighty, There's nothing my God cannot do! The mountains are His, The rivers are His, The stars are His handiwork too. My God is so great, so strong and so mighty, There's nothing my God cannot do! There is a lot to commend in this children’s song. It has a catchy tune and probably some fun hand motions to go along with it. It also says some true things about God. God is great (Psalm 145:3). He is strong and mighty (Psalm 24:8). All of creation belongs to him because he is the Creator (Psalm 24:1). Except, the main idea of the song is that God can do anything. Does Scripture support this? God cannot lie or change his mind. (Numbers 23:19) God cannot be tempted with evil. (James 1:13) God cannot change. (Hebrews 13:8) God cannot break a promise. (Psalm 89:34) So contrary to the repeated refrain, we know that there are some things God cannot do. But how can God be omnipotent (all-powerful), strong, mighty, and great — and yet have things he cannot do? God cannot lie because he is true. God cannot break a promise because he is faithful. God cannot be tempted with evil because he is holy and pure. God cannot do anything that is contrary to his own character. If he acted against his nature, he would not be God. A “god” that could lie, break a promise, or be tempted by evil would leave us with a god that is unreliable, rather than one who is perfectly trustworthy. The God we worship and teach our children about is strong, mighty, and great. And he is faithful, holy, and true. This is the God we want to sing about! Let’s go back to the song, and change the words so that they more accurately reflect his character: My God is so great, so strong and so mighty, He is faithful, holy, and true! My God is so great, so strong and so mighty, He is faithful, holy, and true! The mountains are His, The rivers are His, The stars are His handiwork too. My God is so great, so strong and so mighty, He is faithful, holy, and true! See also: Twinkle Twinkle, Happy all the Time  I'm inright, outright, upright, downright, (yep, the peppy kids’ song)
Happy all the time. (join in!) I'm inright, outright, upright, downright, (don’t forget the hand movements!) Happy all the time. (one more verse to go!) Since Jesus Christ came in, And cleansed my heart from sin, I'm inright, outright, upright, downright, Happy all the time! (whew, take a breath now!) Were you singing along and doing all the hand motions? Come on, admit it! If we summarize the message of this song, we would say that once we are saved we will always be happy, joyful, and #blessed. Positive Pollyannas, at your service! There is a bit of sarcasm there, if you didn’t catch it. The words in this song may lead children (and adults) to think that our life will be all sunshine and rainbows after we are saved. And unfortunately when we are sharing the gospel with people, sometimes we can say things that imply that being a Christian means life will be great all the time. The Bible does tell us to rejoice always, count it all joy and be thankful. But this doesn’t mean we are expected to smile and be happy all the time. We will encounter trouble and struggle with unpleasant emotions. If we look at all of Scripture, we clearly see that grief, disappointment, and distress are normal parts of the post-fall world. Consider Job and Joseph. Think of Hannah and Naomi. Or read the 40% of the Psalms that are classified as laments. Joy is not something that we can manufacture by repeating positive affirmations or smiling more. Making a list of ten things we are thankful for won’t do the trick, either. Joy is one aspect of the fruit of the Holy Spirit. As we are gradually transformed more into Christlikeness, this fruit is the evidence of the work of the Spirit in our lives. In Philippians, Paul mentioned being thankful, rejoicing, or being glad more than a dozen times. He wrote this from prison. This shows us that joy is not a fleeting feeling that is dependent on our circumstances. Biblical joy is a deep, settled, lasting state of contentment. It is grounded in God’s word, his character and his faithfulness. As we go through trials, joy comes from remembering that God has a purpose for them. We aren’t expected to be happy about the trial, but we can find joy in knowing that God is working through it. There are lessons we can only learn through trials. We don’t know if we are truly patient, gentle, and kind until we have been refined through adverse circumstances. When life is hard and we realize that “don’t worry, be happy” isn’t as easy as it sounds, we look to Christ. He humbled himself, suffered innocently, endured the cross, and was resurrected. He did all this for the joy of redeeming undeserving sinners like us (Hebrews 12:1-2). We are his joy. And he is ours. Christ didn’t cleanse us from sin so that we could be “happy all the time”. He offered himself as the perfect, sinless sacrifice so that we might have deep, unshakeable joy in him. See also: In the Middle of Suffering, We Sing  Stars. There are just a few of them. It is estimated that there are 200 sextillion in the universe. (That’s a 2 with 23 zeros). They are a little toasty, too. The hottest stars can reach up to 50,000 degrees Fahrenheit. And contrary to the lyrics of the song, they don’t actually twinkle. Stars emit a steady light. What appears to us a “twinkling” is the light being distorted by the Earth’s atmosphere. They don’t twinkle, and they aren’t actually little either. Even the smallest stars are about the size of Jupiter—over 10 times the radius of Earth. These are just a few of the amazing, mind-blowing facts about the stars. Astronomers and scientists spend their entire careers studying them and still don’t know everything about them. So in a way, you could say they “wonder what they are”. But we don’t have to wonder how they came to be. We read in Genesis 1:16 that God made two great lights to govern the day and the night. And then the writer adds another detail. “He made the stars also.” No big deal, right? Just create a couple hundred sextillion spheres of gas that generate light and heat. Nothing to it. Yes, it was easy for God. Because he is God. God has made the not-so-little, not-twinkling stars and He knows how many there are. Not approximately, not an estimate, but the exact number. He also has an roster, and these stars have perfect attendance. Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one and calls forth each of them by name. Because of his great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing. Our God is an amazing God. He is worthy of unreserved worship.
As we look at the stars in the sky, let’s raise our hands to praise the all-powerful, mighty, self-existing, eternal, infinite Creator. What looks like only tiny diamonds of light in our night sky remind us that we are small in comparison with the heavenly bodies that surround us. In Genesis 1, soon after we read “He made the stars also”, there are three entire verses dedicated to the creation of human beings. God pauses and carefully molds the first human. He breathes into him the breath of life. We are the pinnacle of God’s creation. God could have been content with creating nothing. He could have been content with creating plants, animals, and heavenly wonders. But he didn’t stop there. He created image bearers to carry his name and reflect his character. Our God is an amazing God. He is worthy of our humble service. God doesn’t need us. But he delighted to create us. And he created us even though he knew we would reject his love and try to be little gods in our own little universes. God responded to humans’ rebellion with the curse of death. But God didn’t leave them without hope or light. He followed the curse with a promise. One day, his Son would take on the weakness of their flesh, perfectly obey, and die an undeserved death. He took the shame and guilt that should be ours and nailed it to the cross. He yielded his life so that we could be restored to fellowship with our Creator. Then demonstrated victory over the curse of death by rising to life again. Because he did not spare his own Son we know that he will freely give us everything we need. Our God is an amazing God. He is worthy of our unwavering trust. When we look at the stars, we wonder “Why do you care for us?” (Psalm 8:3-4). Then we should respond with unreserved worship, humble service, and unwavering trust. See also: Winter Glory  I messed up again. When will I ever learn?
I let them down, I’m such a failure. Why did that happen to me? Guilty. Ashamed. Unworthy. We regret poor choices we made. Life circumstances overwhelm us. We wonder if God still loves us and how we could ever be useful. When these thought patterns overwhelm us, instead of listening to our negative self-condemnations, it’s time to talk back to ourselves. We need to tell ourselves who we are in Christ. In Ephesians 1, Paul reminds us of our identity in Christ. These reminders are God-breathed truths that describe our present, spiritual reality. “...blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing…” (verse 3) When we start to dwell in the bog of self-pity, we can replace those thoughts with reminders of the spiritual blessings we have in Christ. “...Chose us in him before the foundation of the world…” (verse 4) Even before he created the world, God chose us. Not because we would be perfect, but because Christ lived the perfect life. And so, in Christ, we are made holy. “...we have redemption through his blood, forgiveness of our trespasses…” (verse 7) As believers, we are redeemed and forgiven. What we did ten years ago, or yesterday, or three weeks from now is covered by Jesus’ blood that was shed for us. We do not need to linger in self-condemnation, instead we move forward in repentance. “...were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit…” (verse 13) In the time of the New Testament, a seal was a stamp that served as a signature on a legal document. It represented the guarantee that the owner would follow through on the terms of the contract. The Holy Spirit is our reminder that we belong to God from the moment we believed the gospel. These are only a few of the gospel truths that we see in Ephesians 1. They are encouraging and hope-filled. We can replace our feelings of unworthiness and shame with reminders of who we are in Christ. But they aren’t meant to be mere positive affirmations that we can rehearse to boost our self-esteem. They pull us out of our self-focused introspection and point us beyond ourselves. We are blessed, chosen, redeemed, forgiven, and sealed so that we “might be to the praise of his glory” (verse 12). This isn’t an abstract, theological catchphrase. “To the praise of his glory” is how we live out our identity in Christ every day. These truths about ourselves lead us to praise God! We have been lavished with his grace (verse 7). God hasn’t just blessed us a little — he has given us every spiritual blessing. We direct our thoughts to the one who planned from eternity past to redeem us. As our pity turns to praise, we are showing gratitude for who we are in Christ. It’s not just about what we have been given in Christ. Our praise is for his glory. There is nothing we have done, or can do, to deserve to be blessed, chosen, or redeemed. When we praise him, when we rehearse the gospel truths, we bring him glory. In the rest of the letter to the Ephesians, Paul shows us how to live out these gospel truths. In Ephesians 2:10, we see that we are God’s masterpiece, created for good works. We don’t do good works to be accepted or loved, but we do them out of gratitude for his many blessings. Later in chapter 2, Paul reminds us that we are now united with other believers. As we turn our thoughts from ourselves, that frees us to think more of other believers and show them the same love that God lavished on us. If there is someone we know who is discouraged or struggling? We can call them or meet for coffee and read Ephesians 1 together. In chapter 3, Paul explains that the grace he was given empowers him to boldly and confidently proclaim the riches of Christ. We can imitate Paul by telling others about the love of Christ that surpasses understanding. We may think it shows humility to put ourselves down when we talk to others or post on social media. But this puts the focus on ourselves instead of on God. Instead of looking for affirmation from others, we can express our gratitude for God’s unconditional love. We see another reminder of our identity in Christ in Ephesians 4. We have been renewed, created like God in righteousness and holiness (verse 24). Because of this, Paul says we need to speak truth, deal with our anger, work diligently, build others up, and forgive others. And we need to examine ourselves to see if we are harboring any bitterness, slander, or malice towards others. All these practical applications show us that we glorify God when we take our eyes off ourselves so that we can serve others. These are actions that flow out of a life rooted in Christ. We can’t do this without the work of the Holy Spirit in our hearts, so when others see these changes in our life, they bring glory to God. Finally, at the conclusion of the Ephesians in chapter 6, Paul wraps up by telling us to stand firm. By using the imagery of pieces of armor, he reminds us of all the spiritual blessings we have through the truth of the gospel. We don’t have to live in doubt, discouragement, and despair. We can stand firm and glorify him, knowing that we are blessed, chosen, forgiven, and sealed. See also: From the Mercy Seat to Christ, Biblical Meditation Part 1, Biblical Meditation Part 2  “Cardinals appear when angels are near.”
This saying comes from a poem written to comfort those who are mourning the loss of a loved one. Perhaps you have heard someone say this. Or you may have heard someone say that a cardinal was a message or sign from the person they are missing. We deeply long for the connection we had with loved ones who are gone. When we mourn, it is natural to look for reminders of that person. We cling to the hope that they aren’t really absent. As comforting as it may seem to think that a cardinal provides a connection with our loved one, God’s word gives us a true, lasting hope, rather than just wishful thinking. The saying about cardinals and angels includes two misconceptions that can lead us away from truth that is rooted in Scripture. The first misconception is the belief that when people die, they become angels. Humans are the pinnacle of creation, uniquely made in God’s image (Genesis 1:27). Angels are also created by God, but they are entirely different beings (Psalm 8:4-5). Nowhere does the Bible suggest that we become angels when we die. Scripture teaches us something more meaningful. We continue to be human beings after death. For a time, our body and soul are separated, but when Jesus returns, our bodies will be resurrected. We will continue to live as humans, with glorified bodies, just like Jesus (Philippians 3:20-21). The second misconception is that a bird, or any other type of sign, provides a connection with a loved one who has died. Seeing a specific object may remind us of someone we love, but these signs are not evidence of a spiritual or physical presence. Our comfort cannot rely on fleeting moments or symbols, because these can distract us from the truth. When we see a cardinal, we can remember that birds are a part of God’s creation. We can reflect on God’s beauty and majesty as reflected in his creation. Meditating on God and seeing his creation as a reflection of his goodness can lead us to thank God for the time what we spent with our loved one. We can also reflect on what Scripture says about believers who have passed away. The bird — or any part of creation — can be a marker which points us towards God. When Jesus was on the cross, he was hanging between two other men. One of them recognized that he deserved the punishment he was enduring. He also knew that Jesus was accused unjustly. Jesus assured him that he would be with him in Paradise that very day (Luke 23:43). When we think of our loved ones who believed in Christ, we can be reassured that they are with Christ, enjoying rest and communion with our Savior. True and lasting comfort comes from the Lord. When we trust in Christ, we are promised that our loved ones who believe in Him are fully and eternally with Him. Our hope is not in seeing cardinals or other fleeting signs. Our hope is in Christ and the promise of spending eternity together with our Savior. Rather than thinking of angels being near when cardinals appear, we can remember this instead: God is always near and counts our tears. See also: Is the Bible a Love Letter?  Sometimes people describe the Bible as a “love letter” written to us. This is a statement that may resonate deeply with many, especially to women who are struggling to see themselves as worthy or loved.
It is true that Scripture tells us God loves us. But describing the Bible as a love letter moves the focus away from the Author and puts us at the center. When we think of ourselves as the recipient of this “letter” from God, we can start to slip into dangerous territory. We may look for hidden messages or personal revelation that we think God is giving us, which removes verses and passages from their original context and meaning. One verse that is frequently misused in this way is Jeremiah 29:11. This was a promise given to the Israelites when they were in exile, not a personalized prediction of how our individual futures will look. Another danger is that we could start to practice eisegesis -- reading ourselves “into” the text instead of trying to learn from the text the message that the Holy Spirit intended to convey through the human authors. The David and Goliath narrative is often used this way when speakers or authors encourage people to reflect on the “giants” in their life that need to be “killed”. This is a historical narrative, not a story meant to be stretched into a metaphorical reflection on obstacles an individual is facing. Scripture does so much more than simply tell us that God loves us. It is not meant to be used as a sentimental self-esteem booster. Scripture equips and encourages. It rebukes us and instructs us. God’s word pierces and divides to our innermost being. It restores our soul and makes us wise. The word of God accomplishes his purpose and remains forever. Rather than approaching the Bible as a letter written specifically to each one of us and looking for a special, unique message for ourselves, we need to remember that God is the author and the main character. The Bible provides a way for us to learn more about him. As we grow in our knowledge of him, our love for him deepens. This growing love should be a catalyst to forge connections with others. Then they will be drawn to Him through the God-breathed, enduring Scriptures. Scripture reveals who God is so that we can see how we have fallen short and allow him to conform us to his image. Instead of trying to make Scripture be what we want to hear, let’s allow Scripture to change us. See also: Always Here, The Reception  “If we want our kids to stand firm in a culture that suppresses the truth of Christianity, we need to give them a grand view of God that overwhelms their hearts and fills them with wonder. Our children’s resolve is only as strong as the God they believe in, and if the God they believe in is presented to them as nothing more than a small deity, their loyalty will follow suit.”
How to Teach Kids Theology by Sam Luce and Hunter Williams In Aesop’s fables, we encounter a collection of stories with memorable characters designed to deliver a moral lesson. In The Boy Who Cried Wolf, we learn not to lie. In The Tortoise and the Hare, we see that good things come to those who are patient and consistent. We come away from each story with a simple slogan meant to help us do better. Unfortunately, when we teach our children or teens, we can unintentionally create the impression that the Bible is not much different from Aesop’s fables. The Good Samaritan becomes a lesson about being kind to others. The narrative of Jonah and the whale turns into a reminder that we should obey when we are told to do something. These approaches reduce Bible passages to little more than character lessons, rather than revealing who God is and what he has done. When we treat Scripture this way, we forget that any time we teach the Bible we are teaching theology. The real question is not whether we are theologians, but whether we are good ones. Reading this book pushed me to examine my own habits when teaching. As I was reading the examples of how parents and leaders can miss the mark when teaching Scripture, I cringed many times. I have used almost every one of those techniques or explanations when talking with my own children or teaching at church. It was eye-opening to see how cute stories, analogies, and moral takeaways can minimize the true purpose of a biblical passage. Sometimes it can be daunting to talk to children or teens about who God is and what he has done. We need to use vocabulary and concepts that they can understand, but without minimizing the deep truths that Scripture presents. This book reminds us that we can be transparent and admit when something is hard to understand. We can tell children and teens that we will have to study more and return to the subject another time. I appreciated that the book introduces basic principles for studying Scripture. The authors encourage us to take time to read the passages we are teaching, understand them, and look for gospel implications. These are invaluable steps to take before attempting to teach. Luce and Williams also give excellent principles for preparing for lessons, and choosing appropriate curriculum. In addition, they provide practical tips for designing engaging, gospel-centered lessons. So who would benefit the most from reading this book? The book is written for people who teach children and teens — including parents and grandparents. But I also recommend this resource for new believers who want to understand how to study Scripture. There are also many ideas that are also helpful for adult small group leaders. In short, if you are a believer, it is well worth adding to your reading list. See also: Next Generation |
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