Less of a Cure Than You Would Think

A man comes into a doctor's office and frantically asks the doctor, “Do you have a cure for hiccups?” The doctor stands up and slaps the man right across his face. The stunned man says, “Why did you do that?”. The doctor smirks and responds, “Well, do you still have the hiccups?” The confused man replies “I never did, it’s my wife who has them, she is out in the car”

Proverbs 18:13 tells us, “He who gives an answer before he hears, It is folly and shame to him.” I’m afraid too many of us are like that doctor and are quick to dole out solutions before we really know what the problem is. So many problems and people in our world are more complex than we realize at a cursory glance. If we are quick to judge and quick to speak, we might also be quick to harm.

Before we make a fool out of ourselves, it might be better to listen and think before we react. It may save more face than our own.

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Until Midnight

In Acts 20, there is the tragicomic event surrounding a young man by the name of Eutychus. He did what a lot of folks before and after him did, he fell asleep during a sermon. Unfortunately, he was setting in in the third story window at the time. So instead of nodding off and hitting the pew in front of him, he fell to his death. The good news was the apostle Paul was delivering the sermon and had the ability to bring him back. I don’t know, however, if we can judge Eutychus too harshly. The sermon had gone on till midnight. Paul wouldn’t finish it up till daybreak. That’s a long lesson. I know some folks that might want to jump out of a window if I had a lesson that long, yet these Christians wanted to be there to hear Paul. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not pushing for all night sermons but I think we might need to adopt these folks' dedication. They knew that Paul was only in town for a limited time only and they were determined to ...

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Mysterious Ways

William Cowper didn’t see any reason to live. He decided that he’d jump off the bridge over the Thames. So, he called a cab to take him there. But that night in 1763, a thick fog enveloped London. It was so thick the cab driver couldn’t find the bridge and couldn’t even find the way to take William home. In frustration, he ordered the driver to stop and get out to get his bearings. He walked up to the nearest house to read the number and it was William's house. Gone now were William’s thoughts of suicide and instead a new idea came into his head. So, he went in and wrote these words: God moves in mysterious ways His wonders to perform. He plants his footsteps in the sea And rides upon the storm. You fearful saints, fresh courage take; The clouds you so much dread Are big with mercy and shall break In blessings on your head. I sometimes wish we could see all the ways God watches over us when need it. There are...

Ecclesiastes 12:10

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