Topic(s): Jesus

Plutarch says that among the Persians those persons were considered most beautiful who were hawk-nosed, for no other reason than that Cyrus had such a nose. In Richard the Third’s court hunchbacks were the height of fashion. As the various potentates who have condescended to rule mankind have lisped, or stuttered, or limped, or squinted, or spoken through their noses, these infirmities have been elevated into graces and commanded the admiration of silly mortals. But is there not more than a possibility that what we ridicule in the kingdoms of earth may have its counterpart in the church? Is there not a tendency among Christians to imitate the spiritual infirmities of their religious leaders, or more often still of departed “saints?” We may follow holy people so far as they follow Christ. The mischief is that we do not readily stop where we should, but rather where we should not. By all means imitate the great heroes of the faith, but not indiscriminately, not slavishly, or you will do so ridiculously. One is your Master, to copy him in every jot and tittle will be safe enough. - Spurgeon

“Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children” - Ephesians 5:1

Difficult Things

Topic(s): Wisdom

Voltaire said that there are three things that are difficult: “To keep a secret, to suffer an injury, to use leisure.” He was certainly right. And each of the three is a potential source of temptation. How hard it is to keep a confidence when the telling of it would be such pleasure! How hard it is to suffer an injury and neither complain nor strike back! How poorly most of us use our leisure time.

“...follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart” - 2 Timothy 2:22; cf. Proverbs 12:26; Romans 13:14; Hebrews 2:18

You Think Today’s Prisons are Bad...

Topic(s): Bible Study, Pain & Suffering

Paul may have spent as much as 25 percent of his time as a missionary in prison. We know of his brief lock-up in Philippi, two years’ incarceration in Caesarea, and at least another two in Rome. Yet Paul says he experienced “far more imprisonments,” than his opponents (2 Corinthians 11:23-27). To understand Paul, we need to understand where he spent so much time.

Miserable Circumstances. Roman imprisonment was preceded by being stripped naked and flogged, a humiliating, painful, and bloody ordeal. The bleeding wounds went untreated; prisoners sat in painful leg or wrist chains (cf. Acts 21:33). Mutilated, blood-stained clothing was not replaced, even in the cold of winter. In his final imprisonment, Paul asked for a cloak, presumably because of the cold (2 Timothy 4:13). Most cells were dark, especially the inner cells, like the one Paul and Silas inhabited in Philippi (Acts 16:23). Unbearable cold, lack of water, cramped quarters, and sickening stench from few toilets made sleeping difficult and waking hours miserable. Male and female prisoners were sometimes incarcerated together, which led to sexual immorality and abuse. Prison food, when available, was poor. Most prisoners had to provide their own food from outside sources. When Paul was in prison in Caesarea, Felix gave orders to the centurion “...to let him have liberty, and that he should forbid none of his acquaintance to minister or come unto him” (Acts 24:23). Because of the miserable conditions, many prisoners begged for a speedy death. Others simply committed suicide.

The Privileged Few. All of this could be mitigated to some extent if the prisoner was important or paid a bribe (as Governor Felix hoped to receive from Paul in Caesarea, Acts 24:26). A prominent individual, or one expected to be released, might be kept under house arrest if he or she could afford the rent. In Rome, where housing prisoners was excessively expensive, Paul was given the privilege of house arrest, and he paid the rent himself (exactly how, we don’t know) (Acts 28:30). He probably lived in a third-floor apartment; first floors were used for shops, and the second floor was expensive. In his final imprisonment in Rome, though, Paul’s life came to an end in the woeful conditions of a Roman prison. - John McRay. “Paul and His Times,” Christian History, no. 47.

Dad, Pay Attention!

Topic(s): Father, Youth

My second son, Steve, tried out for the high school football team. He walked into my office and proclaimed with great excitement, “Dad, I made the team!” I turned and said, “Yeah, but are you starting?” Steve walked away crushed. As a junior in high school, I just assumed he would make the team. I was so preoccupied that I didn’t take time to understand what was important to him. As fathers, we need to take time to find out what’s important to our children and then make those things our priority. Paul compared his ministry to fatherhood: “...we exhorted and comforted and charged every one of you, as a father doth his children, that ye would walk worthy of God...” (1 Thessalonians. 2:11-12). None of this will transpire unless the father is in the house. Make sure you attend sporting events or drama presentations—whatever is important to them—even though it may mean making a sacrifice and giving up something else you would like to do. - Phillip H. Porter, Jr.

“And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord” - Ephesians 6:4