1 Samuel 15-17 THOUGHT FOR TODAY, April 12, 2019 “SAUL AND THE “DARK TRIAD” Susan Krauss Whitbourne, Ph.D., posted the following in “Psychology Today”: “Lurking beneath the surface of people who use others to their own advantage is psychology’s ‘Dark Triad.’ Defined as a set of traits that include the tendency to seek admiration and special treatment (otherwise known as narcissism), to be callous and insensitive (psychopathy) and to manipulate…Keep Reading

Ruth 1-4 THOUGHT FOR TODAY, April 7, 2019 “WHEREVER YOU GO, THERE YOU ARE” The Bible does not reveal whether it was God’s decision or Abraham’s for him to go down into Egypt when famine hit the Promised Land, but he went and found himself in deep trouble (Genesis 12:10-20). Abraham’s problem was not Egypt, nor Pharaoh, but Abraham who tried to pass his wife off as his sister because…Keep Reading

Judges 19-20 THOUGHT FOR TODAY, April 6, 2019 “THOSE WHO DO NOT LEARN FROM HISTORY ARE DOOMED TO REPEAT IT” Regardless of whom we credit with the words of our title, in the Book of Judges, Israel demonstrated its truth: Israel sins, God allows another nation to plunder them, they cry out to God, God sends a judge to deliver them (Judges 2:16-23), and the beat goes on. The era…Keep Reading

Judges 17-18 THOUGHT FOR TODAY, April 5, 2019 “PREACHER OR PROFESSIONAL PEDDLER OF RELIGION” Micah had stolen 1,100 pieces of silver from his mother who pronounced a curse on the thief, not knowing it was her son. Perhaps frightened that Momma’s curse might come true, he confessed, and she forgave him. That wasn’t enough, she took 200 pieces of silver and sent them to the silversmith to make an image…Keep Reading

Judges 13-16 THOUGHT FOR TODAY, April 4, 2019 “A MAN OF FAITH, BUT NOT A FAITHFUL MAN” Perhaps the most famous of all the judges was the prankster Samson. One reason for Samson’s fame is the fact that Hollywood has presented its interpretation of the story in at least three films (1949, 1984, 1996). It was performed as a grand opera, beginning in 1877 that continues until today. The story…Keep Reading

1 Samuel 4:8 THOUGHT FOR TODAY, April 9, 2019 “HAVE IT YOUR WAY’ GAME” Samuel was a son of promise who grew up in the house of God at Shiloh. His life is summed up: “And Samuel grew, and the Lord was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground. And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba knew that Samuel was established as a prophet of…Keep Reading

1 Samuel 1:3 THOUGHT FOR TODAY, April 8, 2019 “BULLYING IS JUVENILE, BUT IT’S NOT A KIDS’ GAME” Hardly a day goes by that some news outlet is not reporting about some young person being bullied. Bullying is juvenile, but it is often committed by adults. Nor is it a 21st-century problem. In today’s reading, we find one woman—and probably her friends—bullying another woman. Hannah was the favorite—and perhaps the…Keep Reading

Judges 10-12 THOUGHT FOR TODAY, April 3, 2019 “GOD CHOOSES THE UNLIKELY TO DO THE UNBELIEVABLE” Like many young men of our day, Jephthah had received the short end of the stick. He seems to have been the oldest son of Gilead and an unnamed prostitute. Gilead’s wife also bore him sons, and when they grew up, they drove him away from home. Like many young men, he looked for…Keep Reading

Judges 8-9 THOUGHT FOR TODAY, April 2, 2019 “THE LAW OF UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES” In gratitude for Gideon’s success, which was really the Lord’s success, the people offered Gideon the kingship: “‘Rule over us, you and your son and your grandson also, for you have saved us from the hand of Midian.’ Gideon said to them, ‘I will not rule over you, and my son will not rule over you; the…Keep Reading

Judges 6-7 THOUGHT FOR TODAY, April 1, 2019 “WHY” Israel had once again done what was evil in the sight of the Lord, and the Lord gave them into the hand of Midian for seven years. God called Gideon, who ask God for a sign, proving the Lord was with him. After some convincing, involving fire from the hand of the angel of the Lord springing up to consume the…Keep Reading

Judges 3-5 THOUGHT FOR TODAY, March 31, 2019 “THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL AND 9/11” A spike in church attendance occurred after the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center, but they were short-lived, lasting only a few weeks, according to Mark Chaves, a Duke professor of sociology, religious studies, and divinity, who directs the National Congregations Study, which examines American religious places of worship over time. Reading the last eight…Keep Reading

Judges 1-2 THOUGHT FOR TODAY, March 30, 2019 “OF ALL SAD WORDS OF TONGUE AND PEN”h2> In the poem “Maud Miller” (John Greenleaf Whittier, 1856), the most famous line is “For of all sad words of tongue or pen, the saddest are these: ‘It might have been!’” I recalled this line as I read Judges 2:10: “And all that generation also were gathered to their fathers. And there arose another…Keep Reading