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humble without the #hashtag

...one more humble – not boastful or full of pride on social media by declaring every good deed you do with a slogan for all to see.   Do good, but do it because the love of Christ compels you. Don't do it with the motive and purpose of being seen in order to attract praise. This is not the way of Christ.   There's no need to hashtag your life and good deeds if you're doing things with the right motives, since what you do privately, God will see and know and reward you for that (Matt 6:3-4). There's also no need to start campaigns against non issues in the name of Jesus, either.   Do things right, and do things that Jesus actually cared about and wan...

A Prayer You Can Hold: A Maker’s Reflection on Beads, Scripture and Attention

...pirit. A humble tool Prayer beads should remain humble. They are not talismans, proof of spiritual seriousness or guarantees of consolation. They can be put down. Sometimes prayer will still feel dry, distracted or difficult. The beads do not remove that reality; they accompany us within it. When I send a set of beads out from my workbench, I do not know what it will witness. It may be held in grief, gratitude, uncertainty, pilgrimage or ordinary morning prayer. My responsibility is limited but real: to make it honestly, make it well, and allow it to disappear into a life of prayer that is not mine to direct. The recurrence of prayer beads across countries a...

I am one with the Force; the Force is with me – A Star Wars theology

...keep you humble before God. Jude 1:20But you, beloved, build yourselves up on your most holy faith; pray in the Holy Spirit   Often people throw out that verse about not praying with “vain repetitions” (Matt 6:7) whenever you mention something like the Jesus Prayer (and sometimes even liturgy!). But is it vain? In this case, ‘vain’ means something that is pointless or futile (as opposed to meaning ‘self centred or narcissistic’, which is the more common understanding these days). If we look a couple of verses earlier, there’s a link with not being like “the hypocrites” who stand in the street making themselves seen when praying (and t...

The Gospel of Jeffrey Dahmer

...e who are humble with a contrite heart (Isaiah 57:15). This is the test of faith: humility, repentance and good works (James 2:26; Rom 6:1–4). Paul’s life displayed a changed character, and from what I read, Dahmer was different post-baptism too according to Roy Ratcliff, although he didn’t get much time to live after converting — he was baptised in May 1994 and bludgeoned to death by another inmate November of that same year. But the point remains, which is the heart of the Gospel: God’s grace and mercy are far bigger than we can ever comprehend, as much as we might not like it, God can save whomever HE wills, not whoever WE prefer. Like the th...

The Eighth Day

...entle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.   Jesus is the fulfillment of all the types and shadows which the Old Testament predicted (Colossians 2:16-17; Romans 14:5-6), and that includes having a certain day for rest and worship. Hebrews 4:3, 9-10 For we who have believed enter that rest … So then, a sabbath rest still remains for the people of God; for those who enter God’s rest also cease from their labors as God did from his.   Dwelling with God Compare what Paul says about believers being the temple, with what is declared in Revelation about this very concept: 2 Corinthians 6:16b For we are the temple of the liv...

From Dust to Redemption: The Meaning of Ash Wednesday

...but as a humble admission of sin and mortality. Far from drawing attention to oneself in pride, they serve as a reminder that “you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” Yes, it is a visible sign, but it is one that calls the individual — and the community — to repentance and grace. Ash Wednesday Today In contemporary traditional Christianity, Ash Wednesday remains a significant day of reflection and devotion. Even in an increasingly secular society, many people — including those who might not attend church regularly — participate in the service, recognising its deep spiritual and historical significance. Many years ago, when I w...