“People living in glass houses
shouldn’t throw stones.”
This wise saying reminds us to be careful who we criticize. Jesus offered this piece of relevant advice:
John 8:7 (CEV)
If any of you have never sinned,
then go ahead and throw the first stone.
Politicians (and all of us), take heed. 
Proverbs 17:15 (ICB)
The Lord hates both these things:
letting guilty people go free
and punishing those who are not guilty.
God doesn’t err on one side. Nor should we.
Go for justice.
Psalm 19:14 (GNT)
May my words and my thoughts
be acceptable to you,
O LORD, my refuge and my redeemer!
Not only my words and deeds, Lord, but my thoughts–
May they be just in your sight.
It‘s simple.
Take God seriously.
Micah 6:8 (MSG)
But he’s already made it plain how to live, what to do,
what God is looking for in men and women.
It’s quite simple: Do what is fair and just to your neighbor,
be compassionate and loyal in your love,
And don’t take yourself too seriously—
take God seriously.
Dueling declarations make the news. Here’s the theme, coming from both sides of almost every issue:
Only God is 100% right, all the time. The rest of us could be wrong.
That’s just (morally good) news.
China is creating a “social score” system, similar to our credit ratings, based on people’s behavior (see this article in Business Insider).
This doesn’t bode well for Chinese Christians. Open Doors USA tracks and supports persecuted believers around the word. CEO David Curry comments in this Christian Post article:
“Imagine a system where citizens are given 2,000 points and every time you do something they government disagrees with, you are marked down for it. Eventually, your travel is restricted, your children won’t get into the best schools. You lose points for taking your children to Sunday School. That is what the experience is like for many Christians in China.”
Cameras and facial scanning monitor movement and behavior of Chinese citizens, including their presence in church.
Almighty God, Your all-seeing eye is on this situation. As needed, shelter Chinese believers from this ever-present surveillance. On the other hand, may the godly behavior of Your people influence the watchers. Holy Spirit, sweep across the nation and transform watchers into believers, in Jesus’ name.
Ultrasounds now show us
images from the womb —
a view that used to be God’s alone.
Psalm 139:13-15 (NIV)
For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.
My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place,
when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.
Your eyes saw my unformed body.
I work with special needs children. I see the image of God in each of them:
One’s ever-happy heart reflects the joy of the Lord. Another never forgets a promise. Others take pleasure in keeping things organized. They patiently wait for those who are slow to move or speak. They are eager to help and quick to encourage. Their love for one another is akin to God’s.
These are sacred lives.
Isaiah 66:1 (NIV)
This is what the LORD says:
“Heaven is my throne,
and the earth is my footstool.”
Toddler Jesus walked holding His mother’s hand. Young Jesus ran and played. 12-year old Jesus walked to Jerusalem. Adult Jesus carried out His ministry on foot.
God so loved His footstool.
Jesus experienced the warm, dark womb
and the cold, dark tomb–
the start and the end of life:
Hebrews 4:14-15 (MSG)
Now that we know what we have—Jesus, this great High Priest with ready access to God—let’s not let it slip through our fingers. We don’t have a priest who is out of touch with our reality.
The beginning and end–Jesus has been there, done that.
