“Even my close friend in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted his heel against me” (Psalm 41:9, ESV). When considering difficult people, we must be careful to distinguish between truly dangerous people (who wish to destroy us) and those who are merely “different.” Culturally speaking, I have been called a godsend in some places and a nuisance in others. If we are honest, cultural differences can sometimes be deemed “difficulties.” But what does the Bible teach us? Sometimes the only thing that makes a person difficult to us is the way we perceive them. If someone does not carry themselves in a way that pleases us, we may immediately dislike them. This may cause division and blindness toward their gift and purpose in God. The Bible says we must esteem one another as better than ourselves. Humility will help us have patience. (Read Ephesians 2:1-8.) Pride can become a wedge between believers. Demanding that others conform will stifle the beautiful diversity of gifts and abilities. Everyone comes to the table with something different to offer. We need wisdom in dealing with souls; we are, after all, fishers of men. First Corinthians 13 speaks of love. It also…

A beautiful old church building in Québec was put up for sale by its founding denomination many years ago. For some time, it has been rented out to people who used this old cathedral, with its cavernous ceilings, crumbling paint, and fabulous acoustics, as a used book and rummage sale. Most recently, a controversial decision was made to tear down what was once a stunning edifice. I was talking with a reporter, and he asked me what I thought about the “destruction of the church.” I said, “As sad as it is that this beautiful building is being lost, the church can never be destroyed. The church is a living, breathing body of believers; it’s not a building. As long as people hold a vibrant, active faith, the church will live on.” The church was met with persecution almost as soon as it was born. But believers always multiply in the face of any attempt to destroy the church. Even today, Christians in China, Nigeria, Iran, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, and dozens of other nations, face danger daily because of their faith in Jesus Christ. Buildings dedicated as houses of Christian worship are vandalized and destroyed regularly. The vandals and criminals…

1 Thessalonians 5:17 (NIV): “Pray without ceasing.” Prayer, the act of talking to our Creator, is something I did not understand for years. I thought prayer was something done in certain places – prayer rooms, church buildings, our living room. I thought it was something done at certain times – prayer time at church, prayer meetings at church, altar services after a church service. I thought it was only done in one way – with a loud voice and the use of repetitive words, much like chanting. But I was wrong. Prayer, the communication of my soul with the Almighty God of the universe, cannot be confined to just a few places, just a few times, in a limited way. Prayer is like life-giving water that sometimes beats down on the earth in torrents, washing clean the land and rivers of the pollutants that have covered it. Sometimes, water comes in soft and gentle showers that bathe the earth, enriching the plants and soil so that they may produce for the season. Other times, the water comes in a light, almost imperceptible mist that coats the plants with dew and gives them what they need for that day. All of…

Job 12:12 (NIV): “Is not wisdom found among the aged? Does not long life bring understanding?” I love old things. I find a happy spot when I encounter old barn wood, worn-down crates, dilapidated dressers, painted-encrusted wood doors, discarded windows, and rusted items that remind me of the “good old days.” A day wandering around flea markets full of junk always brings a smile to my face. Years ago, my roommate’s mother and aunt came for a visit. I had replaced the mirror in my bathroom with an old medicine cabinet I found at a local flea market. Its worn-down edges showed layers of paint, and the inside of the door still had a faded instruction sheet on how to clean wounds, cuts, and bites. The piece made me want to know its story – where it had been and what it had witnessed. I could have scraped off the old paint and refinished it, but I liked its character and decided to simply give it a good cleaning. The two women whispered to each other, asking why in the world I would put such an old relic in my house. They stated that they “had old things all their…