Shifting Boundaries, Shaking Lives

Shifting Boundaries, Shaking Lives

There's an old maxim that politicians use in deciding on policies that'll win them the next election: if in doubt, back self-interest. In other words, pander to the self-interest of others and they'll vote for you. Sadly, self-interest is used to justify all kinds of abuse and injustice as we collectively shift the boundary markers that separate right and wrong. During the so-called Highland Clearances in 18th and 19th century Scotland, powerful landowners forced thousands of poor tenant farmers off their ancestral lands to make way for more profitable sheep farming. Boundaries were literally redrawn, villages were destroyed, and people who'd lived there for generations were driven into poverty, exile, or emigration. It was, in essence, the moving of "ancient boundary stones"—ignoring heritage, community, and justice for the sake of profit. The vulnerable—often widows, orphans, and the poor—were left without fields or homes. Proverbs 23:10 Do not remove an ancient landmark or encroach on the fields of orphans, for their redeemer is strong; he will plead their cause against you. (NRSV) Self-interest is a powerful motivator for each one of us – perhaps the most powerful of all. So long as we're comfortable, who cares what happens to everyone else? Who cares about their suffering? In this verse, God warns us against greed, exploitation, and taking advantage of the vulnerable by shifting boundaries for selfish gain. Greed that displaces the powerless corrodes both justice and society. And God will see that, in the end, His justice is done. Don't move the ancient landmarks. Don't start calling that which is wrong, right. That's God's warning, and … That's God's Word. Fresh … for you … today.

Know When to Walk Away

Our capacity for self-delusion, for being led by the nose by this conspiracy theory or that radical dogma, is remarkable. Just look around. Amidst the swill of social media, many are being sucked into the deep vortex of delusion. Imagine you meet someone who's convinced that the earth is flat or that aeroplanes spray chemicals to control people's minds. So you patiently sit with them, showing them NASA photos, explaining basic physics, even quoting trusted scientists. But no matter what evidence you bring, your friend just shakes their head and says, "That's what they want you to believe." Your words of wisdom and truth wash over them like water off a duck's back—completely wasted. What do you do with that? Proverbs 23:9 Do not speak in the hearing of a fool, for he will despise the good sense of your words. ESV Fool is such a harsh word. But sometimes, it's also the right one. Doing what I do, I receive a lot of hate mail from people who call me all sorts of names, accusing me of all sorts of things. It really bothered me at first and I'd spend hours writing to each one, trying to shine the light of God's love into their hearts. But can I tell you, not a single one of them came round. And harsh as it may sound, eventually you have to heed God's advice: Do not speak in the hearing of a fool, for he will despise the good sense of your words. That's God's Word. Fresh … for you … today.

The Power of a Gentle Word

The combined talent of the more than eight billion people walking the planet right now is truly staggering. And yet what proportion of that talent goes to waste, simply because the world doesn't value or acknowledge it? Think about it. The loss of all that talent to the collective human enterprise is mind-blowing! So many people have been damaged by the rough and tumble of life in a world where everyone's clamouring for attention and success; where, because how they look or where they come from, their value is diminished in the eyes of others. You have to ask yourself, why do we do that? And why does God allow it? Proverbs 15:3-4 The LORD sees what happens everywhere. He watches everyone, good and evil. Kind words are like a life-giving tree, but lying words will crush your spirit. Make no mistake. None of this has escaped God's attention. The terrible things we do to others happen right under His nose. God sees the evil, and He will deal with it when the time comes. But in the meantime, there's something that you and I can do that'll make a huge difference in countless people's lives: Kind words are like a life-giving tree. The original Hebrew language paints a beautiful picture of those kind words - a healing tongue. Speech that restores, soothes, and encourages brings vitality, growth and blessing - like a life-giving tree. It's remarkable how little encouragement some people actually need to begin the process of becoming all that God made them to be. You can be the one who, through your kind words, your healing tongue, restores their life to all that it was meant to be. Yes … you. That's God's Word. Fresh … for you … today.

Choose the Crown, Not the Trophy

We live in a world that loves to hand out medals and awards - in school, academia, sport, entertainment … you name it. So each year, like clockwork, Hollywood rolls out the red carpet for the Academy Awards; the Oscars, as they're known — a night drenched in glitz and glamour. Flashing cameras, glittering gowns, tailored tuxedos, and million-dollar smiles line the stage where the world's biggest stars gather. Those gold statuettes gleam under dazzling lights as limousines queue outside and champagne flows inside. It's the entertainment industry's crown jewel — a spectacle of elegance, luxury, and prestige that captures the imagination of millions watching on across the globe. Yet in a recent interview, Hollywood A-Lister and dual Academy Award winner Denzel Washington said, "Man gives the award. God gives the reward. On my last day, the Oscars won't do me any good." Hebrews 11:24-26 Moses grew up and became a man. He refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter. He chose not to enjoy the pleasures of sin that last such a short time. Instead, he chose to suffer with God's people. He did this because he had faith. He thought it was better to suffer for the Messiah than to have all the treasures of Egypt. He was waiting for the reward that God would give him. We can be so busy chasing the world's accolades and awards that we lose sight of the crown of life that comes to the one who suffers for Christ, who endures to the end. Aim for the crown, not the trophy, because while the trophy lasts for a time, in Christ, the crown of life is yours for eternity. That's God's Word. Fresh … for you … today.

All Means All

In the affluent West where I live, when there's a tragedy in another Western nation – a school shooting, a train accident, a terrorist incident – it's all over the news. But the wars and terrorism raging in Africa never get a mention, despite the suffering and carnage. Most have never even heard of the plight of the dispossessed and the stateless, like the Rohingya minority in Myanmar. Why is that? In an episode of the American Drama, The West Wing, an aide says to the President: "The idea that some lives are worth more than others is the root of all that's wrong with the world." The President replies quietly: "Yes, it is." That cuts deep because, in reality, that's how the world operates — some lives valued, others discarded, some lifted high, others overlooked. And if we're honest, sometimes we think like that too. But the Apostle Paul tells us something radically different:. 2 Corinthians 5:14-15 For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised. (ESV) In God's economy, no life is worth more than another. Christ didn't die only for the powerful and ignore the weak. He died for all. His sacrifice levels the ground at the foot of the cross. And if Christ's love compels us, then we cannot rank people by status, race, income, usefulness, or background. To live for Jesus means to see every life through His eyes — equally precious, equally in need of grace, equally worth our love. The idea that some lives matter less is the root cause of all that is wrong with the world. That's God's Word. Fresh … for you … today.