Cornerstone

1 Cor 10:19-23 (22)

It seemed like I was constantly getting into fights. As a ten or eleven-year-old boy I was not aggressive, abrasive or argumentative. I thought I was a nice guy. Older students at my elementary school, however, continued to pick on me. It didn’t help that I had not lost a fight. It seemed to be a challenge to them.

This time was different. A boy I knew and his older sister were on their way home from school. Without any provocation he insulted me and challenge me to fight. After some unpleasant conversation his older sister stepped forward and said, “If you hurt my little brother I will give you a licken’.” My parents taught me to never touch a girl and to act respectfully toward women. Besides that the girl was about a foot taller and quite a lot heavier than I was. It was time to retreat.

There are times when we may feel that we are right and want to push our Christian liberty in the presence of a brother who is restricted by rules and regulations. Paul indicated that this may “provoke the Lord to jealousy” so that He will take up the defense of our brother against us. That is a situation we want to avoid. In our desire to please God at all times and in all ways we will do our best to not damage the conscience of our brother by our freedom in Christ.

Dr. Gayle Woods

Psalm 119:1-8 (2)

In this little town the speed limit was 25 mph EVERYWHERE! I was SO frustrated. Things had not gone well that morning. It was cold. My son didn’t want to get out of bed. We soon found that it had sleeted during the night. Ice covered my windshield. Then the car wouldn’t start. A jump start to the battery took more time. Ahead were slick roads, heavy traffic and 15 miles to the school

Traffic was moving at about 22 3/8 mph! If I hurried my son would not be tardy. Finally there was no one in front of me. We were 2 mile from school I had 2 minutes. I stepped on the accelerator.

Then I saw him. He was headed toward me. I glanced at my speedometer. I was driving at 35 mph. We met and passed. In my rearview mirror I watched him make a u-turn. His lights came on. As I pulled into the school parking lot, ON TIME, the city patrolman pulled in behind me.

I accomplished what I wanted to do. It seemed right at the time. Others would not have faulted me. Yet, I had to pay a fine. So it is with God=’s Word. It is our guide to a productive, happy life with Jesus. When we violate its precepts we must pay the consequences.

Dr. Gayle Woods