Inspiration

What is sin?

Sin is the glory of God not honored,
the holiness of God not reverenced,
the greatness of God not admired,
the power of God not praised,
the truth of God not sought,
the wisdom of God not esteemed,
the beauty of God not treasured,
the goodness of God not savored,
the faithfulness of God not trusted,
the promises of God not believed,
the commandments of God not obeyed,
the justice of God not respected,
the wrath of God not feared,
the grace of God not cherished,
the presence of God not prized,
the person of God not loved.

That is sin.

- John Piper

I took my granddaughter to church camp for the first time last weekend. Behind the sanctuary is a restroom facility that is separate from other buildings. A common topic of conversation was a problem that was occurring this year - bugs and crickets seem to seek refuge in the restroom.

One evening during church service, my granddaughter asked me where the bathroom was because she needed to use it. I told her she could use the restroom behind the sanctuary.

She exclaimed, "Grandma, I am afraid to go to that restroom because there are a lot of bugs and hypocrites in there!"

Basic Math is the subject I teach at a small community college in western North Carolina. I call one part of the curriculum Practical Applications for Living in the Real World.

The day after I presented a lesson on simple and compound interest, one of my older students approached me in the hallway. "You really taught me a great deal about my life yesterday," he said.

"I realized I've been struggling with a lack of interest, compounded daily, for thirty years."

The woman applying for a job in a Florida lemon grove seemed way too qualified for the job.

"Look Miss," said the foreman, "do you have any experience in picking lemons?"

"Well... as a matter of fact, Yes!" she replied. "I've been divorced three times."