Who of us comes home from work after a day of petty and infuriating inconveniences involving other people and calls their friend or turns to their spouse and says: but, really, I was the one who made this day so hard for them? Probably none of us... But might we get more out of life learning to tell a more balanced story of ourselves and our lives? God inspired the Ancient Israelite authors of the Book of Exodus in just such a way...
Read MoreFrom the chaotic and unsure standpoint of the suddenly-freed-from-Egyptian-slavery Hebrew people, the Ten Commandments was the most compassionate and revolutionary offer of guidance that anyone could have asked for. But what really shows us the enduring helpfulness of the Ten Commandments -- even today! -- is the perspective on them Jesus would add.
Read MoreDr. King once said "The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice". And that's a pretty great summary of the Book of Exodus' hopeful message about God's response to the things that oppress - whether societally or even internally.
Read MoreMaybe experiencing the hope and resilience of a deep-down, honest feeling that "God is reliable, even in challenges & hardship" isn't something we have to make happen for ourselves. As the story of Moses and the burning bush suggests, maybe God considers it his responsibility to give us that gift.
Read MoreJesus' oft-visited topic "the Kingdom of God" carries with it an invitation into an amazing sense of life purpose, if we're up for participating. And, thankfully, participation can look lots of different ways.
Read MoreJesus' parable of the workers demonstrates how normal and human it is to perceive new people or new situations as threats to us personally, but it also shows God's desire to help us navigate away from self-centeredness toward open-heartedness.
Read MoreModern research on what leads to healthy, whole-hearted living (from the likes of Dr. Brene Brown) shines light on the importance of Jesus' encouragement to care for children as a way to connect with God and have the "greatest" impact by being among "the least".
Read MoreJesus' famous story of "the Good Samaritan" suggests that "neighboring" comes with a personal cost, but the experience of feeling stirred to compassion and led by God is so life-giving and worth it... (TRANSCRIPT ONLY)
Read MoreA huge opportunity before any person at virtually any time is the chance to have an experience of neighboring -- a life-giving or heart-changing or worldview-expanding or just plain pleasant interaction with another human being that shares the same world. But perhaps the biggest obstacle to these interactions is initiating them when we feel awkward...
Read MoreBLV's own Njenga Maina and Tamara King each share from their own lives as a way to represent the two biggest global connections our community enjoys: a church in Nakuru, Kenya, and two churches in Mexico (one in Puerto Vallarta, and the other in Mexico City).
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