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You don’t have to be a jerk to live a good life

In his book, Don’t Let the Jerks Get the Best of You, Dr. Paul Meier defines a jerk as “someone who selfishly uses or abuses other human beings, animals, or the environment.” Dr. Meier calculates that approximately 40% of the population qualify as 1st Degree Jerks. They’re good people who do unto others as they would have others do to them but, on occasion, selfish behaviors creep through despite their best intentions. Another 40% of the population ranks as 2nd Degree Jerks, people who are sometimes intentionally selfish. These folks manipulate and control others to their own ...

Real disciples never quit, they “remain”

Back in 1915, Ladies World magazine named Francis X. Bushman “the most handsome man.” Bushman’s looks earned him a great living. As a model, he cleared about $250 a week. But Bushman’s agent, David Freedman, saw an opportunity for greater wealth. Freedman said that if he could get Bushman into the movies (silent films were becoming very popular at that time), “the sky was the limit.” Since the studios wanted talent with a dedicated following, Freedman came up with a plan to convince the movie producers that Bushman drew large crowds. Freedman met Bushman at Grand Central ...

Actions speak louder than words

Those who work in emergency services sometimes wish they could forget what they’ve seen. One snowy day, my squad was called to meet a police cruiser out on the highway. When we pulled up to the cruiser, the officer told us that he had a young patient who “has a problem with [their] feet.” The child got out of the police car and limped toward our ambulance. Seeing the pain, I picked up the child and almost threw them because their weight was nothing like what I expected in someone that tall. When we removed the child’s shoes in the ambulance, the smell and the blackened feet told ...

Build all your life around God

Our world often turns simple decisions into complex problems. Want raisin bran for breakfast? Walmart offers at least 9 options, not counting the size of the box it comes in. Raisin Bran comes bearing multiple brand names – Kellogg’s, Post, Great Value or General Mills. You can have it with extra crunch, extra raisins, oat clusters or cranberries. There’s an organic option if you’re concerned about your health. (Does anyone really eat raisin bran for any other reason?) So before you consume raisin bran for breakfast, you have some choices to make. This idea that simple choices ...

Giving often brings reward

An analysis of the Forbe’s Most Generous Givers list for 2023 revealed that nearly half of the 25 people on the list were Jewish. In America, Jews make up only 2.4% of the population, but in the list of generous givers, almost 50% were Jewish. While folks often make jokes about Jewish frugality, Jews are actually far more generous than most of the rest of us! That’s because tzedakah, or charitable giving, holds an important place in Jewish culture. Many scholars believe that the Mosaic Law actually allowed for a double tithe. (Remember, a tithe is 10% of one’s income.) With their ...

Our giving reveals what we think of God

The late Larry Burkett told about a preacher friend who did something that is not recommended for preachers who value their jobs – he took up the offering himself. As the preacher carried the plate around the room, he watched what people put in and, if they put in a sealed envelope, he opened the envelope and looked at the amount inside. The following Sunday, to a congregation seething with anger, the preacher said, “Many of you are angry that I looked in your offering envelopes last week. Has it ever occurred to you to consider what God thinks when he looks in there?” Brett Blair ...