Sigh. Unfortunately, we have so many so-called Christians leading the flock. It’s bad enough to have a bad boss but a bad boss who’s supposed to be a Christian, that’s even more terrible. Sorry for them that they will get their just reward.

BTW, that was a clever response. Touche! Checkmate! He must have hated you being his conscience.

Glad you liked my anecdote. You have a kind heart to make quilts for people who will never repay you or even appreciate the love you give them. You are a blessing.

Interesting comment about the “grain of truth” in an insult. You may be right. Another reader said people who insult you are reflecting the hurt that they have in their own lives.

I’m glad you had a good response to your comments. We’ve all been there. One of my worst responses is to use bad humor and turn the tables on the offender such as “thank you for your most imperceptive and uninformed comments.” I am human as well.

****

You might be interested in a comment I made years ago after I was lied to and cheated. When I was a youth pastor the director of Youth for Christ advertised to all youth pastors that the one who brought more kids to a YFC rally would get a beautiful expensive sport coat. I worked hard and had about 80 kids there and won, but I never got the sport coat even after I mentioned it several times. Later I worked for him one year as director for 18 high schools in the San Gabriel Valley. He asked the staff one day what we could give that did not cost too much to the youth pastor who brought the most kids to the upcoming rally. I spoke up quickly and said “why don’t we give him a very nice sport coat since those don’t cost us anything!” He got the point and yet I never got the coat. I left him after a year because he was known for his lies and changing budget and attendance numbers.

Humor has sometimes got me into trouble, so I don’t always recommend it, but sometimes it helps me get through challenges.

This morning’s article hit a chord with a few other people who have been hurt as well. It’s true — others see the log in other people’s eyes and other people’s path to happiness but their own.

One other comment I got was pretty insightful. She said what others say reflects their own shortcomings.

TGIF!

Hi Karl,

Interesting perspective. Indeed all of creation is amazing. As to the question of equal worth, I’m not so sure about that. And I’m sure we can disagree in some things and that would be okay … none of us is infallible in our understanding of how this complex universe.

Your position is closer to the Hindus’ view of reincarnation — wouldn’t you say? But let’s assume that were true, if human life is worth as much as the ant or a cow or a bald Eagle or the elephant or the whales, then we should be strictly vegetarians out of respect. Furthermore, who are we to say that plants or trees have no feelings or intelligence either? How do you explain the Venus fly trapper or Touch-me-nuts or extending roots foraging for water? Scientists call it instinct but even that cannot be explained satisfactorily.

I do like the importance of equality among God’s creatures but I wonder if that is reality. Even among the animals, the lion hunts the deer. Of course man is the abuser of all animals.

Extrapolating this can go in several directions so I rely of scripture to set the record straight.

Matthew 6:26 says:

“26 Look at the birds in the sky:[a] They do not sow, or reap, or gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds[b] them. Aren’t you more valuable[c] than they are?”

Of course that’s a rhetorical question. The answer is YES we are more valuable.

In Genesis 1:

26 Then God said, “Let us make[au] humankind[av] in our image, after our likeness,[aw] so they may rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the cattle, and over all the earth,[ay] and over all the creatures that move[az] on the earth.”

27 God created humankind[ba] in his own image,
in the image of God he created them,[bb]
male and female he created them.[bc]

28 God blessed[bd] them and said[be] to them, “Be fruitful and multiply! Fill the earth and subdue it![bf] Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and every creature that moves on the ground.

I’m no expert in this subject matter but from the passages I pointed out (and there are more) it’s very clear man is supposed to be overseers of creation. There is a hierarchy that exists just like there is a hierarchy among men — kings and servants. There is no guarantee that the kings do good but their position above other men is there to preserve order.

Someone told me years ago that there is usually a grain of truth in an insult. The insult stings so we don’t want to consider it, but we may be able to glean new insight if we can take time to mull it over. But oh, how it hurts! Yes , Imago Dei is the answer.
Fall has arrived in Salem Oregon. We are in severe drought and received the first rain last night. Yea!

Blessings
Anne

Thanks for your personal experience with one who did not value you sufficiently. I have had that moment many times over the years and I think that is true especially for those in leadership or prominent roles. They draw both positive and negative responses. The negative comments always hurt and we reflect on them often more than the positive ones. On occasion I get something like that from family members if I do not agree with their politics or their view of what I should be doing with my life. It is always amazing to me how many others know exactly what the will of God is for me, but seem to be foggy about the will of God for themselves. Life goes on despite hurt from others and your focus on those who thought good of you are the kinds of things that help us along. Over the years I have collected nice notes from people with words of appreciation for me and that helps me through the tough times and reminds me that very few people in life are 100% wrong all the time!

By the way, I shared with some folks one of your cartoons that I got this morning. It was the one who heard the recording about how important your call is to us and how the longer you are on hold the less important that call is for you. They all got a good laugh out of it.

Lee

To your health and wealth,

Karl

“You are a beloved son of God, and He is well pleased with you!”
What Papa God said about Yeshua as Yeshua went to the wilderness to be tempted by Satan, applies to all of us.
Love,
Hannah