Thoughts, devotions, and more from Jeffrey K. Ross, author of "Next Step Devotions"
Most of us don't like being the bearer of bad news. On the contrary, we would rather be associated with the verse from the prophet Isaiah: "How lovely on the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news" (Isaiah 52:7) - a verse repeated by Paul in Romans 10:15. The positive image brings …
Continue reading Leap Year Lesson #317: Don’t Shoot the Messenger; You Might Miss the Message
You've probably seen one of the yellow and black diamond "Safe Place" signs on businesses and other locations. The one shown here is their latest logo. It is the symbol for National Safe Place - a youth outreach organization that educates youth about threatening situations and seeks to provide safe shelters for youth in crisis. …
Continue reading Leap Year Lesson #314: Be a Safe Place for Others
I suspect that many of us prefer to live in a world where the majority of others agrees with us on significant matters. Unless you're unusually driven by conflict and controversy, you have a strong affinity for those who are a lot like you. That's understandable. It's a fact of basic human nature even if …
We've all heard the Edmund Burke quote (or a close variation of it) that "All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing." It's a reminder that we cannot stand on the sidelines and watch evil, immoral actions take place while we remain silent, or else we are complicit …
Continue reading Leap Year Lesson #308: Don’t Just Sit There – Do Something
Imagine this scenario. "Joe" has had regular conflicts in various matters with "Mary." Their differences are no secret and such disagreements have surfaced periodically for years. Now imagine that something true but very difficult for Mary to hear about herself needs to be said. For the sake of this post, we'll say the hard message …
Continue reading Leap Year Lesson #296: Sometimes It Takes a Close Friend To Deliver a Hard Message
