James offers a clear warning: harsh, critical, damaging language has no place in a faithful life. The text suggests it’s impossible for the two to coexist: “Does a fig tree produce...

Every Sunday many ministers utter the psalmist’s prayer just before offering sermons to their congregations. They have spent the week reading, studying, praying, and writing a spiritual reflection on a passage...

In today’s passage, James uses strong words to describe the tongue. He says it’s a match that can start a wildfire—a fire that originates in hell. He warns that our “tongue,”...

Today’s psalm describes something every one of us has experienced: The heavens declare the glory of God. Whether we’re captivated by a mountain on the horizon, early mornings on a beach,...

When my daughter was two years old, she enjoyed two activities: playing outside and removing her clothes. More than once, she sprinted out the front door and down our quiet residential...

Today’s scripture recounts a notable interaction between Jesus and Peter. When Jesus shares a message of suffering and death with his disciples, Peter rebukes him. Jesus replies, “Get behind me, Satan”...

This week’s readings center around hearing God’s voice and heeding the call to faithfulness. Each scripture bears witness to the power of God’s presence in the words and an invitation to...

So many factors in the human experience can serve to separate us. Governments, societies, and even religions seem intent on erecting walls and boundaries that divide us based on any number...

All religions attempt to instill a sense of right and wrong into the hearts and minds of their followers. Although we can think and discuss ethics without considering religion, it is...

We may also find ourselves “labeling” people based on their physical ability—like seeing or walking or comprehending. We use the terms disabled and whole to divide people. We lump all those...