Dale Cresap's blog

Do you think comfort and sympathy are the same thing? If you experience difficulty in the form of illness or financial or emotional distress and your friends come and express that they feel sorry for you, then they are offering sympathy.

Do you think that any human activity will be more successful if you apply greater effort? Have you ever had difficulty falling asleep? How well does this principle apply in this case?

I met a woman at a well and had a conversation with her about the Kingdom of God. In the course of this the details of her background and life situation came out, and she was self-conscious about this and changed the subject to one of religious practice.

Have you ever been in a conversation with someone else and had them look at their watch, perhaps repeatedly? That is a clear indication that they are disengaging from you.

Samuel heard me calling him, but he didn’t know it was me. He ran to ask Eli what he wanted several times. Eli finally understood that I was speaking to Samuel and counseled him to be still and turn his attention to me and keep listening.

Do you understand the importance of humility as a character trait? Do you have a good sense of humor? Do you see any connection between these things? Those who are humble don’t take themselves too seriously.

Who is qualified to work for me, for me to use for my purposes? Do you assume that the work of my Kingdom can only be performed by those of the highest degree of character?

Do you exercise your right to vote? This action expresses your intentions. Not everyone has this right, and not everyone who does follows through to perform it. Even if you don’t vote at the ballot box you vote with your money every time you make a purchase. In the broadest sense, everything you do is an expression of your intentions.

People come in two models. Male and female I created them, and it does not please me for them to blur the distinctions I have made. Yet in the fullness of the Kingdom, this distinction becomes less important.

Do you judge people by the way they speak? This is difficult to avoid. Some people are more eloquent than others, and some have an accent or a lisp.