Dale Cresap's blog

Do you prefer to associate with people who are like you? Yet even within the common faith there are people of good conscience and character who disagree with positions held by your closest friends.

Are you familiar with the concept of delayed gratification? This is usually presented as the desirable alternative to instant gratification.

You admire those who are generous, who give freely from their abundance. Does this describe you? For money and possessions are valuable, and what you give away no longer belongs to you. 

Can two walk together except they be agreed? Two people who meet on the way to the same destination have this in common and that makes them fellow travelers.

Do you think of intelligence as something highly rated? Your culture recognizes and rewards intellectual achievement. Many who excel in this area regard it as a substitute for me. Yet even your ability to reason is a gift from me.

What does the term ‘conviction’ bring to mind for you? It is the conclusion of a criminal trial, after all the evidence and arguments have been presented, and the jury has deliberated and reached a verdict. Yet the same term applies to the beginning of the process of forgiveness.

Are you familiar with the concept of power of attorney, and of a ‘blank check’? These give you unrestricted access to the resources of another person, and are limited only by the amount of resources they have.

Are you familiar with identity theft? This is a modern type of crime in which one person uses the identity of another person to steal their money. Yet this concept is not new. You have an identity centered in me.

Do you give generously to my work? This is a biblical principle. Do you want to give in such a way that your donation will be well managed and effectively used? 

If you are sick you can call for the elders to pray for you and if you are afflicted you can sing Psalms. You are free to seek sympathy and comfort from others if you are sick, but what if you are afflicted by another person?