Doses of Faith

      My favorite Cinderella movie's theme is "be kind and have courage."  It is hard to be kind to someone when they are being cruel to you.  It takes courage and mental strength.  Now, as I read the first chapter of Joshua, I read "be strong and of a good courage."  Moses has died and Joshua is the new leader of the children of Israel.  They have already taken Jordan and are preparing to cross the Jordan River into the land God promised to Abraham and Jacob.  The children of Israel (name given to Jacob by God) are preparing to go into the promised land.  God gives the new leader, Joshua, instructions for this quest.  Among those instructions, God commands him three times to "be strong and to have good courage."     By reminding Joshua to be strong and courageous, God is preparing him to lead the army of Israel across the Jordan River to claim the land promised to them.  God's advise in verses seven through nine: “On...

 "You shall surely give to him, and your heart shall not be grieved when you give: because that for this thing the Lord your God shall bless you in all your works, and in all that you put your hand unto."         Deuteronomy 15:10      As I read through Deuteronomy, I think often of my parents.  Many times in Deuteronomy the people are instructed to help the stranger, the poor, the widow, and the fatherless.  God did not intend on anyone going without food and shelter.  Christians should have an open heart.  With open hearts to do God's will, they should be generous and care for those who don't have anything.  My parents were caring people.  They loved people.  If there was a need, they helped.  If someone stopped by during a meal, they joined us at the table.  They shared their garden of vegetables.  They shared the harvest of our pecan trees.  My mother would say that there was plenty f...

 Thou shalt not muzzle the ox when he treads out the corn.  Deuteronomy 25:4      When I read the above passage of scripture, I wondered the meaning.  I went to my Bible commentaries.  It means don't starve the worker or simply do pay just wages.  This has been part of the discussion in social justice this year.  The owner makes billions while the worker performing the job doesn't make enough money to to pay bills and buy groceries.  It doesn't seem fair.  This has been a practice for thousands of years.  Greed.  Should government take the money from the owner and distribute to the poor?  Definitely not!  The owner should see his profits as not from his labor but the labor of those he employ.  Yes, his ideas and creation but the gain and profit is due to those doing the job.  If the profit is in the billions, he should have a heart to reward the workers with higher wages where they will be not only prou...