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I’m thinking this title probably won’t make it past our savvy communications team at Grace for the next fellowship initiative =). But I do think it’s the type of title Jesus would appreciate. I was recently flipping through a journal from last year and I came across some notes on a story in Mark 2, versus 13-17. In this passage, Jesus called Matthew (aka Levi), a dishonest tax collector, to be His disciple. Matthew followed.

Proverbs 31 is most famously known for its detailed and beautiful description of a virtuous woman. There are entire women’s ministries based off of it, pillows quoting it, necklaces and  decor capturing the phrases for women to proudly display. I was taken by surprise when I read the chapter this week and realized it opens with a lineup of characteristics for a man!

I’m not sure exactly what happened to the 365 days since we last entered the holiday season, but here we are again. Time flies! The Thanksgiving holiday is a great reminder that “every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of change.” James 1:17.

Over the last couple of weeks, two young men in my life, close friends of my youngest son and long-time family friends, have suffered significant injuries. First, an unexplained seizure on a blazing hot soccer field. Then, two days ago, another young man was kicked squarely in the face during a game, fracturing his jaw in several places among other damage. He is now embarking on multiple weeks of being unable to speak or to eat anything other than liquids.

Talk about setting high expectations, try this one on for size: “Abstain from every form of evil.” 1 Thessalonians 5:22. Paul isn’t mincing words here. He is saying, quite literally, be perfect. And it is written as a command by inspiration of the Holy Spirit.