I’ve spent the past week reading large portions of the Old Testament Pseudepigrapha. This refers to documents written by Jews between 200 BC and 100 AD that were generally ascribed to well-known biblical characters, such as Enoch, Moses, and Job. I’m not going to share my thoughts on that now (or maybe ever), with one… Read More »
Sirach 10:9 (NRSV) “How can dust and ashes be proud? Even in life the human body decays.” Pride can only grow in the soil of forgetfulness; as soon as you remember who you are and what you are made of, pride dies. Sirach 18:33 (NRSV) “Do not become a beggar by feasting with borrowed money,… Read More »
How American Health Care Killed My Father – I read this (long) article because it was called the best article on the U.S. health care system and the insurance debate. I don’t know if it’s the best because I don’t read much on it, but I found it helpful. You have to know where the… Read More »
“Christian fiction” those two words will make the bravest man tremble and flee in terror. I know. Bear with me. About ten years ago, we were having dinner with a couple of students at our house. We did that around 400 times, so I don’t remember them all with vivid detail. But for some reason… Read More »
Sirach has some advice on raising children: Sirach 30:1 (NRSV) “He who loves his son will whip him often, so that he may rejoice at the way he turns out.” Sirach 30:9 (NRSV) “Pamper a child, and he will terrorize you; play with him, and he will grieve you.” And here are a couple of… Read More »
I resonate with several things in the start of this article by Bruce Waltke, published in Ligonier’s Tabletalk. “Better than a bronze sculpture by Cellini, or a marble one by Bernini, or even a Beethoven symphony,” I was saying to my colleagues, while our waitress with tray in hand waited attentively for my climatic closure,… Read More »
This series hasn’t garnered the controversy that my rather subdued but honest comments about Texas have, but perhaps today’s marriage advice will change that. Sirach 25:21 (NRSV) “Do not be ensnared by a woman’s beauty, and do not desire a woman for her possessions.” The things that attract young men are the least important and… Read More »
Remember, the author of Sirach is an old wise guy. His picturesque language concerning the use of the tongue may help you to remember. Sirach 11:7-8 (NRSV) “Do not find fault before you investigate; examine first, and then criticize. 8 Do not answer before you listen, and do not interrupt when another is speaking.” How… Read More »
I told you before that Sirach is good and that you need to read it. Have you yet? I continue to recommend it to you with a few verses about success from a wise man who lived in Israel in 200 BC. Words in italics are mine. Sirach 9:11 (NRSV) “Do not envy the success… Read More »
Some think that I have an anti-Texas bias, or that I don’t like it here. Actually, I like nearly everything about where we live. I agree with this article, which says that Plano is one of the ten best places in America to raise your kids. You can learn modern Hebrew or any number of… Read More »