Author: John Willingham

“‘Yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will grant her justice, so that she may not wear me out by continually coming.’” –Luke 18:5             The words above come from one of Jesus’ most uncomfortable parables.  He opens it by telling of a judge who had no respect for God or people.  Certainly those traits Read more

“What does the Lord require of you, but to do justice, to love kindness and to walk humbly with your God.”–Micah 6:7 One day ten years ago, I was only a few miles from my brother’s home in Raleigh when blue lights appeared behind me. I was driving from Pennsylvania to officiate at my aunt’s Read more

“Whoever walks in integrity   walks securely.”   –Proverbs 10:9a The character trait before us this week is integrity. It’s perhaps one of the easiest terms to define on this list; a kind of living where there is a consistency between our internal values and what others see us do. Living it out, of course, Read more

“You did not lie to us, but to God!” –Acts 5:4d In our summer look at desired character traits we turn this week to the matter of honesty.  My pondering of the topic quickly led me to think of one of the most bizarre Biblical stories in the entirety of Scripture.     The account of Read more

“Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work  by myself? Tell her then to help me.” –Luke 10:40b More than thirty years ago, our family moved from Kentucky to North Carolina. The change occurred as part of my accepting a call to serve a church just outside Read more

“Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.” –Romans 12:15 A number of years ago, a woman was being ordained as an elder in the Presbyterian Church.  As part of the approval process, she was asked by her Session (local governing body) to tell of one person who had had a great impact Read more

“Who is this…Philistine  that he should defy the armies of the living God?” –1 Samuel 17:26b The question above precedes a Biblical showdown. The army of Israel was preparing for battle with the Philistines when the enemy unveiled its secret weapon, a man named Goliath. We are told that he stood more than 10 feet Read more

“But our citizenship is in heaven” –Philippians 3:20 As part of a recent vacation Lori and I were in Norway on its National Day. Each year on May 17, the people of that land commemorate the signing of the Norwegian Constitution in 1814, marking its independence from Denmark and Sweden. Think of it as the Read more

                                    “Go and do likewise.”                                  –Luke 10: 37b  During the summer, I’m reflecting in this blog on a list of desired character traits identified by a North Carolina school district years ago. This week we focus on compassion. While many Biblical passages speak to the importance of that attribute, none is more beloved than the story Read more

LIke you, I awoke to news this morning that the United States had bombed sites in Iran. Like you, I do not understand all of the facts President Trump considered before ordering that strike, And, as I suspect may also be true for you, I am feeling unsettled. Thus, I deviate from the normal pattern Read more