An old country love song from my childhood rattles off a string of “better than” pictures to describe the singer’s love. It goes like this,

My love is deeper than the holler, stronger than the river, Higher than the pine trees growin’ tall upon the hill My love is purer than the snowflakes That fall in late December And honest as a robin on a springtime window sill And longer than the song of a whippoorwill

In general, and for the most part, humanity doesn’t like to be under surveillance. “I feel like somebody is watching me” is a way to describe discomfort or even an unexplainable case of the heebie-jeebies. George Orwell’s “Big Brother” is now short-hand for living under unjust micromanagement, usually facilitated through a gazillion cameras, microphones, and sensors.

Apostolic succession has been a hot theological topic throughout the ages. Roman Catholics often build their case for papal authority (against Sola Scriptura) by saying that the pope inherited the authority vested in the apostle Peter by succession.

On the other hand, Timothy is often seen as Paul’s successor.

We Could’ve Killed Somebody

Do you remember seesaws? Those massive beams of wood balanced on a center fulcrum. They ought to be illegal by now! Growing up, somebody always got hurt on those contraptions. Jump onto a teeter-totter, and your friend will go flying; step off, and he goes falling. Broken legs, smashed noses, and scraped shins were all possible in the wild-west of midwestern playgrounds.

Has anybody ever asked you, “What’s the worst that can happen?” Sometimes, that simple question can be a powerful way to shake up our perspectives. It’s effective and often helpful because it forces us to face reality instead of our imaginations!

Troubleshooting is really an artful science. Something breaks down—cars, computers, or congregations—and some combination of technical know-how, gut instinct, time management, contextual awareness, and good prioritization come together in a spinning whirlwind of problem-solving.

We’ve heard it said, one way or another, that love is simply goodwill towards someone else. “All the best!” or “Best wishes!” we might say. Is this how God loves? Hall-of-fame theologian Francis Turretin asks, “What is the Love of God?” and answers this way:

Jesus once left His disciples (nearly) speechless. After none of them took it upon themselves to see to the proper feet washing before the Passover meal that would be their last together…