Do we take on hard tasks for our own glory? Or do we humbly sacrifice for others, expecting nothing in return? What truly motivates us in our inmost being? The Apostle Paul’s example offers much insight on this struggle, as his deep love for God and the brethren was an affront to the lust for acclaim championed by such Greeks as Homer. This study examines these lessons against the backdrop of the Macedonian Call, highlighting one of the most moving pictures of leadership found in all of Scripture.

A helpless mouse's plight sparked these probing reflections: In our prideful swagger, we’re prone to think more highly of ourselves than we ought. The truth is that we’re helpless and hopeless without God’s grace. Considering how greatly we’ve been blessed, we should embrace our duty to act as good examples to those who look to us for guidance and to help the hurting and less advantaged.

The COVID-19 crisis has spawned important questions for us all: How far is too far with state leaders restricting our activities in an effort to “keep us safe” — and what happens if we have to face this all over again in the months or years ahead? As relevant as these debates are, we must not miss God’s wake-up call as expressed by Solomon: “if there be pestilence . . . whatsoever plague, whatsoever sickness there be . . . [then] shall know every man the plague of his own heart” (1 Kings 8:37-38).

When push comes to shove, what prevails in your heart: the indulging of self in the moment or the faithful pursuit of your duties over time? In life’s intense tug-of-war, we must get the answer right. This article draws from George Bailey’s “wonderful life” — along with Christ’s supreme example — to show how that embracing duty, rather than self-gratification, fulfills the law of love and gives hope to others in need. Rather than “live for now” to please ourselves, we must sacrifice for the good of our fellow man.

All of us have selfish days where we are dissatisfied with our portion. We chafe that the lot God’s given somehow falls short of what we want. In this probing essay, some of the more common vexations are explored: Unhappiness over our roles, the love of money, the desire to find a spouse, the bemoaning of insufficient abilities, the shouldering of hard crosses, and the explosion of family challenges. Our aim, by God’s grace, must be to trust God’s timing and provision as perfect and to truly be content.

What thanks we ought to have to dine at the King’s Table! Through examples such as King David, noble Boaz, and Christ Himself, we find it to be a place of personal warmth and empathetic care for those caught in dire straits. It is marked by a compassionate effort to redeem them. Rather than a gaudy showcase for boastful reveling, it stands out as a haven of hope and thoughtful intimacy where the needs of nourishment, for the weary, are fully met.

We need to close out 2016 the right way. Regrettably, we tend to focus on what we don’t have, rather than on what we have. We’re prone to forget all the undeserved blessings God gives us day by day. This article looks at two stirring examples of Esther’s husband, King Ahasuerus, and Israel’s Prince Amnon, offering practical steps of how each family can count their blessings and rejoice!