Be Just, Tender, and Humble

 

Know the power of kindness.
Whatever you do, do with kindness.
Whatever you say, say with kindness.
Wherever you go,
radiate your kindness to all.
- Jonathan Lockwood Huie

This is what the Lord asks of you: only this,
to act justly, to love tenderly,
and to walk humbly with your God.
- Micah 6:8

The hallmark of a true Christian is charity in thought, word, and deed.
Charity is the principal Christian virtue.
- Jonathan Lockwood Huie

When you share your last crust of bread with a beggar,
you mustn't behave as if you were throwing a bone to a dog.
You must give humbly, and thank him for allowing you
to have a part in his hunger.
- Giovanni Guareschi

Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace.
- St Francis of Assisi

Jesus preached more and taught more
about helping the poor and the sick and the hungry
than he did about heaven and hell.
Shouldn't that tell us something?
- John Grisham

What does it profit, my brethren,
if someone says he has faith but does not have works?
Can faith save him?
- James 2:14

Further reading: Charity: To Do God's Work

The Purpose of Our Lives

Basic Kindness

Measure of Your Heart  
        

Act Justly, Love Tenderly, Walk Humbly

 

Know the power of kindness.
Whatever you do, do with kindness.
Whatever you say, say with kindness.
Wherever you go,
radiate your kindness to all.
- Jonathan Lockwood Huie

This is what the Lord asks of you: only this,
to act justly, to love tenderly,
and to walk humbly with your God.
- Micah 6:8

The hallmark of a true Christian is charity in thought, word, and deed.
Charity is the principal Christian virtue.
- Jonathan Lockwood Huie

When you share your last crust of bread with a beggar,
you mustn't behave as if you were throwing a bone to a dog.
You must give humbly, and thank him for allowing you
to have a part in his hunger.
- Giovanni Guareschi

Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace.
- St Francis of Assisi

Jesus preached more and taught more
about helping the poor and the sick and the hungry
than he did about heaven and hell.
Shouldn't that tell us something?
- John Grisham

What does it profit, my brethren,
if someone says he has faith but does not have works?
Can faith save him?
- James 2:14

Further reading: Charity: To Do God's Work

The Purpose of Our Lives

Basic Kindness

Measure of Your Heart  
        

The Power of Kindness

Know the power of kindness.
Whatever you do, do with kindness.
Whatever you say, say with kindness.
Wherever you go,
radiate your kindness to all.
- Jonathan Lockwood Huie

This is what the Lord asks of you: only this,
to act justly, to love tenderly,
and to walk humbly with your God.
- Micah 6:8

The hallmark of a true Christian is charity in thought, word, and deed.
Charity is the principle Christian virtue.
- Jonathan Lockwood Huie

When you share your last crust of bread with a beggar,
you mustn't behave as if you were throwing a bone to a dog.
You must give humbly, and thank him for allowing you
to have a part in his hunger.
- Giovanni Guareschi

Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace.
- St Francis of Assisi

Jesus preached more and taught more
about helping the poor and the sick and the hungry
than he did about heaven and hell.
Shouldn't that tell us something?
- John Grisham

What does it profit, my brethren,
if someone says he has faith but does not have works?
Can faith save him?
- James 2:14

Further reading: Charity: To Do God's Work

The Purpose of Our Lives

Basic Kindness

Measure of Your Heart  
        

Charity in Thought, Word, and Deed

This is what the Lord asks of you: only this,
to act justly, to love tenderly,
and to walk humbly with your God.
- Micah 6:8

When you share your last crust of bread with a beggar,
you mustn't behave as if you were throwing a bone to a dog.
You must give humbly, and thank him for allowing you
to have a part in his hunger.
- Giovanni Guareschi

Jesus preached more and taught more
about helping the poor and the sick and the hungry
than he did about heaven and hell.
Shouldn't that tell us something?
- John Grisham

Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace.
- St Francis of Assisi

What does it profit, my brethren,
if someone says he has faith but does not have works?
Can faith save him?
- James 2:14

The hallmark of a true Christian is charity in thought, word, and deed.
Charity is the principle Christian virtue.
- Jonathan Lockwood Huie


Further reading: Charity: To Do God's Work

Measure of Your Heart  

Basic Kindness

The Purpose of Our Lives
        

Charity is the Principle Christian Virtue

This is what the Lord asks of you: only this,
to act justly, to love tenderly,
and to walk humbly with your God.
- Micah 6:8

Jesus preached more and taught more
about helping the poor and the sick and the hungry
than he did about heaven and hell.
Shouldn't that tell us something?
- John Grisham

Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace.
- St Francis of Assisi

What does it profit, my brethren,
if someone says he has faith but does not have works?
Can faith save him?
- James 2:14

The hallmark of a true Christian is charity in thought, word, and deed.
Charity is the principle Christian virtue.
- Jonathan Lockwood Huie

Further reading: Charity: To Do God's Work

Basic Kindness

Measure of Your Heart 

The Purpose of Our Lives
      

Easter 2018

This is what the Lord asks of you: only this,
to act justly, to love tenderly,
and to walk humbly with your God.
- Micah 6:8

Love one another.
- Jesus of Nazareth (John 13:34)

Our Lord has written the promise of the resurrection,
not in books alone, but in every leaf in spring-time.
- Martin Luther

Guide our feet into the way of peace.
- Luke 1:79

On this day, let us affirm the core values of unconditional love of all humans and an uncompromising commitment to caring for all who are sick, infirm, or troubled - as expressed in the biblical story of the Good Samaritan. (Read more on Loving your enemies, the Golden Rule, and the parable of The Good Samaritan)

Further reading: Jesus own Words about Forgiveness and Unconditional Love

Go and Do Likewise

The Power of Unconditional Love
       

Easter 2017

Love one another.
- Jesus of Nazareth (John 13:34)

Guide our feet into the way of peace.
- Luke 1:79

Our Lord has written the promise of the resurrection,
not in books alone, but in every leaf in spring-time.
- Martin Luther

This is what the Lord asks of you: only this,
to act justly, to love tenderly,
and to walk humbly with your God.
- Micah 6:8

On this day, let us affirm the core values of unconditional love of all humans and an uncompromising commitment to caring for all who are sick, infirm, or troubled - as expressed in the biblical story of the Good Samaritan. (Read more on Loving your enemies, the Golden Rule, and the parable of The Good Samaritan)

Further reading: Go and Do Likewise

Jesus own Words about Forgiveness and Unconditional Love

The Power of Unconditional Love
    

Easter 2015

Our Lord has written the promise of the resurrection,
not in books alone, but in every leaf in spring-time.
- Martin Luther

Guide our feet into the way of peace.
- Luke 1:79

This is what the Lord asks of you: only this,
to act justly, to love tenderly,
and to walk humbly with your God.
- Micah 6:8

The great gift of Easter is hope -
Christian hope which makes us have that confidence in God,
in his ultimate triumph, and in his goodness and love,
which nothing can shake.
- Basil C. Hume

Love one another.
- Jesus of Nazareth (John 13:34)

On this day, let us affirm the core values of unconditional love of all humans and an uncompromising commitment to caring for all who are sick, infirm, or troubled - as expressed in the biblical story of the Good Samaritan. (Read more on Loving your enemies, the Golden Rule, and the parable of The Good Samaritan)

Further reading: Jesus own Words about Forgiveness and Unconditional Love

Hypocrisy

Hatred vs. Love

The Power of Unconditional Love

Go and Do Likewise

Our Lord has written the promise of the resurrection, not in books alone, but in every leaf in spring-time. Martin Luther

Our Lord has written the promise of the resurrection, not in books alone, but in every leaf in spring-time.
- Martin Luther

Today, Easter, the most Holy day on the Christian calendar, is a day to celebrate our spiritual natures. We are not just bones and flesh, chemicals and electricity, we are beings of Spirit, one with each other and one with the eternity and infinity of Creation.

For me, the most powerful expressions of true Christianity in this material world are an unconditional love of all humans and an uncompromising commitment to caring for all who are sick, infirm, or troubled - as expressed in the biblical story of the Good Samaritan.

Further reading: Unanswered Prayers

Easter message: Love even those who hate you

Have a Conversation with God, Today

Jesus own Words about Forgiveness and Unconditional Love

Happy Birthday Jesus

Happy Birthday Jesus!

Love Your Enemies - Matthew 5:43-44 43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy. 44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.

Never An Eye for an Eye - Matthew 5:38-39 38 Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth. 39 But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.

Forgive Your Brother from Your Heart - Matthew 18:21-22 21 Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? 22 Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.

Since the year 336 most Christians have chosen December 25 as the date to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ (although both biblical and historical evidence strongly suggests that he was not born in the winter season).

Whether you worship Jesus Christ as God, or whether you respect him as a great teacher, let us take today to focus on his words of compassion, love, and service toward all humans.

Favorite Buddhist Quotes

I occasionally quote the Buddha and the Dalai Lama, and have found that this makes some of my readers uncomfortable. With apologies both to those who are well versed in Buddhist philosophy and to those who have been taught that Buddhism is a pagan affront to Christianity, I would like to present my two-minute overview of Buddhism.

Siddhattha Gotama, known as the Buddha, lived in India about 500 BC - at the time the second temple was being constructed in Jerusalem. He was a wise teacher, and is revered, but not worshiped, by those of the Buddhist philosophy. He was born into a wealthy family, but left home as a young man to seek insight into the nature of life. At first, he denied himself all earthly goods and pleasures, nearly starving himself. Then he came to the realization that possessions and comforts were not inherently evil and that asceticism (self-denial) was not a path to enlightenment or unity with Spirit. He discovered that the block to enlightenment is ATTACHMENT to the things of this world, rather than the things themselves. This great revelation is known as the Middle Way - living in moderation, without either gluttony or denial, and without attachment.

Buddhists believe that suffering is inherent in life, and that suffering is the result of attachment. Eliminate attachment to the things of this world, and you eliminate suffering.

Over the last 2500 years, Buddhism has spread and has developed variants. Some branches consider the Buddha to be what Catholics would call a "saint," but others do not. Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama, is the current leader of the Tibetan branch of Buddhism. There are about 350 million Buddhists in the world today. I encourage you to read more about Buddhism.

Here are some of my favorite Buddhist quotes:

Hate is never conquered by hate,
Hate is only conquered by love.
- The Buddha

Believe nothing, no matter where you read it, or who said it, no matter if I have said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and your own common sense.
– The Buddha

You will not be punished for your anger, you will be punished by your anger.
- the Buddha

Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burned.
– The Buddha

What we think, we become. All that we are arises with our thoughts. With our thoughts, we make the world.
- the Buddha

Your worst enemy cannot harm you as much as your own unguarded thoughts.
- The Buddha

Thousands of candles can be lit from a single candle,
and the life of the candle will not be shortened.
Happiness never decreases by being shared.
- The Buddha

I teach one thing and one only:
that is, suffering and the end of suffering.
- The Buddha

If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion.
- Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama

The purpose of our lives is to be happy.
- Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama

Through violence, you may 'solve' one problem, but you sow the seeds for another.
- Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama

Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile, but sometimes your smile can be the source of your joy.
- Thich Nhat Hanh

The only reason we don't open our hearts and minds to other people is that they trigger confusion in us that we don't feel brave enough or sane enough to deal with. To the degree that we look clearly and compassionately at ourselves, we feel confident and fearless about looking into someone else's eyes.
- Pema Chodron

Be gentle first with yourself - if you wish to be gentle with others.
- Lama Yeshe