There is a study often shared from the work of Robert Cleck that reveals something simple, yet searching. Participants were told a scar had been placed on their face. They looked in a mirror and saw it. A long mark, stretching from ear to mouth. Noticeable. Uncomfortable. Then, just before they met other people, the …
The sky went dark at midday. Not evening. Noon. The light slipped away, and an unnatural shadow settled over the hill. The crowd grew quiet. Something was happening no one could explain. And then it came. “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” It does not sound like peace. It sounds like rupture. …
Continue reading The Cry of the Cross: Why Jesus Said “My God” Instead of “Father”
You can screw a glass Coca-Cola bottle into a light socket. The threads match. It fits perfectly. But it will never produce light. Just because something fits does not mean it belongs. Many people spend years fitting into places where they were never meant to live. The environment works, the relationships feel manageable, and life …
Continue reading The Danger of Fitting In Where You Don’t Belong: A Lesson from David in Gath
In Japan, wildlife observers noticed something unusual about a young macaque nicknamed Punch. After being mistreated by his mother and pushed aside by his clan, he often sat a few feet away while the others groomed each other in tight circles of belonging. Just beyond arm’s reach. Watching. Caretakers eventually gave him a small stuffed …
Continue reading Punch the Monkey and the Pain of Rejection: Finding Belonging in Christ
A Good Word 