goforwardinfaith Christianity, Religion, Theology

When Looks are Deceiving

By Linda Tancs

The spotted lanternfly is an invasive planthopper that causes serious damage including oozing sap, wilting, leaf curling and dieback in trees, vines, crops and many other types of plants. Arguably, it’s a very attractive insect, which is why it’s so disheartening that something so pretty could be such a destructive nuisance. Looks are, indeed, sometimes deceiving. Insects like the lanternfly remind me of the Bible’s warnings against deception. We’re warned, for instance, that it’s foolhardy to think that bad company doesn’t rub off on us (1 Corinthians 15:33) or to think that we won’t reap what we sow (Galatians 6:7) or that empty words will yield fruit (Ephesians 5:6). The key to avoiding deception is discernment (John 7:24).

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As part of FOOT FORWARD MINISTRIES (a teaching and speaking ministry), Go Forward in Faith represents faith-based meditations for personal and professional growth. Follow us on Twitter @moveonfaith and join the Facebook group @goforwardinfaith.

goforwardinfaith Christianity, Religion, Theology

We’re All Linked In

By Linda Tancs

English poet and clergyman John Donne famously said that no man is an island. That thought was echoed centuries later by John Henry Newman, first an Anglican priest and now a canonized Catholic cardinal. He said that we’re all links in a chain, a bond of connection between persons. Social networking sites have raised that to an art form, but its spiritual implications cannot be overstated. As Pope Benedict XVI brilliantly put it, no one sins alone and no one is saved alone. Every life spills into another, for better or worse. When we impact others favorably with our good works, we bring witness to the glory of God (Matthew 5:13-16). Conversely, bad company ruins good character (1 Corinthians 15:33). Be a guide, not a hindrance (Proverbs 27:17).

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As part of FOOT FORWARD MINISTRIES, Go Forward in Faith represents faith-based meditations for personal and professional growth. Learn more at goforwardinfaith.com. Follow us on Twitter @moveonfaith and join the Facebook group @goforwardinfaith.