Month: July 2025

I stopped at an auto repair shop early this morning hoping someone might be around to help.  As I walked to the door a voice said, “May I help you?”  Turning around I saw no one.  I was looking everywhere for the owner of the voice.  Suddenly a head popped out from underneath a truck.   From his vantage point he had seen my feet.  From my vantage point I had seen nothing.

As I drove on to school I was thinking about perspectives on life.  We see or don’t see something depending upon where we are and who we are.  As a member of the majority population of our country often times I not sensitive to the viewpoints of minorities.  Sometimes I unknowingly say things that offend.  I don’t mean to.  It is because my perspective on life did not reveal to me my words could be hurtful.

As a member of the majority I can go where I want, buy a home where I want, travel where I want and pretty much get a job anywhere I am qualified.  I fail to be sensitive that someone else might fear to attempt those things lest they be rejected or hurt by bigotry.

Much of what we think is truth and “the way something is” is only our perspective.  Before we pop off about “only telling it the way it is” we need to remember “It” can be totally different to a different person with a different perspective.

Written by Roger Bothwell

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It was about 88 degrees today as I drove through town.  I came up behind a large city dump truck filled with salt and sand.  This was a perfect place to be in a blizzard in January but this is July.   The light turned green and as the truck moved through the intersection it began to spread its contents.  I am guessing the driver had no idea what was happening.  For the next two miles he salted and sanded the highway.  If he was delivering a load he was in for a big surprise when he arrived at his destination.

This is just like people who think they have something worthwhile to share and have long since lost it, if they ever had it.  We see (hear) them dominate committee meetings and private conversations.  Even worse we hear them pray in public meetings and they have nothing to say to God or us except a long string of worn out clichés.  It isn’t that we all have to be constantly original but there is an ethos emitted indicating whether or not a person is passionately attuned to their words or intellectually fresh.

In his second letter to Timothy Paul wrote,  “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”   The admonition is plain.  Study.  Constantly be filling one’s mind with new insights and deeper understanding so we need not be ashamed when we open our mouths.  Unfortunately most people don’t have a clue when they have an empty load.

Pray that it is not us.

Written by Roger Bothwell on July 4, 2002

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According to Adam Smith in his classic “Wealth of Nations” the true value of something is measured by the amount of labor required to attain it.   The value of a loaf of bread can take one man an hour of labor and another man a minute of labor.  The discrepancy is the result of the skill of the laborer in producing what others will trade an hour of their labor to attain.  A man who works for 10 dollars an hour will pay 300 dollars an hour to an attorney who can do something the man cannot do for himself like keeping him out of jail.  The labor of the attorney is 30 times more valuable than the labor of the client.

So it is that I was wondering how it was that Jesus could upon the cross pay the price for all the sins of mankind.   That is incredible value considering the rotten history of this world.  Paul says, “. . . through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous. ”  Romans 5:19   Why is the labor of Jesus so valuable?

Reason number one – Jesus was obedient.  That is something no one else has been able to do.  The law of supply and demand enters here.

Reason number two – He is the creator.  (Hebrews 1)  Recently I was drooling over a magnificent painting.   The artist told me I could have it for $95,000.00.   From experience he knew the value of his work.  Jesus declares His labor adequate to cover the cost.  From experience He knows the value of His sacrifice on Calvary.

Written by Roger Bothwell on July 14, 2007

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The most amazing story in the eons of storytelling is found in 2 Samuel 19.  David’s son, Absalom, died in an attempt upon his father’s life.  When David hears of Absalom death he breaks down in sorrow.  His offending son never understood his father’s forgiving love.

Revelation 21, the final chapter of Scripture, tells us there will be a time when all tears will be wiped away.  When I tell my students there will be many tears shed in heaven some want to argue with me.  They are young.  They have never had children of their own.  Revelation 20 prophesizes the unspeakable horror of the destruction of billions who refused the gift of eternal life.  Until it is over there will be incredible sorrow.  The wiping away of tears does not come until chapter 21.

We must not miss the great theme of Scripture is God’s undying love for us no matter how often we turn away from Him.  Surely David was not more loving and merciful than the one who sent us His only son to die for us.  If we ever wonder why it is that God waits for the second coming of Jesus and the end of the present age, one only has to read the parable of the prodigal son.  Every day the father went out to look down the road waiting, watching for his son to come home.

“The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”  2 Peter 3:9

Written by Roger Bothwell on February 11, 2008

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