Daly Focus Blog
Forgiveness is one of the most powerful forces in the world.
So, why is it so hard to do?
Because, while we want mercy for ourselves, we want others to be held accountable.
Jesus told a story about a servant who owed the king a substantial debt of 10,000 talents. For reference, one talent was roughly equivalent to a year’s wages. A debt of 10,000 talents, then, meant the servant was hopelessly trapped in his miserable circumstances.
A father told psychologist Michael Anderson, “You wouldn’t believe what my daughter has become. Ninety days ago, she was an A-student. She was in the church youth group and did anything we told her to do. Now she’s smoking and drinking, shoplifting, and does anything her friends tell her to do.”
Michael responded, “The only thing that has changed is who your daughter is listening to.”
In working with the family, Michael knew that the father had never encouraged his daughter to think for herself, only to follow instructions.
Few things in life are as good as we think they are.
Believe it or not, there’s even a scientific term for that phenomenon called the Better-Than-Average Effect. In short, our tendency is to think of ourselves more highly than we ought to.
We don’t sing as well as we think we do.
We don’t eat or exercise as healthy as we should.
We minimize our addictions.
We downplay our depression.
We believe that our marriages are healthier than they are.
Once more, innocent children have become casualties in the ongoing cultural revolution.
The state of Oregon recently prohibited Jessica Bates, a mother of five, from becoming certified as a foster care parent.
Why?
Oregon’s Department of Human Services requires foster parents to “respect, accept and support the race, spiritual beliefs, sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression, disabilities, national origin, cultural identities, immigration status and socioeconomic status of a child or young adult in the care or custody of the Department.”
As a Christian, Jessica told state officials that she respects everyone, but that she believes “God gives us our gender/sex and it’s not something we get to choose.” In other words, she cannot in good conscience support any effort to try and change one’s biological sex.
What does intimacy look like in a thriving marriage?
Pronounce the word “intimacy” a little differently, and the answer becomes clearer. Instead of saying, “intimacy,” say, “Into me, see.”
The idea is that healthy couples “see into” each other’s hearts. They discover each other’s likes and dislikes, put each other’s needs above their own, and seek to better understand each other’s perspectives.
To create intimacy that will sustain your marriage across a lifetime, weave the following three virtues through every part of your relationship:
Always be honest with each other.
From growing up dirt poor to becoming reality television superstars, Phil and Kay Robertson, of A&E’s Duck Dynasty, have experienced more than 50 years of ups and downs together.
Their first years as a couple were marred by poverty and alcohol abuse so severe that, at one point, Miss Kay kicked Phil out of the house. Their future together looked bleak.
What transformed them and their relationship? According to Phil: repentance.
He says:
“We look at the word ‘repent’ as a bad thing.
Yesterday at Focus on the Family, our staff came together for our Maundy Thursday chapel, a special time for reflecting on our Lord’s final hours before ascending Calvary to shed His blood on our behalf. Today, our offices are closed in honor of Good Friday.
Some of my non-Christian readers may not understand the meaningful symbolism ascribed to Jesus and His sacrifice on the cross. They see Jesus as a wise prophet, a good man, or a great teacher in a long line of equals to be imitated as we would any other great person.
It’s not easy for a single mother to raise a son. It’s even more difficult when that son has autism.
Emily Colson can attest to both. Her husband walked out when their son Max was just 18-months old, saying he couldn’t handle the stress.
And there was a lot of stress.
Max’s autism was so severe that, for a time, Emily couldn’t leave home with him – not to the grocery store, not to friends’ houses, not to church.
When Easter comes around every year, many people think of chocolate, colored eggs, and strange looking rabbits carrying baskets.
As Christians, we know there’s a lot more to the story – Jesus’ triumphal parade, His last supper with His disciples, His brutal death on the cross, and His bodily resurrection.
The events surrounding the Easter story can evoke a complicated mix of emotions – sadness and joy, anger and gratitude, fear and trust. These mature themes can be challenging for adults to process.
If a loved one is dying, what should you tell your children?
My mom died of cancer when I was nine years old. For reasons I still don’t fully understand, my stepdad and my older siblings never told me how sick she was. All I knew was that she spent most of the day asleep in her room, and I was rarely allowed to see her. Then, one day my 19-year-old brother Mike said, “I’ve got bad news.
Jim Daly is a husband, father and President of Focus on the Family and host of its National Radio Hall of Fame broadcast. His blog, Daly Focus, is full of timely commentary and wisdom designed to help you navigate and understand today’s culture. His latest book is Marriage Done Right.
