Dead people don’t eat

ByHal Hammons

Mark 5:25-43 tells the story of how Jesus healed the daughter of the leader of the synagogue, a man named Jairus.  The people had already pronounced her dead by the time Jesus arrived, but that did not stop the Lord.  He told her to rise up, and she did.  The text describes the people as being “completely astonished” — a reaction that astonishes none of us.  We would be astonished as well.

The healing itself is remarkable on its own, of course.  However, I have always found it interesting that Jesus asked specifically that she be given something to eat immediately afterward.

Would an idiot do that?

ByHal Hammons

One of the speakers at my nephew’s recent graduation quoted Dwight Schrute, a character from The Office (because no one on television has said anything worth quoting in the last ten years).  Dwight said, “Whenever I’m about to do something, I ask myself, ‘Would an idiot do that?’’  And if they would, I do not do that thing.” 

As simple and irrefutable as that logic is, I can’t help thinking it is needful in our day and time.