Have you ever felt like the gospel’s “stone rejected”—perhaps by someone in a position of authority over you, by those you serve, even by family or loved ones? Recall how you handled such situations in the past, especially if you haven’t handled them all that well. Might the Lord be inviting you to a wiser approach in the future?

MOST OF THE TIME, most of us are happy to be alive. At least in comparison with the alternative, the gift of life seems like a great deal, if not an absolute bargain. All of us woke up this morning. That’s a plus. Whatever happens with the rest of the day, that we are here right now puts us ahead of the game.

There was once a man, a wealthy farmer, who planted a vineyard. He fenced it, dug a winepress, put up a watchtower, then turned it over to the farmhands and went off on a trip. When it was time to harvest the grapes, he sent his servants back to collect his profits.

When I was growing up, along the cyclone fence in our backyard were vines planted more for decoration and privacy than for the small, sour grapes they produced. It was a far cry from Napa Valley, the south of France, or the hills of Tuscany with their rows of pruned vines heavy with ripening grapes. 

With faith in God’s guidance, by prayer and petition, we make our request for mercy known to God.

Scripture contains love songs that match the dire endings of contemporary lyrics.

Who would prefer conflict to harmony and unity, violence and war to friendly coexistence, anxiety to inner calm? Not many. Scripture seems to agree. Jesus greets people with “peace be with you” and bids them farewell with “go in peace.”

I really wish I was less of a thinking man and more of a fool not afraid of rejection. —Billy Joel