Mark 15:16-20 Soldiers sometimes do silly things. They are, after all, people just like us, and we do silly things sometimes! We think of soldiers being disciplined and regimented, and they are. They train to win wars. The practice what they will do in hundreds of situations until their actions and reactions become almostContinue reading “Silly Soldiers”
Tag Archives: Mark
Mercy Flogging
Mark 15:15 It is a sad state of affairs when a leader does things with only the short-term in mind. They are so focused on the present moment that they ignore the second and third order effects. When all they can see is the immediate they sacrifice the future. That is the problemContinue reading “Mercy Flogging”
Leftovers
Mark 15:12-14 I love Thanksgiving leftovers. I like enough leftovers so that I can eat turkey for a week. And the process of consolidating the leftovers as the days progress brings a sense of accomplishment. And then there is soup day, when all the bones get placed in the pot after the final picking.Continue reading “Leftovers”
Self-Interest
Mark 15:9-11 When does self-interest cross the line into selfishness, or even worse malice toward others? This can be a hard line to define. These are two very powerful drives at work pulling us in opposite directions. So how can we know if the choices we are making in the moment are motivated byContinue reading “Self-Interest”
Easy Choices
Mark 15:6-8 I married someone who loves choices. She thrives on having choices. She loves studying the menu at restaurants to explore every possible meal choice. She asks questions of the serving staff. She carefully weighs all the options before picking. I just point and shoot. The first thing that looks good is usuallyContinue reading “Easy Choices”
Stick to the Wall
Mark 15:2-5 If you throw enough mud, some is certain to stick. That is a popular strategy for defeating an opponent. It happens on playgrounds and political campaigns around the world every day. You call names, make up stories, bring up past mistakes all in the name of gaining the upper hand. We putContinue reading “Stick to the Wall”
Final Consultation
Mark 15:1 Imagine all the religious leaders of the United States getting together and planning the death of a fellow religious leader. That would be a pretty sad day, don’t you agree. It would speak volumes about the depth of their spiritual life, and the height of their hatred for that individual. For allContinue reading “Final Consultation”
Empty Trial
Mark 15:1-15 Sometimes justice isn’t served by courts. This is especially true when someone has died. Even the death of the killer does not serve justice. Then there are two families who have lost out. Where is justice in that? Where is the justice to the tax payers who paid for the trial? IContinue reading “Empty Trial”
Meanwhile
Mark 14:69-72 Long before there was split screen simulcasts, people telling stories had to device ways of letting the consumers of their stories know that two or more sets of actions were taking place at the same time. I remember watching the Batman TV show when I was a kid, and it wasn’t inContinue reading “Meanwhile”
Rewind Moments
Mark 14:66-68 All of us have moments in our lives that we wish we could rewind. Things done in those moments are so embarrassing, so humiliating, so character revealing, that we would do almost anything to rewind the tape and do something, anything else. This is a common experience for us human beings. WeContinue reading “Rewind Moments”
The Arnold Journey 