Category: Jesus

Jesus as a child

Perhaps, from Luke’s point of view, since Yahshua is in a sense the first-born of his heavenly Father, not of Yosep, there was no need for the five shekel fee. Maybe the Simeon passage (Luke 2:25-33) is included specifically to make this clear.

Greek commentary on John’s gospel dated 1190-1200 (Bodleian Library)

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Cruising the gospel – luke 2:21-40

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Circumcision and naming

A fragment of Luke’s gospel
(Wikimedia)

2:21 – Just as with Yohanan (John) and for every Jewish boy, on the eighth day after birth, Yahshua (Jesus) was circumcised and named. For the details of this read the previous post.

True to his word in his introduction, Luke arranges everything in proper chronological sequence, first the birth of Yashua, then his circumcision and naming, and then anything more he can find about him as a child. At sometime the family would have returned to Nasra (Nazareth) in the north near the shore of Lake Ginnosar (Galilee).

Temple offerings

There’s a lot to mull over in verses 22-24. There are two distinct obligations that must be fulfilled when Yahshua is about 40 days old. The first concerns Maryam’s purification following childbirth. After giving birth to a son, a mother was ceremonially unclean for 7 days. On the 8th day came circumcision as we have seen (Lev 12:3 and Luke 2:21). But a woman needed to wait a total of 40 days before she could touch anything holy or enter the sanctuary. (For a daughter those periods would be doubled to 14 and 80 days.)

An offering was required when the 40 days were up, she would bring a year-old lamb as a burnt offering and a pigeon or turtledove as a sin offering. The priest would make atonement for her, and she was then regarded as ritually clean (Lev 12:6–7). Poor people would not have been able to afford a lamb for the burnt offering, and in this case two turtledoves or two young pigeons were acceptable, one bird for the burnt offering and the other for the sin offering (Lev 12:8).

Luke mentions the concession for poverty so it seems Yosep and Maryam were needy at this time. The sin offering does not suggest any wrongdoing on Maryam’s part; it was simply a ritual uncleanness due to the loss of blood during the birth.

Redeeming the first-born

It was also necessary to redeem a first-born son (see Exodus 13:2, 12–15, repeated in Exodus 34:19–20, also Numbers 3:11–13, 40–51 and Numbers 18:15–16). However, the child did not need to be taken to the Temple for this redemption, and Luke doesn’t mention the five shekels being paid.

Perhaps, from Luke’s point of view, since Yahshua is in a sense the first-born of his heavenly Father, not of Yosep, there was no need for the five shekel fee. Maybe the Simeon passage (Luke 2:25-33) is included specifically to make this clear. Hearing this prophecy over the infant Yahshua clearly impressed Yosep and Maryam and gave them further pause for thought.

Hanna (Anna)’s words (Luke 2:36-38) will no doubt have reinforced these impressions and thoughts still further in Yosep and Maryam’s minds.

After fulfilling all the requirements for ritual cleansing and redemption, they returned home to Nasra (Nazareth), and Luke has no details to share about Yahshua’s early life there except for the generalisations that he grew, became strong, was filled with wisdom, and that Father’s grace was on him (Luke 2:40). There remains just one piece of additional detail, and we’ll look at that next time. We can also add, though Luke doesn’t tell us, that Yashua during his childhood years would have learned Yo-sep‘s trade as a general builder (not, as commonly thought, a carpenter, though carpentry would certainly have been included). He would also have been taught by a local scribe to read and write Hebrew and would have studied the Hebrew Bible exhaustively, learning considerable chunks by heart as all Jewish boys were required to do.

Question: Consider that Yahshua, as he grew up, worked with Yo-sep at building and repairing work. Do you think practice at building and repairing structures might have helped him later with the work of building and repairing relationships? Think about the skills involved in getting things to fit well, the need for firm, reliable foundations. Think about things like care, attention to detail, self-control, gentleness, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, faithfulness. He came to repair relationships between everyday people and between those people and his Father in heaven. He said, ‘I will build my church’.

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Community spirit
John 16:12-15 – The Spirit
What does Jesus mean to me and how do I respond to him?

The birth of Jesus

‘Hey, don’t be afraid, guys; relax, nothing to worry about here.’ And he continued, ‘I’m bringing great news that will make everyone rejoice. Today, in David’s town, a Saviour has been born for you, Ha Maschiach (the Messiah), the Lord’.

Greek commentary on John’s gospel dated 1190-1200 (Bodleian Library)

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Cruising the gospel – luke 2:1-20

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A baby is born

A fragment of Luke’s gospel
(Wikimedia)

2:1-7 – Some three months after the birth of Yohanan (John) it was almost time for Maryam (Mary) to give birth to Yashua (Jesus) after her return to Nasra (Nazareth), and in due course her time of labour would begin. Luke begins the chapter by telling us that the Roman Emperor Augustus had decreed a census for the entire empire. There’s a bit of difficulty here for Bible scholars and historians alike.

The chronology

It’s generally agreed that Yahshua (Jesus) was born well before our year zero, probably in the period 6 to 4 BC. If you want a nice round number go for 5 BC, you will be less than a year out so it’s quite reasonable as a guess to keep things simple. But (and it’s a big ‘but’) historians of the early Roman Empire under Augustus have found no record of a census in those years. There was a census in 6 AD but that is a very poor fit for several reasons.

The most obvious reason is the timing difference. Most historians assume Luke has inadvertently referred to the later census mistaking the date with the earlier one. Theologians have tried to reconcile the two dates in several ways but there’s been little agreement. But bear in mind that it’s entirely possible there was an earlier census and the records have been lost.

According to Luke’s account, here in chapter 2, the Emperor Augustus ordered that everybody (oikoumenē) should be registered. Luke says this was the first registration, when (or possibly before) Quirinius was governor of Syria, and adds that everyone went to their own ancestral town. That explains why YoSEP (Joseph) and Maryam travelled from Nasra to BaytLEhem (Bethlehem). Later, in Acts 5:37 Luke mentions the later census in 6 AD. He tells us that Gahmlee’el (Gamaliel) mentioned Judas the Gallilean, who rose up in the days of the census. This refers to the census of 6 AD, not one around 5 BC.

There is one further possibility. The ‘census’ might have been an affirmation of loyalty, not a tax raising exercise. Josephus writes in Antiquities 17.42 that there was an oath of loyalty to Augustus and Herod around 7–6 BC, and the 5th-century writer Orosius links an oath to Jesus’ birth. Matthew puts the birth of Jesus during Herod the Great’s reign, and Herod died in 4 BC. But Matthew doesn’t mention a census at all: and in his account the family seems to live in Bethlehem already and only later moves to Nazareth. Mark, John and Paul do not mention any census.

Family of David

YoSEP’s family were descended from the line of DahWEEth (David) at the town of BaytLEhem (Bethlehem), so that’s where he and his wife-to-be had to go. It must have been a very difficult journey for the pair of them, with the baby so nearly full-term. And she did, in fact give birth while they were right there in BaytLEhem for registration. They were unable to find accomm0dation in the small town, it must have been very crowded, so Maryam wrapped the baby in bands of cloth and laid him down in the farm animal’s hay trough.

The shepherds

Luke 2:8-20 Almost everyone in the western world is familiar with the story of the shepherds coming from the fields to worship and wonder at the new baby. It has become a standard and popular part of the Christmas story. While shepherds watched their flocks by night is one of those carols that everyone knows and loves, and the events are acted out at school nativity plays. So let’s read Luke 2:8-20 now and see how much of that popular story is here in Luke’s gospel.

The shepherds had been living outside at night to keep an eye on the sheep at a time when they they might have been prey to wolves or other predators if left alone. One of Yahweh’s angels appeared, his Shekinah glory shone brightly and they were terrified by this experience. To see the glory meant instant death according to the teaching of the priests. But the angel was unconcerned, saying something that in colloquial English might have been, ‘Hey, don’t be afraid, guys; relax, nothing to worry about here.’ And he continued, ‘I’m bringing great news that will make everyone rejoice. Today, in David’s town, a Saviour has been born for you, Ha Maschiach (the Messiah), the Lord. Luke, writing in Greek, uses the word Kyrios for Lord, the angel would have spoken Aramaic to the shepherds and therefore used the equivalent term Mar-ay (or possibly the Hebrew Adon or Adonai).

He added, ‘Here’s a clue for you, you’ll find a baby wrapped in strips of cloth and lying in a farm animal’s hay trough!’

And suddenly great crowds, a veritable army of angels, appeared in the sky, praising Yahweh (I Am) and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace to those on whom his favour rests.’ Once the angels had returned to the skies, the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let’s go and see this event that Mar-ay told us about!’

So the shepherds hurried to find YoSEP, Maryam, and the baby; and after seeing him they left and told others who were all amazed to hear the details. Maryam, meanwhile, stored it all away in her mind and quietly considered it. The shepherds returned to the fields, glorifying and praising Elohim for everything they’d witnessed which had come about just as they’d been told.

So what Luke writes here matches what we see in nativity plays in the 21st century apart from a bunch of farm animals in the outbuilding with the hay trough, and the three visiting kings (or wise men) with their gifts. But these visitors get a mention in Matthew’s account.

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What does Jesus mean to me and how do I respond to him?

The birth of John

And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him, to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins, because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace.’

Greek commentary on John’s gospel dated 1190-1200 (Bodleian Library)

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Cruising the gospel – luke 1:57-80

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A baby is born

A fragment of Luke’s gospel
(Wikimedia)

1:57-66 – Maryam (Mary) has returned to Nasra (Nazareth) , and the time came when Elishwa (Elizabeth) began her labour. The promised son was born and there was a lot of rejoicing by friends and family. Male babies were traditionally circumcised on the eighth day and a name had be chosen in advance as it was needed during the ceremony. Normally, a firstborn son would be named after his father and that’s what the relatives suggested and expected, but Elishwa said, ‘No! He’s to be called Yohanan (John).’

They pointed out, rightly, that Yohanan was not the name of anyone in the family and they ignored Elishwa’s objection and asked Zekharya (Zechariah) what name he wanted to give the baby. So they gave him a writing tablet and he wrote , ‘His name is Yohanan’.

Suddenly, Zekharya could speak again and loudly praised Elohim (God). The neighbours were awestruck (it must have been an amazing moment to witness the man who’d been dumb for so long suddenly speaking aloud again!) People discussed it far and wide over the Judean Hill Country. Everyone who heard about it wondered what the future would hold for this clearly unusual and special child. They could clearly see that Yahweh (The Lord)’s hand was on him!

1:67-80 – Zekharya was filled with Ruach (the Holy Spirit) and prophesied:

‘Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel,
because he has come to his people and redeemed them.
He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David (as he said through his holy prophets of long ago),
salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us –
to show mercy to our ancestors
and to remember his holy covenant, the oath he swore to our father Abraham:
to rescue us from the hand of our enemies,
and to enable us to serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness
before him all our days.

And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High;
for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him,
to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins,
because of the tender mercy of our God,
by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven
to shine on those living in darkness
and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the path of peace.’

And the child grew and became strong in spirit; and he lived in the wilderness until he appeared publicly to Israel.

We don’t know how old John was when he went to live in the wilderness or how long he remained at home as a child. But what we can see clearly is the difference between a gift of prophecy received at a particular time for a particular purpose (think of Zekarya’s words above as a good example) and coming as a prophet like Johanan. This distinction remains today, people sometimes prophecy in a meeting as the Holy Spirit gives them something to say, but Johanan was more like one of the Old Testament Prophets in many ways: his entire life was dedicated to a specific goal and purpose. In fact people thought he was Elijah come again. Prophets like this had not been seen in Israel for a very long time.

Background for the ceremony

The details are not entirely clear for the early first century AD. The ceremony was named in Hebrew בְּרִית מִילָה or brit milah which means ‘Covenant of circumcision’. There is no extant document describing the words or action of this ceremony in any detail, we have fragmentary references from Josephus, brief extracts from 2nd century rabbinic writings, some mentions by Philo and in the New Testament, and a few clues from architectural features and carved lettering.

But the eighth day timing after birth was normal following Genesis 17:12 and Leviticus 12:3; it was non-negotiable even if it fell on Shabbat (the Sabbath) or a festival.

The ceremony itself

In the first century the circumcision would normally be done by the child’s father or by a trusted individual nominated by the father. A flint knife was traditionally used, or sometimes a metal blade. Flint would have had several very practical advantages, a fresh flake taken from a flint core would be far sharper than any metal knife and would also be sterile (though 2000 years ago this would not have been understood, of course). It’s also conceivable, even likely, that the practice might date back to very early times. Bronze implements were available in Moshe (Moses)’s day, but iron was rare and very expensive (being sourced at that time from meteorites). Neither metal would take an edge even remotely as sharp as flaked flint. Traditions may last for very long periods of time and for a sharp and clean edge flint would have been a great choice. The significance of circumcision was entirely covenantal, proof of obedience and inclusion in the promises given to Avraham (Abraham) and all his descendants.

The process would have been quick, the blood flow diminished by light pressure, and often an olive oil or powder dressing would have been used. Suitable styptic powders available at the time might have included frankincense, alum, myrrh, cinnamon or cassia bark, ashes or burnt organic materials or colophony/rosin or plant gums. Many of these materials were used for dressing wounds, but we have no specific information on their use for circumcision.

The name was given at the circumcision. This is one of the better-attested features of the period: Luke 1:59 and 2:21 both place the naming at the eighth-day rite, and it fits what we know of Second Temple practice. Later Jewish custom moved the naming of girls to the synagogue, while boys’ naming stayed attached to the circumcision.

A celebratory meal with guests followed, and this had a semi-legal status as something that was appropriate for circumision.

We don’t know if there were specific words to be spoken, nor do we have an order of prayer or anything of that sort, we don’t know if wine was involved, or whether there were specific Old Testament readings. The current Jewish liturgy for Brit milah developed much later.

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Mark 1:1-20 – Cruising the Gospel

Seeing and believing (2)

Yahshua, coming and standing there amongst them says ‘Shalom alechem’, ‘Peace be with you’. It’s the everyday greeting you’d hear on the streets in any Jewish town but here amongst these frightened men it has a much wider and deeper meaning.

Greek commentary on John’s gospel dated 1190-1200 (Bodleian Library)

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Cruising the gospel – John 20:19-31

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Brief note:

In the previous installment, I used the Aramaic names for people rather than the modern English equivalents. I’ve done the same again this time because it’s what we normally do with foreign names.

We would not call Jacques Chirac ‘Jack’ and we don’t use an English name in place of Volodymyr Zelenskyy, so why do we call Yohanan ‘John’ and Cephas ‘Peter’? Using the original names reminds us that these people were part of a different culture than our own. From now on I shall continue to take this approach.

An amazing day

A fragment of John’s gospel
(Wikimedia)

20:19-31 – In the first 18 verses of John 20 we saw how Maryam Magdalitha (Mary Magdalene) saw and believed; here in the rest of the same chapter we read about Te’oma (Thomas) and how he came to believe. Te’oma (Aramaic) and Didymus (Greek) both mean ‘twin’; John was writing in Greek so he gives both versions for clarity.

For Maryam, hearing Yahshua’s (Jesus’) voice was enough. but Te’oma needed a clearer hint. Notice the gentleness and understanding of Jesus here. There’s no tone of judgement or disappointment in Jesus’ words or in the way he gives Te’oma time to process things and finally what he needs to spark belief. It’s not at all surprising that someone might struggle to believe that after crucifixion and burial, someone might be alive again. In similar circumstances I might have struggled to believe, and so might you. Things were happening at breath-taking speed; this is the evening of the same day Maryam saw Yahshua outside the tomb at dawn.

Notice how the disciples are afraid of the Jews and therefore had the doors closed, perhaps even bolted. They are Jews themseleves, of course, but the Jews they’re afraid of are the leaders who had Jesus crucified and want to stamp out any hint of people still following him. They are surely right to be afraid of these powerful men.

Yet Yahshua, coming and standing there amongst them says ‘Shalom alechem’, ‘Peace be with you’. It’s the everyday greeting you’d hear on the streets in any Jewish town at that time, but here amongst these frightened men it has a much wider and deeper meaning. It’s not just a wish for physical peace and safety, it means peace and safety in the presence of Yahweh, the almighty Father who will protect them. And Yahshua shows them his hands and the wound in his side. And their fear and anxiety turn to rejoicing. We, too, can rejoice in his presence as he stands amongst us when we meet.

Jesus repeats the warm greeting, it’s also a promise, ‘Shalom alechem’ – ‘Peace be with you’. As the Father sent me, so I’m also sending you. They’re not just being given peace, but also a mission! It’s a message to us, today, as well. ‘Peace be with you and I’m sending you’. We can’t take only the peace, we must accept the being sent as well.

He breathed on them and said, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit’. He breaths on us too and tells us to receive the Holy Spirit. Do we receive him? And do we realise we have the power to forgive sins, or not to forgive? I’m not sure that we are quite so convinced about that! Why did Jesus breathe on them? the word for Spirit is ‘Ruach’ and it it also means ‘breath’. When Jesus fills us with his spirit he is also filling us with his breath. We can see the link in English with words like ‘inspiration’ and ‘respiration’ – both spirit and breath. As followers of Jesus, just as life-giving air flows in and out as we breath, so the eternal life-giving Holy Spirit flows in and out, active and equally life-giving (or even more so!).

But just like you and me, poor old Te’oma wasn’t there when Jesus appeared and said these things. When he does turn up and hears what had happened, he tells the others, ‘I can’t possibly believe that nonsense. I won’t believe such a thing unless I can see his hands and put my finger on the holes where the nails were, and put my hand in the hole in his side. We can’t judge Te’oma for not believing what they had told him. I’m pretty sure we’d be just the same, though possibly less open and honest about it!

But when Jesus does come by again, more than a week later, there’s double proof. Jesus already knows what Te’oma had said, and tells him, ‘Come on then, take a proper look, here are the nail holes and here’s the wound in my side. Put your finger here and take a good look at my hands, and put your hand here in my side and believe! Te’oma said, probably rather tremblingly, ‘My Master and my God’. Notice that this is far more than just believing Jesus died and returned to life. Te’oma knows who Yahshua really is, God himself in a different and unexpected form. I think at this stage Cephas (Peter), Johanan (John) and Maryam Magdalitha understood this, also Yahshua’s mother would have known. But Te’oma fully understands quite early too.

We sometimes think of him as ‘doubting Thomas’, but as soon as he had the evidence there was no room left for doubt!

And Yahshua’s comment right at the end of this gospel is very telling too. You saw and believed, how blessed are those who don’t see yet nevertheless believe. We don’t really need physical evidence, believing happens when something changes in our hearts. This is available to everyone!

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John 20:1-18 – Cruising the Gospel

Paying attention like Jesus

We need to have challenging conversations with one another, Holy Spirit-led conversations like those Jesus had with his disciples and with those he met as he travelled with them in Galilee and in Israel.

Lung tissue (Wikimedia)

13 – Activating Church

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Lung tissue (Wikimedia) – Click images to enlarge

I read an article on Run with patience recently; it’s a site I particularly like and value, because the author, Sandy, very often provokes my own thinking in good and helpful directions. Please read her article and see what you think, then below I’ll share what it sparked off for me.

In her excellent and deeply probing article, Sandy writes that it’s always easier to pay attention to what others do than to pay attention to what we ourselves do. It’s far easier to judge others than it is to judge ourselves. Jesus was not like that, and we’re supposed to be on a path in which we become more and more like him.

As I read through the Gospels, I find Jesus continually drawing people’s attention somewhere else. Again and again, conversations that begin with outward behavior somehow find their way back to the heart. Someone asks about washing hands, and He speaks about what comes out of a person’s heart. Someone wants to debate the law, and He begins talking about love.

Please read Sandy’s article in full. It’s challenging, and it’s good.

How healthy is church?

Early believers were sometimes referred to by their pagan neighbours as Christians, a term that means ‘little Christs’. Meant in a sneering, derogatory way, this might instead be taken as a great compliment. We are supposed to be on a journey (not just a ‘spiritual journey’, but more particularly a very practical journey) to think and behave more and more like Christ.

This series is about ‘activating the church’ and here we get a glimpse of one way in which we need to become individually more active. Turning up on Sundays to listen to a sermon will not be nearly enough, nor will daily Bible reading. We will need to get our hands dirtier than that. We need to practice. We need to notice when we mess up and learn from our failures. We need to make an effort to stop making the same mistakes. We need to have challenging conversations with one another, Holy Spirit-led conversations like those Jesus had with his disciples and with those he met as he travelled with them in Galilee and in Israel. We need to tell one another, kindly, ‘What you did or said there didn’t meet the standard required of a disciple’. Perhaps not in those judgemental words, but gently turning the subject back to the heart.

How much church life needs this! There are people out there facing judgement and unkindness who desperately need to hear truths they may think they cannot live, people within the body and those beyond. Just read Paul’s letters, see how over and over and over again he urges people to follow the way of Christ, to hear the quiet voice of the Spirit, to reach out to one another and to those beyond with healing, grace, gentleness and truth. It’s always possible to find a kind way to share a truth and people will love you for it, both those within and those beyond the church family.

If we’re to grow, reach those around us, and encourage one another, we will only succeed by being both wise and gentle. The more practice we get the better. Paul was good at this, and Jesus of course was the expert he was trying to follow. Read the gospels with this in mind, see how Jesus managed it and allow yourself to grow to be more like him.

Cells in the body

Every person is a collection of cells and the cells are not randomly arranged but are connected as parts of various specialised structures, a heart, two lungs, a brain and many nerves and blood vessels – a full list would be very long indeed. These parts of the body interact and if any part fails to function the body will exhibit medical symptoms and might even die.

Think of yourself as a cell in the body of Christ, the church. For that is what you are! You have a function and you have connections with other cells. Usually you will have very local and strong connections, perhaps as part of an organ, and/or you may have less local connections as nerve cells and blood cells do. But you all play a part, a small but important part in the health of Christ’s body as a whole. The church in this generation is sick, ill at ease and not always (perhaps even rarely) functioning as designed. It’s sick purely because the cells are not working together as intended. Jesus wants to heal his body, and inevitably that means he wants to get all the cells (you, me and millions of others) working together as we were designed to do. Red blood cells must collect oxygen in the lungs and carry it to every part of the body. There they must hand off the oxygen and pick up carbon dioxide. In the lungs they must hand off the carbon dioxide to be breathed out and pick up more oxygen.

What must the cells in the body of Christ (the church) be doing? Prophetic cells must hear spiritual truth and share it widely with the rest of the body. They must also feel anguish about injustice in the world and share that widely too. They are vocal chord cells, if you will. Shepherding (pastoral) cells must notice friction and difficulties between other cells and step in to comfort, encourage and move us on from any harmful disagreement. What about the many cells that come in on Sundays to sit and listen? They must be helped to see what they are gifted for, what their active task should be, and encouraged to begin working in appropriate ways to build the body. Not a single one of of us has been given sitting and listening as a task to do in the body! There are no audience cells in your body, every cell is too busy for that, doing an essential, designated task.

Who are we?

Take church as a whole, whether locally in a village or part of a town, or even world-wide. If it is functioning as it should, that body of individuals will look and act like a person – Jesus! More often, it looks like an unfortunate mess. Local church, if it was a body, would usually be mindlessly hobbling about, suffering from both insanity and damaged bones and muscles. It’s still Jesus, but in a form we’d find hard to recognise. It’s Jesus crucified, not Jesus risen.

What to do about it?

  • Begin with prayer – Ask the Holy Spirit to open your ears, eyes and mind to reveal the way forward. You can ask this for yourself, for a small group, for an entire local church, or for the universal church – why not pray for all four? Pray particularly for the circumstances around you right now. Be prepared to see these prayers answered, perhaps in ways you can’t anticipate.
  • Start to read about the topic of waking and activating church. There are links to some of my other articles here. Activating church is the series you’re reading right now. Another series you might find helpful is Developing faith. the story of my own journey and formation. The series on JDMC (Jesus, Disciple, Mission, Church) explains more about helping a smallish group grow into a Jesus-focused family, it comes with more reading suggestions, practical exercises, and links to more resources. There’s even a free book with questions for groups to discuss together as they move forward.
  • Keep notes – jot down the things you ask in prayer, note down in your own words the ideas you come across as you read the Bible, other books on topics that interest you, as well as anything that grabs your attention in online material.
  • Consider sharing this article, the series, and the other material with the people you are meeting with.

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OTKC 05: Let Your Light Shine
The city on the hill
Pear-shaped

Useful? Interesting?

If you enjoyed this or found it useful, please like, comment, and share below. (If you don’t see those links, click the article’s title above the main photo and they will appear.) Send a link to friends who might enjoy the article or benefit from it – Thanks! My material is free to reuse (see conditions), but a coffee is always welcome and encourages me to write more often!