It is not possible to love someone as you should without also treating them with honor and respect.–Dr Paul Chappell

And all the women that were wise hearted did spin with their hands, and brought that which they had spun, both of blue, and of purple, and of scarlet, and of fine linen.–Exodus 35:25
Can you imagine the honor and privilege of these women preparing things that adorned the very house of God. Wow!–yet today there is something even better. J. R. Miller wrote:
Many young ladies make beautiful things—but do not bring them to Christ. They keep them for their own adornment. But these women brought their fine handiwork to the Lord. They spun beautiful threads to be woven into the curtains and embroideries of the tabernacle. Christian girls and women may help in many ways in preparing dwelling-places for God. They can make a place for him in their own heart. They can put touches of beauty into the lives of others. It needs not great things—but only service of truth filled with love, to please God. The threads may be coarse—but in God’s eye they will be beautiful—if love spins them.

It is my happy privilege to be married to one of these “wise hearted” women. She has “put touches of beauty into the lives of others”–especially mine, and serves as an example of what a wise woman is. She is my greatest earthly treasure and love of my life. Since this is her birthday I just want say “Happy Birthday” and thanks for your “service of truth filled with love”. The gift of her life has blessed all who know her and serves to remind me that I exist to serve others, not to be served by others. In the simple fulfillment of our Christian duties we please God and bless others far more than those who strive for fortune, fun,and fame. And that’s what matters most in life! I wish every man had the privilege of being married to a “wise hearted” woman– like I am. Indeed her price is far above rubies!

As strange as it might seem, sometimes the people of the world can teach God’s people some valuable lessons. An example of this is found in an article written by an atheist that spurred the famous missionary C. T. Studd to all-out dedication to Christ. The article was as follows:

If I firmly believed, as millions say they do, that the knowledge and practice of religion in this life influences destiny in another, then religion would mean to me everything. I would cast away earthly enjoyments as dross, earthly cares as follies, and earthly thoughts and feelings as vanity. Religion would be my first waking thought, and my last image before sleep sank me into unconsciousness. I should labor in its cause alone. I would take thought for the morrow of Eternity alone. I would esteem one soul gained for heaven worth a life of suffering. Earthly consequences would never stay my hand, or seal my lips. Earth, its joys and its griefs, would occupy no moment of my thoughts. I would strive to look upon Eternity alone, and on the immortal souls around me, soon to be everlastingly happy or everlastingly miserable. I would go forth to the world and preach to it in season and out of season, and my text would be, WHAT SHALL IT PROFIT A MAN IF HE GAIN THE WHOLE WORLD AND LOSE HIS OWN SOUL?

“—the place, which is called Calvary.” Luke 23:33

Christ’s death on the cross was preeminently painful. It appears to have been devised with savage ingenuity, to cause as much suffering as possible. Hence the vital parts are left untouched; the wounds are inflicted upon the extremities of the body, iron spikes being driven through the hands and feet; while the poor sufferer has to hang in a position which admits of no change or rest, and burning inflammation works its way gradually to the seat of life. It was doubtless a death painful in the extreme; so much so, that the strongest term we have for expressing intense agony, the term “excruciating,” is derived from it.

But the outward sufferings which the Savior bore on Calvary were nothing, when compared with His inward sufferings. His bodily agonies, as great as they were, were as light as a feather, in comparison with the agonies of His soul. The sufferings of His soul — were truly the soul of His sufferings. But of those soul–sufferings, what can we say?
We may, in some measure, describe what was going on without — but who can describe what was passing within?
We may describe the derision of the Jews — but who can describe the desertion of His Heavenly Father?
We may describe the soldiers spear — but who can describe the arrows of the Almighty?
We may describe the nails piercing His sacred flesh — but who can describe eternal justice piercing both flesh and spirit?
We may describe the cup of vinegar which He tasted — but who can describe the cup of wrath which He drank to its lowest dregs?
We may describe the accursed tree on which He hung — but who can describe the curse of the law which made it so?
In such an attempt — language fails, how poor is thought, and how impotent are the most emphatic representations! Truly, His soul-sufferings are unfathomable!

Reader, would you have your heart softened, and your love inflamed? Go to Calvary, to gaze on the wondrous spectacle which is there presented. While so doing let your language be,

“Was it for crimes that I have done,
 He groaned upon the tree?
 Amazing pity! grace unknown!
 And love beyond degree!”
–By John MacDuff, 1856

Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life?It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.—James 4:14-15

While growing up, my father often said, “If you had ten lives, you might choose to waste one of them.  But since you only have one, you can’t afford to throw it away. And James would add one simple, inspired word . . . Amen!—Stephen Davey