Tommy Mann

King Solomon had a lot to say about ancient landmarks, and how they should not be moved. This might make us think about people who deface or even topple statues, something that we have seen a rise in of late. But that is not what Solomon had in mind. The landmarks referred to boundary markers that separated one person's property line from another. You might know where your land ends and your neighbor's begins because there is a fence separating your lots, but during the days of the Bible people piled up stones for that purpose. If you wanted to expand your territory, all you had to do was move the stones a little farther onto your neighbor's side. If you wanted more land to farm or more room for cattle to graze, you could deceive your neighbor by moving the stones. This was considered one of the most heinous of offenses, but it happened.   So in Proverbs 23:10-11 Solomon wrote, "Do not move an ancient landmark or enter the fields of the fatherless, for their Redeemer i...

  There was once a bullfrog that was feeling lonely. After an extended period of rejection, the frog decided to visit a fortune teller to see if he would ever find true love. The psychic studied the frog’s palm and then told him she had some good news: “You are about to meet a young lady that will take a very special interest in you. She is going to study you and get to know you in a real and personal way.”   “That’s great!” exclaimed the excited frog. “When will I meet this girl?”   “Next semester, in her biology class.”   Sometimes things can go from bad to worse in a hurry. The Old Testament book of Ruth opens on a bad note and gets even worse right away. The opening verse tells us the events took place at the time that the judges ruled and there was a severe famine in the land. That was bad. The time of the judges was characterized by the oft repeated phrase, “everyone did that which was right in his own eyes,” and the famine only added insult to injury.  ...

One criticism I often hear fired at Christianity is that it looks down on and oppresses women. “It is a male-dominating religion,” they say, implying that men use it like some lodge or club to rise to power while making women serve them. While there have no doubt been some periods in history in which women were looked down on or mistreated, that is no reflection on Christianity as a whole or of God’s love for both genders. In America, more women go to church than men. No matter whose poll you look at, women outnumber men in church on average of almost two to one. But beyond culture, let’s look to the Bible to see how God views women. God told Eve that her Seed would one day destroy Satan and sin; this was not a promise given to Adam (Genesis 3:15). A male-dominating religion would emphasize the work of the man over the woman. We see this promise finally carried out through Mary, the mother of Jesus. Mary is the one given credit for raising Jesus and being...