Mom taught me many things ...this being the most important. She began the good work, and He has been faithful to complete it ...thanks to Jesus, it has been completed, though the full transformation won't be until I get to Heaven. I do certainly continue to mess up, my loving wife will attest to that ...but I will not argue and attempt to justify what I know is wrong. Thanks to Dad and Mom for helping me with the beginning sense of right and wrong ...the building blocks.

I know that everyone is not raised the same.  We have different upbringing, different experiences, and are taught different things.  We can sort out the good and the bad though.  Sorting is integral ...and develops character.  Civility involves being able to respect another's opinion ...while disagreeing, yet still feeling a need to discuss the things that have a significant impact upon our lives.

It's amazing ...

That after I, in fact, hear clearly evident hate speech, others turn a deaf ear.

After I see the evidence of hatred in bold print, the same ones don't bat an eye.

Why should we feel compelled to tell the truth?

For one, it is who we are ...

Another compelling reason is, if we don't tell the truth, we are not absolved ...we are partly responsible for not exposing the lie.

More times than not, I feel like Jonah of the Bible ...

When faced with what I should do, I just don't feel like it.

A whale of a time ...no, but perhaps something fishy here.

I certainly can't speak what it was like for Jonah; at times I don't know what it is with me either ...because I know, in fact, that I am interested in helping others, but at times it gets tiring.

It wears a person down, listening to the vicious rebuttals from those who claim others don't listen, but they seem to never listen themselves ...except, to themselves.

I don't think any healthy person enjoys being the recipient of hate speech, laughter, or ridicule.

Perhaps enough of this would incline me to run away too, or attempt to hide from certain circumstances.

But that's different than denying God, denouncing things He said, or trivializing what He stands for.

Of all the unbelievable hopeless situations we face ...

Only God knows if the Ninevehs will listen.  After all, a Nineveh then ...and a Nineveh today, are two different things.

We may plea with God that there are bigger fish to fry.  We may want to distance ourselves from those who don't see the Left and the Right, as we do.

But compared to the over one hundred twenty thousand persons, and much cattle ...

That was back then ...what beef do we have today against sharing the gospel with others?

All said and done ...

I'd rather be the vomit on shore, than be rowing in the wrong direction.