Scottish comedian Billy Connolly defines an intellectual as someone who can listen to the William Tell Overture without thinking of the Lone Ranger.

I don’t know whether comedienne Anita Renfroe thinks of the ancient archer or the masked horseman when she sings that melody, but a video of her performance has gone viral—at last count receiving more than 31 million hits.

During the three-minute song, Anita rattles off everything a mom says to her kids in a 24-hour period—phrases such as: brush your teeth, eat your breakfast, wash behind your ears, clean your room, were you born in a barn, close your mouth when you chew, I’ll count to three, I don’t care who started it, and look at me when I’m talking. Especially clever is the triplet, “Get a job, get a life, get a PhD.”

Just one day of the year isn’t often enough to convey sufficient gratitude for our mothers’ valuable input. Perhaps that’s one reason God commands us in Exodus 20:12 to honor our mothers—along with our fathers—continually, “so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.”

Did you recognize any of Anita’s lines? Motherly instruction isn’t all that new. Some three thousand years ago the wisest man on earth urged his son, “Do not forsake your mother’s teaching” (King Solomon in Proverbs 6:20). Maybe the young man’s mother was like Anita and continually reminded her son to close the tent flap, straighten his headpiece, and finish his bowl of camel stew. Who knows?

Proverbs 31 lists some of a godly mother’s attributes:

She is worth far more than rubies . . . . She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue . . . Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: “Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all.” Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. Honor her for all that her hands have done, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.

Proverbs 31:10, 26, 28–30 (NIV)

Children with mothers like this sterling example usually don’t need much prodding to express their love and appreciation. But not everyone is so blessed. Some people grow up feeling unheard, disrespected, and misunderstood. They’re deeply wounded by a fire hose of complaints, criticism, and put-downs.

As Proverbs 18:21 points out, “The tongue has the power of life and death.” Death from a mother’s tongue usually creates anger and bitterness in her children. If those offspring were to choose a verse to represent their feelings, it might be Judges 16:16: “With such nagging she prodded him day after day until he was sick to death of it.”

Yet the command to honor mothers still stands. One key to fulfilling that commandment is to honor the position even when we can’t respect the way someone treats us. It also helps to consider the motivation behind the nagging. Most mothers offer advice because they want the best for their children. Sometimes they regret their own parenting mistakes and attempt to compensate with ramped-up suggestions, clinging to the hope that one day they’ll get it right. Every mother on the planet has her own struggles.

God understands how difficult it can be to forgive years of verbal abuse. It can also be hard when mothers continue to nag grown children about their hairstyles, careers, living arrangements, significant others, and grandchildren—or the lack thereof.

That may be why the Holy Spirit inspired Paul to remind us that the instruction to honor parents “is the first commandment with a promise” (Ephesians 6:2). A reward gives us extra motivation to forgive critical, unsupportive people.

Each year at this time, Mother’s Day is a fresh opportunity to respond correctly. Remember that honoring someone doesn’t mean allowing more damage. It is possible to show honor by overlooking some slights while refusing—with respect—to accept others. It also involves praying that God will bless those who hurt us. If at first you can’t think of anything specific to say, simply ask the Lord to do in your mother’s life whatever he desires to do, trusting that our loving God will never answer that prayer in a way that would cause you additional pain.

Whether motherly nagging has helped you, hurt you, or simply annoyed you, choosing to show honor out of obedience to God not only will open channels of healing in your life, but learning how to break the cycle of destructive nagging is also a wonderful gift to give our own children. So, if you’re a mom yourself, doing the best parenting job you can, take joy in knowing that giving godly instruction to your sons and daughters will bless them all their lives.

And who knows? A video of your wisdom might even go viral on the Internet.

Lord, those of us who received godly mothering express gratitude today. Help those who were not as blessed to be able to forgive and honor their mothers according to your command. Thank you for the promise of long life as a reward for our obedience.

© 2012 by Diana Savage. All rights reserved.

Students marched past a grandmother standing at a crosswalk. When the older woman heard the teacher say, “Okay, children, why do we all need to stay on the sidewalk?” she expected to hear something about traffic dangers.

Instead, one little voice piped up, “Because if we don’t, our health insurance won’t cover us!”

The youngster thought she’d learned something, but she needed guidance in her education. That’s why we have instructors. This week we celebrate National Teacher Day to honor teachers for the challenging and rewarding work they do.

Jesus referred to the importance of educators when he told his disciples, “All who are fully trained will be like their teacher” (Luke 6:40 TNIV). Our goal as followers of the ultimate Teacher is to become like Christ. But we also become a little bit like every other teacher we’ve ever learned from—both the good and not so good.

I know many people who struggle because they didn’t receive adequate training when they were young. That neglect and/or misinformation had a lot to do with why they made poor choices in life and ended up on wrong paths.

I’ve spent a lifetime correcting errors I learned in my childhood. Through God’s help—and after a thorough study of Scripture—I’ve overcome early prejudices instilled in me. I now realize that certain cultural practices labeled as sinful by my religious trainers were not banned by God after all. I’ve also discovered habits and concepts that never should have been part of my upbringing.

So when National Teacher Day rolls around, I’m faced with the need to forgive those who mishandled my training. Of course I’m grateful for the competent teachers in my life. But I must also choose not to rehearse any “if onlys” concerning erroneous lessons that sent me on time-wasting detours. I’m sure all those who taught me truly meant well. Their desire was to help me become a godly woman, not ruin my life.

Unfortunately, that’s not the case for everyone. Some people have been deeply wounded by authority figures with evil intentions. When you determine to begin the journey toward forgiveness, you’ll find that healing and restoration can grow to fill spaces where anger and the desire for revenge used to smolder. Forgiveness doesn’t imply approval of what happened. It unlocks the door so you can begin your escape from a spiritual and emotional prison.

Being a teacher is a solemn responsibility. The apostle James cautioned, “Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly” (James 3:1). James isn’t saying we should avoid teaching altogether. We should grow to the point of being able to educate others instead of always being students ourselves (see Hebrews 5:12). But it’s important to remember that we change lives by what we teach and model—for good or for bad.

So, as we celebrate National Teacher Day this year, let’s honor instructors who helped us remain on life’s sidewalk of safety. And let’s forgive those whose input shoved us into dangerous traffic, whether or not that was their intention.

Even long after we have left inadequate classrooms, our loving, all-powerful Teacher is able to transform faulty lessons into godly wisdom that we can pass along to fellow pedestrians at life’s crosswalks.

Lord, thank you for wise teachers in my life. Help me to let go of any resentment toward unwise teachers, and bring good out of negative situations in my life that have resulted from poor instruction. I also ask that you keep me from repeating those mistakes with others. Amen.

© 2012 by Diana Savage. All rights reserved.

The Mexican restaurant looked great, but it wasn’t open, so a tourist copied the name from a sign on the door and planned to return another day. Just then, a man came out of the restaurant and glanced at what she had jotted down.

“That’s not the name of the restaurant,” he said, pointing to the sign above the door. “What you’ve written is Spanish for ‘closed on Mondays.’”

One of America’s strengths, our ethnic diversity, is seldom more apparent than on May 5, or as our Hispanic neighbors call it, Cinco de Mayo. The holiday is not Mexico’s Independence Day, as many Americans think. This minor celebration commemorates Mexico’s victory one hundred fifty years ago against French army invaders in the 1862 Battle of Puebla.

Although May 5 is not a major holiday South of the Border, in the past few years it has become a rousing fiesta in this country. I have a feeling that restaurants might promote Cinco de Mayo in order to sell more tacos and enchiladas. But whatever the reason, celebrating one’s heritage is an important part of being a citizen in a nation where most residents have descended from immigrants.

Unfortunately, some descendents experience more ill treatment than others because of their particular ethnic heritage or skin color. This is a grave transgression, not only against those on the receiving end of prejudice, but also against our God who created and deeply values every person on the planet.

Racial prejudice has been around for centuries. In Bible times, descendents of the patriarch Jacob clashed with other ethnic groups, both in wartime conflict as well as over religious disagreements. Then Jesus entered the equation and erased division lines between human beings. The apostle Paul explained it this way:

The Messiah has made things up between us so that we’re now together on this, both non-Jewish outsiders and Jewish insiders. He tore down the wall we used to keep each other at a distance . . . Then he started over. Instead of continuing with two groups of people separated by centuries of animosity and suspicion, he created a new kind of human being, a fresh start for everybody.

Christ brought us together through his death on the Cross. The Cross got us to embrace, and that was the end of the hostility. Christ came and preached peace to you outsiders and peace to us insiders. He treated us as equals, and so made us equals.

Ephesians 2:14–18 (MSG)

Because Jesus Christ brought unity where strife and division had previously reigned, God’s household is full of interesting, diverse, and colorful individuals—each of whom has been uniquely created by God.

So on a day filled with swinging piñatas, the aroma of fajitas, and the sound of mariachi bands, let’s shout olé in thanks to God for being included in his wide, wonderful family. That’s a spiritual heritage worth celebrating even if you’re not particularly fond of Mexican cuisine.

Thank you, heavenly Father, for uniting your children here on earth. Today we celebrate all of our brothers and sisters in Christ, no matter where they’re from or what language they speak.

© 2012 by Diana Savage. All rights reserved.

After cleaning out his office, a business owner put an old filing cabinet on the sidewalk and taped a sign to it that read “Free.” Two days later, the cabinet was still there.

“I want that ugly thing gone!” he grumbled.

“Leave it to me,” his assistant told him. She changed the sign to read, “For Sale. $20.” Within the hour, someone stole the cabinet.

That assistant deserved credit for her creative solution. Let’s hope she got it. Workers can become discouraged when their contributions are overlooked. Feeling like an underappreciated cog in corporate machinery has caused more than one faithful aide to quit. But in reality, the business world could not function without support professionals.

This week we celebrate Administrative Professionals Day, a good time to remind everyone who performs secretarial, administrative-assistant, and receptionist work how much we appreciate them. Although they usually don’t get much recognition, they’re the wind beneath the wings of many folks who do soar to prominence.

Take the apostle Paul, for instance, a prominent church figure whose correspondence became a major part of the New Testament. Did you know he didn’t pen those letters himself? Secretaries took dictation while Paul spoke. We’re even told the name of one of those secretaries—Tertius (see Romans 16:22).

Today, good assistants not only transcribe dictation, but they also answer phones, update websites, send e-mails and instant messages, manage databases, schedule appointments, compose business Facebook updates and Tweets, and do a thousand and one other vital tasks.

It’s normal to get tired of behind-the-scenes work. Even those who serve in church and parachurch organizations can succumb to weariness, leading to burnout and bitter attitudes. I’m glad God understands how discouragement can sap one’s energy and motivation. No doubt that’s why the Holy Spirit inspired Paul to write:

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.

Galatians 6:9–10

Especially the family of believers. Even when they don’t treat us as well. Even when their weaknesses cause us pain and disappointment. Maybe we’ve become inured to business owners or managers who fail to express appreciation for our assistance, but aren’t spiritual leaders different? It’s not long before we learn, ’tain’t necessarily so. The good thing is, if we focus on our service to God and not on the thoughtlessness of people around us, we can be confident of reaping an abundant harvest from the good deeds we sow.

And while we wait for those good works to sprout, let’s honor everyone this week who performs vital services for us, including those who help dispose of ugly office equipment.

We appreciate you.

Lord, encourage all weary workers, bless them abundantly, and reward them, we pray, for their dedication and faithfulness. Amen.

© 2012 by Diana Savage. All rights reserved.

When a passenger on a transcontinental flight learned that the man sitting next to him was a Congressman, he asked “Where are you from?”

“Washington,” said the Congressman.

“Be specific,” said his seatmate. “Tax-eating Washington or tax-paying Washington?”

As a fifth-generation resident of tax-paying Washington, I join many fellow Americans in dreading April 15, the deadline for filing federal income tax forms. That’s why I was delighted to learn that Rubber Eraser Day also occurs on April 15, the date in 1770 when Joseph Priestley discovered that a bit of rubber would remove pencil marks from paper. What a remarkable coincidence! The discovery of a substance capable of removing written mistakes shares a day with a deadline a lot of people wish they could erase forever from their lives.

Taxes aren’t the only things most of us would like to see blotted out. Certain liabilities in our memory banks may also tax us. However, we don’t need to be dogged forever by past mistakes. God offers us a big rubber eraser. Not only does God wipe out our sins when we repent and turn to him, but he also sends us times of refreshing (see Acts 3:19).

So, if you have already repented of your transgressions, you can be confident that God has heard you and taken care of your payment obligation. Your sins are no longer listed on any celestial report form. What Christ did on the cross erased them from your account. While you may still have to make restitution to those you’ve hurt or endure certain consequences of past decisions, the “Amount You Owe God” line reads zero, and you no longer have any reason to fear a future Audit Day.

So, on a day that might seem . . . taxing, let’s rejoice in what our loving, generous God has done for us, no matter where on the tax-eating/tax-paying map we may reside.

Gracious heavenly Father, thank you for establishing a spiritual Rubber Eraser Day that we can celebrate for the rest of our lives. We are indeed grateful for your mercy.

© 2012 by Diana Savage. All rights reserved.

Although he knew he had little chance of success, Ross tried to get his young children to have some dinner after they’d already consumed a basketful of candy eggs and chocolate bunnies.

“They’re not going to eat,” the children’s grandmother told him. “It’s Easter Sunday. What do you expect, a miracle?”

One of the joys of the Christian life is experiencing divine miracles. God’s amazing power was never more evident than when Jesus rose from the dead. Today we celebrate that marvelous event.

Let’s get one thing straight. Christ’s crucified body was as dead as the tomb it lay in. Jesus wasn’t in a coma or faking death or any other wild rationalization some people use to deny the truth. Plenty of credible eyewitnesses confirmed the fact that his heart had stopped beating before he was wrapped in grave clothes and buried. As the apostle Peter declared some six weeks later, “God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of it” (Acts 2:32).

Divine miracles have continued since then—in the form of supernatural healing, protection, provision, and deliverance—in answer to Christians’ faith-filled prayers. However, not every prayer is answered by a miracle. Sometimes God accompanies us through our trials instead of delivering us out of them. Unfortunately, feeling as if God is ignoring our pleas can lead to doubting that God loves us as much as Scripture claims.

That’s understandable. And platitudes offered by well-meaning people—we have sin in our lives, we don’t have enough faith, or God sent the trial to straighten us out—often hurt more than they help. I know people who simply give up asking God for anything. Some even leave the Christian faith altogether.

After my son died on his first birthday, I stopped praying for awhile. Wounded spiritually and emotionally, I wondered what the point was in asking God for anything when he’d denied the request that mattered to me the most. I would have given everything I owned in exchange for my son’s life. Evidently that wasn’t enough, I thought.

Although I couldn’t pray in the traditional sense, I did beg God not to send along any further trial that would completely wipe out my remaining fragment of fragile faith. He answered. For a long time I was left undisturbed in an emotional fetal position. When I eventually gathered enough courage to formulate a request for something small, the reply came swiftly. I ventured another tiny request. The answer arrived before I’d even finished praying. Thus began my long road to spiritual recovery. As I reestablished my prayer life, I rediscovered the truth that in order to receive, we must ask (see James 4:2).

My recovery was not due to my own strength. True power for victorious living comes from the Holy Spirit who dwells within us. The apostle Paul talked about that power when he said:

And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.

Romans 8:11

I can only imagine the surge of power that rejuvenated Christ’s corpse in that stone-cold tomb on Easter morning. Talk about a miracle! And yet Scripture declares that when God transformed us into new creations in Christ, the same Holy Spirit who brought Jesus back from the dead also took up residence in each one of us, imparting his vibrant, pulsating life to our mortal bodies.

I’m not claiming weird powers or that our physical bodies will never die. I don’t fully understand how it all works. But I have seen enough miracles in my own life and in the lives of people around me to be convinced of the truth of Romans 8:11.

So today, as we celebrate Christ’s miraculous, glorious resurrection, let’s remember that we can anticipate miracles year round—even on days that seem more ridiculous than sublime—because of the mighty one who lives within us.

Thank you, Lord, that when we trust in you as Savior, you bless our lives with the power of the resurrection. Help us to believe you for the miraculous all year long.

© 2012 by Diana Savage. All rights reserved.

It seems appropriate somehow that a month beginning with a day of foolishness would also feature a host of other offbeat commemorations. For instance, did you know that April 2 is National Peanut Butter and Jelly Day, and April 17 is National Cheeseball Day? I’m not fooling.

April also features National Garlic Day and Hug a Newsman Day—an interesting combination, to say the least. No wonder April is National Humor Month. Perhaps the lighthearted touch helps offset one of the year’s gloomiest dates—April 15, Income Tax Day.

Because Easter is usually one of April’s special days too—this year it falls exactly one week after April Fools’ Day—the month contains holidays that truly range from the ridiculous to the sublime.

That sublime Sunday is a wonderful time to celebrate our spiritual freedom. Not only does Christ’s power over death mean we have forgiveness of sin, but it also proves that Jesus was who he claimed to be. John 2:22 tells us that after Christ “was raised from the dead, his disciples recalled what he had said. Then they believed the scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken.”

If those who traveled with Jesus for three and a half years needed the power of the resurrection to be fully convinced of the gospel message, how much more do we today need that same power in our lives? That’s especially true for those of us who have been wounded on life’s journey.

Maybe the folks who think up special calendar days are on to something. Our appreciation increases for whatever it is we memorialize.

Let’s meditate on that truth this month, whether we’re hugging newsmen or noshing on garlic . . . or celebrating Christ’s power over death, hell, and the grave—just as Christians have joyfully done for nearly two thousand years.

Lord Jesus, this month we gratefully celebrate your resurrection and the spiritual freedom it brings, along with the gift of laughter to brighten days often dampened by April showers.

© 2012 by Diana Savage. All rights reserved.

Scientists warn people not to use their cell phones outdoors during thunderstorms because of the risk of being struck by lightning. A comic has added that you should also avoid using them in movie theaters because of the risk of being strangled.

In a manner of speaking, Benjamin Franklin shares some of the blame for those particular cell-phone dangers. In 1752, when he flew a kite during a thunderstorm and proved that lightning and electricity were the same thing, he moved us a step closer to being able to harness electricity’s power and invent every electronic gadget that now clutters the planet.

Centuries before Benjamin Franklin’s storm-time activities, the disciples were electrified in a different sense in the middle of the Sea of Galilee. While they were disturbed by the wind-whipped waves slapping their boat, what really stood their hair on end was seeing Jesus walk on the choppy water. They were sure he was a ghost.

Bold-spirited Peter knew how to determine what they were dealing with. “Lord,” he called out. “If it’s you, . . tell me to come to you on the water” (Matthew 14:28).  Jesus gave the invitation, and Peter actually climbed out of the boat and took a few steps on the lake’s surface. But when he focused more on the power of the storm than on the power of God, he began to sink. Peter survived because the Lord reached out his hand and caught him.

Verse three and the chorus of “A Shelter in the Time of Storm,” a venerable gospel song from a previous century, reminds us that God is our refuge in every situation:

Are you being battered by a storm? Are you sinking under waves of tragedy or in danger of being struck by lightning-hot calamities? Whatever impending disaster threatens to overwhelm you, remember, when you call on God, he will be your secure refuge.

Unless, of course, you try calling him on your cell phone in a movie theater….

Lord, thank you for bringing me safely through every storm in life and for giving me courage in the face of danger. You are my secure refuge. Help me trust in you completely.

*Lyrics: Vernon John Charlesworth, 1839–?; music: Ira David Sankey, 1840–1908. © Public domain.

© 2012 by Diana Savage. All rights reserved.

For a romantic touch on laundry day, a wife washed the bed sheets with lavender-scented detergent. When her husband got into bed that night, he sniffed. “What’s this?”

“Guess,” she said with a smile.

“I have no idea,” he admitted. “It smells like the stuff you use to line the hamster’s cage.”

After enduring many long winter nights, most of us are more than ready for the sweet aromas of spring. In Indiana, however, some consider the true heralds of spring to be skunks. One farmer in Elkhart County claims that you can always tell when frost comes out of the ground because that’s when skunks emerge. Spring is in the air, . . and it doesn’t smell good.

For Elkhart County Highway Department employees, the emerging animals also mean more work. Almost daily during spring and summer, workers receive calls to remove the remains of skunks whose spray failed to intimidate oncoming cars. When workers encounter live critters, they sometimes need to bathe in tomato juice afterward to rid themselves of the persistent smell.

Odors matter to us. But did you know that odors also matter to God? After the worldwide flood, Noah offered burnt sacrifices to the Lord. Then . . .

The Lord smelled the pleasing aroma and said in his heart: “Never again will I curse the ground because of humans, even though every inclination of the human heart is evil from childhood. And never again will I destroy all living creatures, as I have done.”

Genesis 8:21

As important as the aroma of that burnt sacrifice was to God, he later explained what was even more important: “I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings” (Hosea 6:6).

Anyone who has been injured by life’s hard knocks can take comfort in knowing how important mercy is to God. He sees what we’ve been through. He cares when we’ve been wounded. It is his desire that others show us mercy, just like God himself is doing.

With spring’s arrival this week, let’s remember that the sweetest aroma we can ever send back up to God is when we show mercy to those around us. And nobody will ever confuse that smell with the stuff that lines hamster cages.

Heavenly Father, thank you for your mercy and for reminding us how much it pleases you when we are merciful toward others.

© 2012 by Diana Savage. All rights reserved.

After five years of postgraduate work, Zachary finally fulfilled his dream of becoming an archaeologist. His first job was working for a museum as supervisor of a dig. One day while the crew labored in sweltering weather, a little boy and his mom stopped at the edge of the hole to observe all the activity.

The mother peered down at Zachary, covered in mud with a pickax in hand. Then she turned to her son and said, “See what happens when you don’t finish school? You end up just like him.”

No matter what level of education one may have, digging in dirt is hard labor. I learned that a few years ago when I had to excavate a trench behind my house. The job sounded simple enough, but the minute I started to dig, I ran into problems.

Those problems were underground rocks and tree roots. I never knew that shoveling with a spade and prodding with a pickax could be so bone-jarring. I thought, If only I could see through dirt. Then I’d know how to avoid the obstacles. What I need is x-ray vision like God’s.

God can see through anything, even our most personal thoughts. Scripture writers have chronicled God’s ability to search our hearts and minds.

1) King David: “You have searched me, Lord, and you know me” (Psalm 139:1).

2) The prophet Jeremiah: “I the Lord search the heart and examine the mind” (Jeremiah 17:10).

3) The apostle Paul: “He who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God” (Romans 8:27).

4) John the Revelator: “All the churches will know that I am he who searches hearts and minds” (Revelation 2:23).

God has a crystal-clear view of everything about us—from our love for him to our impatience; from our desire to serve him to our fears and feelings of inadequacy. But he loves us and wants only the best for us, so he reveals buried treasures we never knew we possessed. He also offers to show us where rocks and roots lie hidden so we can ask him to remove them. None of us will ever complete our personal archeological digs, but as God helps us search through the soil of our lives, our response to what is revealed determines our destiny.

Solomon, a king divinely blessed with extraordinary wisdom, declared, “Whoever heeds life-giving correction will be at home among the wise” (Proverbs 15:31).

It’s exhilarating to realize that paying attention to God’s correction will put us in the same class as the wisest people on earth—even if we never attend graduate school.

Dear Lord, help me to trust in you and in your ability to see every part of my life. Thank you for removing obstacles in my life so I can grow in wisdom. Amen.

© 2012 by Diana Savage. All rights reserved.