Violence is for those who have lost their imagination.

The love that makes community is the willingness to do someone else's dirty work.

When we put too much hope in a candidate or a party we set ourselves up for disappointment. When I see a poster with [Barak] Obama's image with the word "hope" under it, something in me cringes - our hope is built on nothing less than Jesus' blood and righteousness, the old hymn goes, all other ground is sinking sand.

We are setting ourselves up for disappointment if our hope is built on anything less than Jesus.

In fact, the Gospel shows us change comes from the bottom rather than the top, from an old rugged cross rather than a gold royal throne.

As my friend said that when people say the church is full of hypocrites, he says we always have room for more.

Because you can poke someone's eye out legally doesn't mean you should and that it's right. The Bible teaches us a more perfect justice.