Justin D. Ridgeway

In the past two decades, there has been a dramatic increase of disrespect toward those in leadership positions. An attitude of hatred and vitriol toward political rivals permeates society. In a time of increased difficulty and heightened emotion, how should Christians conduct themselves towards leaders they perceive as “bad”?

One of the most beneficial attributes a person can exercise is thankfulness—and having a thankful attitude is contagious. Normally, when I give a sincere “thank you” to someone, they will respond with gratitude in turn. It’s also true that when a group of people displays a thankful attitude, those spending time around them become thankful as well. How can we develop a more thankful and positive perspective?

Would you like to receive $86,400 each day for simply living? What would you do with that large sum of money? Would it be overwhelming to you? Would you invest it by giving toward the service of others? Would it be squandered on personal pleasures and unnecessary possessions? It may surprise you that everyone is given this personal income on a daily basis from birth. God pays us a daily income of 86,400 seconds per day. After all, as the old saying goes, time is money!

It was a beautiful morning on December 7, 1941. The sunrise was just beginning to sweep across the beautiful island of Oahu. It was Sunday, so while many started their routines, others enjoyed some extra time sleeping in. Without warning, “just before 8 a.m. … hundreds of Japanese fighter planes attacked the American naval base at Pearl Harbor near Honolulu, Hawaii. The barrage lasted just two hours, but it was devastating: The Japanese managed to destroy nearly 20 American naval vessels, including eight enormous battleships, and more than 300 airplanes.