Roger Meyer

We may have first heard about promises from a childhood playmate informing us we must “promise not to tell” before they tell us a secret. We also sadly discover early in life that promises are usually broken.

Several million people lost power as a result of the devastation brought about by Hurricanes Harvey and Irma. Across the Caribbean islands and the southern United States, people suffered the loss of electric power. This might be a relative inconvenience compared to those who also lost their homes and possessions, but the effects are nevertheless profound.

Consider, for a moment, the geologic timeline of the Earth, which estimates our planet to be 4.5 billion years old. The age of the universe is three times longer, estimated at 13.8 billion years. Since man’s average lifespan is generally shorter than a mere century, we cannot adequately comprehend billions of years.

The “walking dead” or zombie genre of movies and television programs must be very popular. I see advertisements for them every time I turn on the television. Are there really “walking dead?”

A long time ago, I saw my first (and last!) zombie movie. With all due respect to the actors, actresses, and producers, I was—and still am—thoroughly unimpressed. Any little girl can scream and any little boy can “act like a zombie.” Besides, the very idea of an animated rotting corpse wanting to eat the living is repugnant.

Jesus warned the disciples to beware of hypocrisy. People do not like hypocrisy in others. But could we ourselves be hypocrites?

Jesus told His disciples: “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, nor hidden that will not be known” (Luke 12:1–2). Hypocrisy comes to light sooner or later, and when it does, it is widely spread (v. 3).