Keep loving each other like family. Do not neglect to open your homes to guests, because by doing this some have been hosts to angels without knowing it. Angels. Messengers. Those who will show us the things of the Kingdom.

Clerk: Next. 

Christian: Hi. Uh...I don't know if I'm in the right place. You see... 

Clerk: Do you have your paperwork? 

Christian: Uh...yes! This right here. I'm not sure if I completely filled it out right. I'm not even sure what a CI-83 form is...

Clerk: Compassion Index Form 83. 

Christian: What exactly is this place? 

Clerk: We're here to make sure you don't help the wrong people in the wrong way.

I wonder if he was tired or angry when Jesus spoke of casting fire upon the earth. He sounds fed up. It's one of those moments when he makes us uncomfortable. When he reminds us that he is not just the smiling, laughing guy sitting with the kids and holding a fluffy lamb. Even that first statement shows that I'm trying to make some sort of excuse for him. "Surely something was bothering Jesus." We're quick to make the teacher more palatable.

The heat of the words cannot be ignored. Not here where there is a church on every corner. If you stacked them up they would touch the sky. But the words from God scorch the earth. Sacrifices and offerings can be traded for hymns, praise songs, and tithes.

God, we today are not Hosea's Israel
We were not in Egypt
We do not have Baals
But we feel the sting in the prophet's words
You call and we wander

Alright, so who here knows what prostitution is? Anybody? What about sex? Maybe we should start there. Yes, it's how babies are made. Okay so a prostitute is a person who gets paid to have sex. What? No, not so she can have babies. Well, the prostitute in our story does have babies, but we haven't gotten there yet. But prostitutes theoretically don't make good husbands and wives because if they're still active in their job then they are having sex with other people and they should really only be having sex with you. You with me? No? It's okay.

Martha: Couple's therapy? Really? 

Mary: We need to talk this out and I figured counseling would help us some... 

Martha: It's couple's therapy, Mary. We are not a couple!

Mary: We're a couple of sisters. 

Martha: Of all the stupid... 

Mary: What was I supposed to do? Do you realize how many sermons have set us up as diametrically opposed? It's tearing us apart. We've been pitted against each other.

I was trying to write this science fiction short story about a guy who one night began shape-shifting, but couldn't control it. He transformed into whatever kind of person that frightened whoever he encountered; whoever they perceived was their enemy. It starts when he's pulled over and transforms into a black man. Panicked and acting erratically, the officers open fire when they think he's lunging for a gun.

Psalm 30 is listed as a psalm of David. Of course, psalms of David are kind of like Abraham Lincoln quotes on Facebook; genuine articles are certainly floating out there, but there is a fair amount from less famous sources too.  Psalm of David just sounds more impressive than Psalm of Phineas the Struggling Poet and Temple Lyre Player. All of which is to say David may or may not have authored Psalm 30, but his is the name we have.