Posted on by Lori Cartmell

Do The Math

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

Life is sort of like math class.

How so?

Let’s assume I’m in school and have to take a math test.

There’s an equation at the top of the page I’m handed, and blank space underneath for me to write out my solution to the equation.

But I don’t solve the equation.

Instead, in the first third of the blank space I write a funny, rhyming poem about math class. Next, I draw a bunch of smiling numerals with little arms and legs and depict them as dancing together. In the last third of the page I write a short essay about the benefits of studying math.

I hand in my test to the teacher, and await the results.

The next day, the teacher tells me, “Lori, the poem you wrote had me in stitches. Your drawing of the dancing numbers was delightful, too. And I’d love to incorporate some of the insights in your essay into one of my lessons.”

“That’s great!” I’d say. “So what mark did I get?”

“Zero,” the teacher would respond.

“But why?” I’d ask. “I thought you loved what I wrote.”

“I did: the things you filled the page with were all good and creative and helpful. But they don’t count towards your mark. You failed to do the one thing required of you, which was to solve the equation.”

Is the teacher being fair? Yes.

Is there one thing that God requires of us?

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Posted on by Lori Cartmell

The Burning Question

Image by Anelka from Pixabay

Are tomatoes fruits or vegetables?

I might have opened up a can of worms just by asking, because disagreement has surrounded this issue for generations.

In fact, the US Supreme Court has even weighed in on this burning question.

This issue was brought to a head in 1893 in Nix v. Hedden. The Court held that, even though tomatoes are fruits botanically, they would be classified as vegetables for the purposes of tariffs, imports and customs.

Did this settle the matter? Hardly.

Some US states have since named the tomato their state fruit; others call it their state vegetable.

It’s the sort of issue that produces arguments to this day.

Let me ask you another question:

Was Jesus simply a good man and teacher, or was He Lord?

The answer to this question has eternal consequences for each of us. It’s not simply a matter of “You say tomayto, I say tomahto.”

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