Officials in China recently cited 35 restaurants for adding opioids to their entrées in an attempt to engender customer loyalty through addiction. I have to wonder who came up with the idea and how it spread to other nearby restaurants.

Yet, that’s an old trick of the devil.

Friday was All Saints’ Day, or officially, All Hallows' Day. We actually get Halloween from this holiday as the night before was called Hallowed Evening, and then shortened to Halloween. No, Halloween is not Satan’s birthday…Satan wouldn’t have a birthday, but that’s a whole ‘nother blog.

Most Christians I know struggle with how to share their faith. I have something for you that will revolutionize your opportunities to show that Christ is real in your life.

Read what prison-bound Paul says at a time you would think he’d be complaining. Listen to how he tells the Philippians that they can be shining lights for Jesus:

On a local TV talk show program, a paramedic was asked, “What was your most unusual and challenging 911 call?”

“Recently we got a call from a church,” the paramedic said. “A frantic usher was concerned that during the sermon an elderly man passed out in a pew and appeared to be dead. The usher couldn’t find a pulse and there was no noticeable breathing.”

Some have misunderstood our church’s apolitical involvement as, “politics is not important.” That’s not true. Politics is important. It’s just not the church’s mission.

But as Christian individuals living in a democracy, we should pursue human flourishing for those around us. That necessitates voting for candidates we believe would bless the people best, and even engaging in discourse regarding the issues (in person…NOT online!).

But few people can talk politics in a beneficial way. Christians should be different. Here are some helpful guidelines:

One word…GRATITUDE.

Before you stop reading, give me a chance.

I’m not saying you should be grateful FOR the hard time. Obviously, having cancer or totaling your car is not something you should be thankful for (though someday you may be).