April 28th: No Gimmick in Human Suffering

Appearances can be deceiving. Have you recently tried booking a ticket with a budget airline? I did and discovered that adding a checked bag could be pricier than with a regular airline.

Gimmicks abound, especially on social media, where some tactics verge on scams. It's increasingly challenging to discern truth from fiction, even in the public domain. Politicians sometimes sound more like AI characters than genuine leaders.

Ironically, those who claim victimhood can turn out to be predators, attacking innocence under the guise of righteousness. They demand to be heard but silence dissent.

Human suffering knows no gimmicks. It's a stark reality that confronts us, from the shock of mortality to the struggles of illness, relationships, depression, and loneliness. Amid it all, the significance of the cross remains untouched by gimmicks; it's a historical truth, and our response to it defines us.

"When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze." - Isaiah 43:2