2 Samuel 6 is not often cited as a favorite Bible story.  It features God killing a well-intentioned man, an immodestly dressed and wildly dancing king, and a fierce marital spat.  Could such a story have any value for us today?

In Luke 10:25-37, Jesus tells a story which has become widely known, even beyond Christian circles.  The basic plot is this.  A traveler is attacked half to death and left on the road; two religious leaders pass by, but an outsider has compassion and helps the left-for-dead traveler.  The basic point of this basic plot is to demonstrate the nature of neighborly compassion.

This, of course, is an important lesson, but the story is too rich to be left at this familiar level.  

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Many of us would prefer a life that is not subject to extremes, yet some of us cannot avoid extremes, even if we try. When I was 5 my father was diagnosed with leukemia.

Kristen Milligan's Testimony (Joy and Peace Through Suffering) from Skyland United Methodist Church on Vimeo.

I used to attend a class at a local gym called "Power."  We did dynamic weight lifting and by the end of the class almost every muscle in my body was shaking.  After weeks of training, I started seeing real results!  I could lift my kids and carry big bags of groceries with ease.  My back hurt less and I had more energy.

Who doesn’t love a quick fix? 

I feel extraordinarily thankful to be here this Christmas with my husband and my children.  There was a moment a few months ago when I wasn't sure ... so much so that my Christmas shopping was complete in early September.

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The LORD is my strength and my shield;
my heart trusts in him, and he helps me.
My heart leaps for joy,
and with my song I praise him.

Psalm 28:7

In January, I began training for the 2011 Marine Corp Marathon.  I had exactly ten months to prepare myself to finish 26.2 miles in less than seven hours.  I worried from day one.  I had spent the previous months recovering from a brutal surgery where doctors removed cancerous tumors from my chest cavity, the lining of my heart, my lungs, my diaphragm, and my esophagus. 

Isn’t it interesting how much being a parent teaches us?  How profoundly God uses children to chip away at our selfishness …