Jesus Archives - Diana Derringer

Throw Your Hat into the Ring

January 26, 2026 Diana Derringer Comments 8 comments

Do you often throw your hat into the ring? Maybe for a group activity, fun event, or political office? You decide to give it a whirl.

If you throw your hat into the ring, you announce your decision to join or compete.

You may:

Enter a contest.
Make or accept a challenge.
Participate in a special event.
Start a new step in life.

Throw your hat into the ring began with boxing.

According to The Phrase Finder, “The expression dates from at least the early 19th century.” Boxing rings were “circular spaces in a crowd of onlookers.” No “square roped ‘rings’” like today. If someone wanted to compete, he threw his hat into the ring. That was easier than shouting above the noisy crowd.

Be careful before you throw your hat into the ring.

Many activities prove worthwhile. Others you want to avoid at all costs.

When Jesus calls, always follow.

The cost may be great, but the reward will be greater. Many believers endure persecution such as:

Ridicule
Job loss
Rejection from friends and family
Imprisonment
Death

Nevertheless, they throw their hat into the ring with Jesus. They prefer to suffer rather than deny their Savior.

“Join with me in suffering, like a good soldier of Christ Jesus.” (2 Timothy 2:3 NIV).

Thanks to Lam DeBrot for the suggestion. Photo by Nabil Naidu with Pexels.

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Onward and Upward

January 5, 2026 Diana Derringer Comments 6 comments

Our family loves to visit Yellowstone National Park. We always watch the Old Faithful geyser erupt. Several times a day, Old Faithful moves onward and upward.

This wonder of nature reminds us of the importance of our own faithfulness.

Onward and upward means to keep moving forward.

We work toward:

Improvement
Progress
Success

Onward and upward often means steady rather than sudden growth.

Old Faithful begins with a sputter but then grows higher and higher. We don’t have to start fast either. However, we do want to keep going and growing.

Onward and upward encourages us not to give up.

We all face difficulties and disappointments. Yet, we advance one step at a time. Failure teaches us what does not work. To reach our goals, we keep on keeping on.

This challenge applies to every age and circumstance.

Youth graduating from school
Adults seeking the right job
Retirees beginning a new stage in life

As long as we live, we have meaning and purpose. May we always seek to find and fulfill them to the best of our abilities.

Our greatest advancement occurs when we step from this life into the next.

If we follow Jesus’ plan for our lives, we find the best now and through eternity. Let’s keep moving onward and upward.

“In keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells” (2 Peter 3:13 NIV).

Thanks to Joy S. Taylor for the suggestion.

Heart of the Matter

December 22, 2025 Diana Derringer Comments 4 comments

Most of the time, we want people to get to the heart of the matter. Quit beating around the bush. Stop wasting our time. Cut to the chase.

The heart of the matter refers to what is most important.

It is the:

Main point
Central issue
Primary problem

We require our physical hearts to live and function. Likewise, we focus on the heart of the matter to be most effective.

To deal with a situation, we must address it.

Dillydallying does no good. If a problem exists, work on it. If people do a good job, tell them. Concentrate on what matters most.

The cross is the heart of the matter in Christmas.

We love to celebrate Jesus’ birth. Yet, our music, gifts, and decorations mean nothing if we forget why Jesus came. We must look beyond the manger to the cross.

The Savior of the world came into our world to save us from our sins.

The Christmas message finds fulfillment at Easter. Jesus:

Lived a sinless life
Gave his life for our sins
Rose from the grave in victory over sin and death

Will you give your life to the one who loves you that much?

“I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:10-11 ESV).

Thanks to Beckham Wilson for the suggestion.

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Filled to the Brim

December 15, 2025 Diana Derringer Comments 14 comments

This time of year, our lives become filled to the brim. That can be both good and bad.

Filled to the brim means completely full.

We have no room left for anything else. Our cups run over.

Christmas often results in:

Activities that crowd every minute
More food than we can possibly eat
Music, lights, and decorations that leave us in awe

All that overflow results in emotional highs and lows.

We love time with friends and family. Yet, we need quiet moments too.
The food tastes wonderful. But overeating leaves us sluggish and makes our tummies hurt.
Sights and sounds lift our spirits. However, they eventually leave us exhausted.

Filled to the brim also means totally satisfied.

We frequently search for satisfaction in things and activities. Yet, they always fall short.

True satisfaction comes only through a relationship with Jesus.

Jesus:

Came to earth as a baby
Lived a perfect life
Gave His life as a sacrifice for our sins
Rose from the grave in victory over sin and death
Offers forgiveness and eternal life to all who accept Him as Savior and Lord

That, my friend, is a filled-to-the-brim life.

And that is what Christmas is all about.

“Jesus said to the servants, ‘Fill the jars with water’; so they filled them to the brim” (John 2:7 NIV).

Thanks to Tracy Crump for the suggestion.

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Give Up the Ghost

November 3, 2025 Diana Derringer Comments 6 comments

For years, I knew only one meaning for give up the ghost. However, according to The Free Dictionary, the expression has at least three. All three mean an end.

To give up the ghost means to die.

This was the definition I knew. Other death idioms include:

The Free Dictionary further explains, “The ghost here is the soul … separated from the body upon death.”

To give up the ghost also means something stops working.

No physical possession lasts forever. All eventually wear out. Therefore, we must keep buying:

Appliances
Cars
Phones

To give up the ghost also means to quit trying.

We cancel plans we think will fail. This may include:

Work
Trips
Special events

Although our bodies die, our souls can soar!

We choose our destination for this life and life after we give up the ghost. If we accept Jesus as Savior and Lord, we have the promise of an everlasting home in heaven.

^“Man dieth, and wasteth away: yea, man giveth up the ghost, and where is he?” (Job 14:10 KJV).

Thanks to Bobbie Smith Bryant for the suggestion.

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Practice What You Preach

October 27, 2025 Diana Derringer Comments 8 comments

When I was in college, we lived next door to a ministerial student. Every week, we heard him practice what he planned to preach. Our walls were paper thin.

If you practice what you preach, you do what you tell other people to do.

This proverb warns against hypocrisy. It wasn’t enough for the preaching student to practice saying his words. He also needed to practice doing them.

Example has a greater impact than advice.

Children pay more attention to parents’ behavior than words.
Students listen better if teachers’ actions match their assignments.
Employees watch their employers for acceptable business practices.

You are the real McCoy if you practice what you preach.

No pretending. No falsehood. You live what you say.

The world is filled with pretense and falsehood, but you have a better choice.

Jesus set the example. When we follow Jesus, we live and tell His truth to a world that needs to see and hear it.

“Do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach” (Matthew 23:3 NIV).

Thanks to Meghan Bowker, Editor, Missions Mosaic, for the idea and to Hayden Dabney, children’s minister at Campbellsville Baptist Church, for the photo.

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Rough around the Edges

October 6, 2025 Diana Derringer Comments 4 comments

We all know people who are a little rough around the edges. Although wonderful, they have flaws.

Rough around the edges means not perfect but good.

The description relates to:

Places
Possessions
Feelings
People

Many tourist destinations are rough around the edges.

We see that at:

Bryce and other canyons with unusual rock formations
Beaches in out-of-the-way places
Mountains altered by avalanches

Their rugged nature increases their appeal.

Favorite possessions are often rough around the edges.

Antiques with scratches and other imperfections
Children’s security blankets
Well-worn shoes and clothes

They may not look the best, but they function well.

We often feel rough around the edges.

That happens if we:

Become sick
Work or play too hard
Get snowed under

Such days make us appreciate the easier ones.

Some of the best people I know have flaws.

Those include:

Poor social skills
Pasts filled with unwise choices
Limited education

Yet, they make up for what they lack with caring attitudes and actions.

Before we pass judgement on other people, we might want to look in the mirror.

We all have rough edges. We make mistakes and must live with their consequences.

The world becomes a better place when we love and support one another. Jesus taught those characteristics with words and example. I pray we follow.

“We all stumble in many ways” (James 3:2 NIV).

Thanks to Beckham Wilson for the suggestion.

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Stick Your Neck Out

September 22, 2025 Diana Derringer Comments 10 comments

It’s risky to stick your neck out. Joining the crowd — looking and acting like everyone else — is safer and easier.

If you stick your neck out, you risk getting in trouble.

You attract attention. Even if other people agree with you, they fear joining you. They don’t want to face:

Danger
Criticism
Anger
Job loss
Rejection

This expression’s origin remains unknown.

Possibilities include:

Horse racing
Turtles sticking their heads out of their shells
Barnyard animals with their necks on a chopping block
People on a guillotine
Boxers protecting their necks and heads by holding them in

In all these examples, extending the neck makes it vulnerable.

You can stick your neck out personally or professionally.

You take chances when you:

Speak unpopular truths.
Report wrongdoing.
Rock the boat.

If you stick your neck out, don’t take unnecessary risks.

God commands people to stand tall and stand firm for what is right. Yet, boldness is not always wise or necessary.

Weigh the evidence.
Pray for guidance.
Choose carefully.

“If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen” (1 Peter 4:11 NIV).

Thanks to Terri Wilson for the suggestion. Image by Danièle Konsbruck from Pixabay.

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The More the Merrier

August 18, 2025 Diana Derringer Comments 8 comments

With flowers and butterflies, the more the merrier. They brighten our world and our attitudes. When I was a little girl, our house and yard overflowed with my grandmother’s:

Potted plants
Flower beds
Shrubs and trees

All those blooms resulted in:

Butterflies
Bees
An abundance of beauty

People came from here to yonder to admire and receive plant starts.

The more the merrier usually refers to people.

Often, the more people at a place or event, the more fun everyone has.

During my childhood summers, our house overflowed with relatives as well as flowers. They came from everywhere. Many stayed two weeks or longer. People ate and slept wherever they found a bare spot. We had a whale of a time.

The more the merrier describes a variety of situations.

Family get-togethers
Class reunions
Gatherings of friends and former co-workers

Not everyone agrees that the more the merrier.

Fewer people may be preferred by:

Overworked teachers
Tired cooks
Exhausted parents

We all need time alone and time together.

The Bible tells us that “Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed” (Luke 5:16 NIV). However, the Bible also reminds us that we need to gather and support one another.

“Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together … but encouraging one another” (Hebrews 10:24-25 NIV).

Thanks to Tracy Crump for the idea and to Debbie Tapscott for the photo.

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Written in Stone

April 28, 2025 Diana Derringer Comments 6 comments

When we receive instructions, we may wonder if they will change or if they are written in stone. That is true for orders from:

Parents to children
Employers to workers
Governments to citizens

Anything written in stone (or set in stone) cannot be changed.

It is:

Permanent
In final form

Similar expressions include cast in stone or etched in stone.

Written in stone probably originated with the Ten Commandments in the Bible.

Those rules, given by God to Moses, were engraved on stone. They provide direction for every part of our lives.

The first four commandments address our relationship with God.

They tell us to:

Have no other gods before God.
Make no idols.
Never take God’s name in vain.
Remember and keep the Sabbath day holy.

The last six commandments address our relationships with other people.

They tell us to:

Honor our fathers and mothers.

And not to:

Murder
Commit adultery
Steal
Bear false witness
Covet

Years later, a law expert asked Jesus which commandment is greatest.

Jesus replied, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments” (Matthew 22:37-40).

Love God. Love others. That covers all the commandments in a nutshell.

Thanks to Tracy Crump for the suggestion. Image by Enlightening Images from Pixabay.

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