Getting Even There’s no revenge so complete as forgiveness. (Josh Billings, 19th century American humorist) From childhood, we tried to get back at anyone who hurt or wronged us. And, of course, when we sought revenge, getting even meant being harsher than the hurt...
Respect True respect starts with the way you treat others, and it is earned over a lifetime of acting with kindness, honor, and dignity. (Tony Dungy, author, professional athlete and coach) In his book, Uncommon, Finding Your Path to Significance, Dungy tells of an...
Personal Growth One of the most important things to remember is this: To be ready at any moment to give up what you are, for what you might become. (W. E. DuBois, late American sociologist) DuBois seems to suggest that it’s possible to be so satisfied with the status...
Teaching and Learning You’re not a teacher but a facilitator of learning. (From Paul Kaak, college professor) What is your goal when you enter the classroom or lead a small group? Is it to let them have all you know on a given subject, filling their notebooks or iPads...
Give Freely If you’re not willing to give you have no chance to receive. (Jim Pearson, writer) Here’s Pearson’s example: “Take a quarter—put it in your hand and close it. Can someone take it? No. Can someone give you another quarter? No.” That’s a good illustration...
Growing through Trials I believe that the roots of education can be bitter, but the fruits are surely sweet. (Aristotle, ancient Greek philosopher) One might wonder what these bitter experiences were that Aristotle had in mind. Some, especially the young, might think...
Enjoying the Process I wish I had treasured the doing a little more and getting it done a little less. (Anna Guindlen, writer) A lot of us would agree with Guindlen. We are often in such a hurry to finish something that we don’t appreciate the process of doing it....
The Power of Words Words are like feathers. Once they fly out, it’s impossible to put them back in. (Marina Medvin, attorney) Attorney Medvin certainly understands the value of words. A word spoken in love can be a great encouragement and motivator. Harsh and cruel...
Pursuing Goals It is the greatest of all mistakes to do nothing because you can only do little. (Sydney Smith, English preacher) Many tasks and aspirations seem so large that we just don’t want to pursue them because we aren’t big enough or we think we don’t have the...
Temptation Flee temptation without leaving a forwarding address. (Barbara Johnson, late literary critic) We’ve all experienced times of temptation, when we are faced with a situation we know we should run away from. Too often we decide to hang around, thinking we can...
Morality and Immorality Morality and immorality are not defined by man’s changing attitudes and social customs. (James Dobson, author) Most of us have seen a great shift in moral principles over our lifetime. Standards that are determined by social customs will...
Spiritual Development The spiritual development of man is not a human achievement, but a work of divine grace. (Louis Berkhof, 19-20th century American-Dutch theologian) We may try all the self-help tips and books on spiritual development to improve our integrity and...