Daily Stop & Thinks

Examples

I can’t tell my children to reach for the sun. All I can do is reach for it myself. (Joyce Maynard, novelist and journalist)

We might tell our kids to do as we say. Why? “Because I say so!” That is hardly a satisfactory answer, but we continue to offer it either because we really don’t have a good answer, or we’ve not given them a good example to follow. So, we’d do better to recognize and change this.

And you yourself must be an example . . . by doing good works of every kind. Let everything you do reflect [your] integrity and seriousness. (Titus 2:7)

Genius

Genius is the ability to reduce the complicated to the simple. (C.W. Ceran, 20^th century German journalist)

By itself, that’s a good illustration of the principle. More than a few wives will remember the times their husbands “knew exactly where they were going” on an auto trip. After a long time and the reluctant admission that “we’re lost,” he finally stops to ask directions. The era of GPS has, for the most part, made complex directions very simple. How grateful we are!

When people do not accept divine guidance, they run wild. But whoever obeys the law is joyful. (Proverbs 29:18)

Ideals

Ideals are like stars; you will not succeed in touching them with your hands, but. . . following them you will reach your destiny. (Carl Schurz, German American reformer)

You won’t fully reach your ideals, either, Schurz says. But like the sailor following the stars, if you choose your ideals “as your guide, you will succeed in the process.” They may seem unreachable, but never give up doing your best to live up to the ideals that will give you a rich life and will also be a benefit to others.

May God’s peace and mercy be upon all who live by the principle of God’s new creation. (Galatians 6:15-16 paraphrased)

Finishing II

Finishing well isn’t something you do at the end of your life—it is what you determine to do every day of your life. (Neil Cole, author)

Most of us don’t like to think about discipline. It implies too much about rules, hard work, and punishment. If we were to think of it as the means to mastery of an art, a sport, or learning, we could begin to appreciate its value. Practicing the piano diligently, spending time on the putting green, studying the lessons of history—those are the kinds of things that enable us to finish well.

No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way. (Hebrews 12:11)

Finishing I

Most people are starters and stoppers, not finishers. (Christine Caine, Australian author)

Caine’s statement probably strikes a sense of guilt in many of us. How many projects have we started with enthusiasm but given up before they were finished? How about the diets we’ve begun only to quit before reaching our weight goal? It’s a sad commentary about our perseverance, isn’t it? Maybe we need to find companions who will. help us finish the course.

Finishing is better than starting. Patience is better than pride (Ecclesiastes 7:8).

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful (2 Timothy 4:7).

Mistakes

Learn from the mistakes of others; you may not live long enough to make them all yourself. (Jim Tressel, college president)

It may sound rather trite, but we all know that we make lots of mistakes, and the longer we live, the more we will likely make. So, Tressel’s advice is good. Let’s learn from our mistakes, but we don’t have to make them all. We can learn well from others’ blunders. To do so can avoid a lot of embarrassment and gain a lot of wisdom.

Indeed, we all make many mistakes (James 3:2).

Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love (Ephesians 4:2).

Time

Life is what happens when you’re busy making other plans. (John Lennon, late British musician)

Sometimes we’re so busy planning for or anticipating the future that we pay too little attention to what’s happening around us right now. At other times, we’re in a nostalgic mood, and we spend valuable time thinking about our past joys and failures. When we are absorbed in such distractions, life goes on with, or perhaps, without our active involvement. What a waste!

See then that ye walk. . . as wise, redeeming the time. (Ephesians 5:15-16)

Justice

Justice means minding one’s own business and not meddling with other men’s concerns. (Plato, Greek philosopher)

The term “social justice” is bandied around so much today. But, do we really know what it should mean? Although Plato’s comment is probably not all-encompassing, it does offer helpful counsel that can be applied to our individual relationships. How much embarrassment and difficult could be avoided if we remembered what Mom told us, “Mind your own business”?

Make it your goal to live a quiet life, minding your own business and working with your hands. (1 Thessalonians 4:11)

Choices

Everything is either an opportunity to grow or an obstacle to keep you from growing. You get to choose. (Wayne Dyer, self-help author)

Dyer says, “With everything that has happened to you, you can feel sorry for yourself or treat what has happened as a gift.” Life so often presents us with choices, and it isn’t “fate” or “karma” that determines our decision. We have to consider the options carefully, seek counsel, perhaps, but, in the end, we make the choice. Ask God for discernment.

Choose a good reputation over great riches; being held in high esteem is better than silver or gold (Proverbs 22:1).

A wise person chooses the right road; a fool takes the wrong one. (Ecclesiastes 10:2).

Winning

Success is not final; failure is not fatal: It is the courage to continue that counts. (Winston Churchill, World War II British prime minister)

Every athlete or team that has won a championship can attest to Churchill’s statement. A year after a championship win, people cannot tell you who won last year’s contest. And the athletes are working hard for another victory. Even last year’s losing team doesn’t give up; they are working hard for a win this year. We would all do well to keep on striving for wins in life.

Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So, run to win! (1 Corinthians 9:24)

Facts/Truth

Facts are stubborn things; and whatever may be our wishes, our inclinations, or the dictates of our passion, they cannot alter the state of facts and evidence. (John Adams, 2^nd U.S. president)

A lot of people today would do well to hear and understand Adams’ statement. When passions run high and prejudices ignore realities, current and future damage is almost beyond imagination. When we ignore the facts, even our best wishes and intentions will not bring resolution to problems or meaningful benefit to the greatest number of people.

Truthful words stand the test of time but lies are soon exposed. . . Get the truth and never sell it; also get wisdom, discipline, and good judgment. (Proverbs 12:19; 23:23)

Be Careful

Prevention is better than recovery. (Stonestreet and Kunkle, authors)

Author Josh McDowell illustrated the principle this way, “I’d rather put a fence at the top of the cliff than an ambulance at the bottom.” Seat belts, bike helmets, warning lights, and such are all ways to avoid dangerous situations, and we take them for granted. We must also take careful precautions to avoid dangers to our emotional, intellectual, and spiritual lives.

Commit yourself to instruction; listen carefully to words of knowledge (Proverbs 23:12).

So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise (Ephesians 5:15).