GOD OF HOPE

Daily Stop & Thinks

Stop & Think: July 2, 2024

Work & Talent

Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard. (Tim Tebow, Heisman trophy winner)

Tebow was an unusually gifted athlete. He recognized early on, however, that talent alone was not enough. His statement became his mantra, and he pursued his career with great physical effort and determination. Success in any endeavor demands relentless hard work, regardless of our talent level.

Wise words bring many benefits, and hard work brings rewards…. Work hard and become a leader; be lazy and become a slave. (Proverbs 12:14, 24)

Stop & Think: July 1, 2024

Behavior

Behavior stems from what we think—our attitudes, beliefs, values, and opinions. (Barna Group, research organization)

Our education, environment, and associations will affect our actions. But as Barna suggests those are only elements that contribute to a person’s mindset. To some degree, they do influence our conduct. So, it’s critical that we train our children to adopt true values and learn how to think before they act–lessons that are essential for proper behavior at every age-level.

Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. (Romans 12:2)

Stop & Think: June 30, 2024

Excellence 2

Perfection is not attainable, but if we chase perfection, we can catch excellence. (Vince Lombardi, late professional football coach)

It’s rare that anyone achieves perfection in any endeavor. Nadia Comaneci was awarded a perfect score of 10 in Olympics gymnastics in 1976. Others have tried hard to reach such a standard and come close, but “no cigar,” as they say. Lombardi, however, emphasizes the value of that hard work. We should all work hard to be excellent in every facet of life.

Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge. (2 Peter 1:5)

Stop & Think: June 29, 2024

Excellence

Excellence . . . is not an act but a habit. (Kary Oberbrunner, motivational author and speaker)

Oberbrunner explains it this way: “We are what we repeatedly do.” As someone else has said, “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” That means we should never settle for the mediocre but continually strive for excellence. The more we do that, the more likely our work will be seen as consistently excellent.

Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. (Philippians 4:8)

Stop & Think: June 28, 2024

Speaking Truth

Never worry about who will be offended if you speak the truth. Worry about who will be misled, deceived and destroyed if you don’t. (Anthony Akubue, university professor)

Whether it’s the fear of embarrassment or a dislike for confrontation, we sometimes fail to speak out in defense of what we believe is right and true. Intimidation may cause us to miss an opportunity for teaching and correction. Akubue’s comment is an encouragement for us to always speak out in the defense of truth and to encourage others to consider it carefully.

[True worshipers] lead blameless lives and do what is right, speaking the truth from sincere hearts. (Psalm 15:1-2)
We will speak the truth in love. (Ephesians 4:15)

Stop & Think: June 27, 2024

Friends

Friends are God’s way of apologizing to us for our families. (Tennessee Williams, late American playwright)

That’s a rather uncomfortable comment, isn’t it? Families are intended to be the foundation of a wholesome community and prosperous nation. However, because of personal failure, some families are dysfunctional, and both parents and children suffer. That’s when God-given friends can become the family we so desperately need.

A friend is always loyal, . . .  The heartfelt counsel of a friend is as sweet as perfume and incense. (Proverbs 17:17; 27:9)

Stop & Think: June 26, 2024

Simple

The simplest explanation is not always the right one, truth is very often not simple. (Sigmund Freud, founder of psychoanalysis)

We sometimes apply the acronym KISS, (Keep it short, stupid) to long-winded speakers. But it also applies when you change short to simple. Life has become very confusing for many, so we’re often looking for simple answers. Freud is right, however; truth is not always simple. The deep questions of life require effort to understand and apply.

True wisdom is not a simple matter. (Job 11:6)
The prudent carefully consider their steps. (Proverbs 14:15)

Stop & Think: June 25, 2024

What We Need

Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive… (Howard Thurman, late American author and philosopher)

Thurman continues “… because the world needs people who have come alive.” There are plenty of scholars, politicians, and educators who are trying to give the world what they think people need. That might be helpful, but what is really most helpful is people who are really excited about life and its possibilities sharing their vision and enthusiasm with the world.

Jesus: “My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.” (John 10:10)

Stop & Think: June 24, 2024

After Success

Each success only buys an admission ticket to a more difficult problem. (Henry Kissinger, late U.S. secretary of state)

It’s rather disconcerting, isn’t it, to achieve some measure of success only to find there are more tasks to pursue? You’ve just completed your school project or job assignment, and are immediately given another even more difficult task. Kissinger’s observation is probably not intended to discourage us but to prepare us to keep on pursuing the next goal and the next.

So whether we are here in this body or away from this body, our goal is to please him. (2 Corinthians 5:9)

Stop & Think: June 23, 2024

Others

The present-day manifestation of society’s “grand malady” is selfishness. (paraphrase of Mark Hatfield, late U.S. senator)

Maybe the “grand malady” of our day is greed or the hunger for power or fame. But Hatfield’s idea should surely be high on the list. From infancy, we detect this besetting characteristic. “It’s mine.” “Me first.” “It’s my turn.” We might wonder if we ever really outgrow those tendencies. Learning to put others first is a great start in living well in community.

Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves… Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. (Philippians 2:3-4)

Stop & Think: June 22, 2024

Serving

You need an attitude of service. You’re not just serving yourself. You help others to grow up and you grow with them. (David Green, founder of Hobby Lobby)

Green is a contemporary example of servant leadership who doesn’t just hand out this advice, he lives it. Such an attitude isn’t readily accepted today, and Green has had to defend his principles in court to keep Hobby Lobby stores open. It’s evident that Green follows the ultimate example of this kind of service, Jesus himself.

For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many. (Matthew 20:28)

Stop & Think: June 21, 2024

Hard Times

When I hear somebody sigh, “Life is hard,” I am always tempted to ask, “Compared to what?” (Sydney J. Harris, 20th century American journalist)

Life often has hard experiences for all of us. It may be the loss of our health, a job, or even more difficult, the loss of a loved one. These and many other factors in life can be really hard. But we who live a typical American lifestyle most often face only temporary hardships. That’s the time to recognize with appreciation the many other facets of life that bring joy and satisfaction.

Enjoy prosperity while you can, but when hard times strike, realize that both come from God. Remember that nothing is certain in this life. (Ecclesiastes 7:14)