Daily Stop & Thinks

Spring

No winter lasts forever; no spring skips its turn. (Hal Borland, late outdoors author)

The long-awaited spring arrives today. Hallelujah! Of course, in many parts of the U.S. it doesn’t look like spring yet. We may have several days to wait, but the longed-for warmer weather and the anticipation of its arrival are enough to keep us going for a little while longer. The constancy of changing seasons is another evidence of the marvelous creation of God.

Then God said, “Let lights appear in the sky to separate the day from the night. Let them be signs to mark the seasons, days, and years.” (Genesis 1:14)

Generosity

Your measurement of generosity becomes the measurement of your return. (The Bible)

Business people want to know what profit they’re going to get from their investments (ROI). They probably don’t often think of generosity; they’re concerned only about the health of the business. While it can’t be measured in gold, there is a greater ROI when it comes to helping those in need—whether individuals or organizations. That’s where generosity is most important.

The generous will prosper; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed. (Proverbs 11:25)

Wisdom

God gives men wisdom as He gives them gold; his treasure house is not the mint, but the mine. (Arabian proverb)

We tell our kids that money doesn’t grow on trees—neither does gold. The first you have to earn, the second you have to dig out. Wisdom doesn’t grow on trees either, and it isn’t available from a resource like a precious metal exchange. Like money it can be gained by hard work. In many ways, wisdom is even more precious than money because it doesn’t lose its value.

Wisdom and money can get you almost anything, but only wisdom can save your life… For wisdom is more profitable than silver, and her wages are better than gold. (Proverbs 7:12; 3:14)

Uplifting

There’s nothing so bad that it couldn’t be worse. (Irish proverb)

We think of all things Irish on St. Patrick’s Day, so this Irish proverb seems timely. Whether it’s the winter weather, Covid-19, or any one of dozens of unhappy circumstances, we do need some uplifting thoughts. But we don’t just want to avoid what’s “worse,” we really long for things to be better. Make it a point today to try to lift someone else’s spirits. It may just work for you, too.

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed. (Psalm 34:18)

Common Sense

We do not err because truth is difficult to see. It is visible at a glance. We err, because this is more comfortable. (Alexander Solzhenitsyn, late Russian historian and philosopher)

Is common sense no longer common? Our minds are often confused by “thinkers” with an agenda—and not always a healthy one. We might say, jokingly, that the truth is as obvious “as the nose on your face.” Why then, do we ignore obvious truth? Because, as our Russian writer puts it, it sometimes is more comfortable to ignore the truth and accept what pleases us!

God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. (John 3:19)

The Ides of March

“The fault,” dear Brutus, “is not in our stars, but in ourselves.” (Shakespeare, Julius Caesar)

This is the day that Julius Caesar was stabbed by conspirators who planned and executed his death. Since then, the expression, “The Ides of March,” has conveyed an idea of treachery or, at least, bad luck. But Brutus had it right. Evil deeds, hatred—sin itself—is not a question of luck or astrology. We were born with a sinful nature, and it’s only the grace of God that can cure it.

For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard… the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 3:23; 6:23)

Risk vs. Trust

Trust because you are willing to accept the risk, not because it’s safe or certain. (Aamir Sarfraz, Pakistani businessman)

It may be that a proposed business venture promises great success and the accompanying reward. Choosing whether to pursue the project will certainly involve considering available resources of time and finances—and the possibility of unforeseen contingencies and even failure. It’s also important to discern the capability and trustworthiness of the team and its leader.

The trustworthy person will get a rich reward, but a person who wants quick riches will get into trouble. (Proverbs 28:20)

Opportunity II

Everything is but a path, a portal, or a window opening on something more than itself. (Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, 20th century French writer)

What do you think when you come to a fork in the road? Or when a door or window of opportunity you hoped to enter closed on you?  These days when we have a choice about which road to take, we simply check our GPS.  But when it’s a closed door or window, we may be tempted to give up. Wouldn’t it be better to consider another choice? A great opportunity might be right around the corner!

A wise person chooses the right road. (Ecclesiastes 10:2)

Opportunity I

Opportunities don’t happen, you create them. (Chris Grosser)

They say that opportunity knocks only once. That could be a dangerous premise; how many people are still waiting for that knock and meanwhile are accomplishing little? On the other hand, if we just look around, we may find lots of opportunities to pursue good work and service. Consider your interests and skills and search for ways to use them productively.

Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone. (Galatians 6:10) 

Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. (Ephesians 5:16)

Today

Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment. (Buddha)

We’ve probably all been in a conversation with someone who continually talks about past problems, successes, circumstances—ad infinitum. You may have met someone else who is eager to share his or her plans, expectations, dreams of the future. Sometimes we may want to interrupt to remind them not to forget the importance of today.

Indeed, the “right time” is now. Today is the day of salvation. (2 Corinthians 6:2)

So don’t worry about tomorrow. (Matthew 6:34)

Friends II

Nature has no love for solitude, and always leans, as it were, on some support; and the sweetest support is found in the most intimate friendship. (Cicero, 1st century BC Roman scholar)

In the nearly year-long Corona-19 virus lockdown, many of us were alone a lot. Only time will tell how devastating that solitude may have been for some with compromised physical or emotional health. Many others survived well because they stayed in touch with others, either in person or virtually. Is there someone who needs a call from you today?

A friend is always loyal, and a brother is born to help in time of need. As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend. (Proverbs 17:17, 27:17)

Friends I

The making of friends, who are real friends, is the best token we have of a man’s success in life. (Edward Everett Hale, 19th century American historian)

At memorial services, we often hear eulogies in praise of the accomplishments of the recently deceased. The formal speeches are an encouragement and a challenge to the surviving family and friends. But it’s often the comments of the friends themselves that testify to the true and lasting legacy of the one who is being honored. It’s a challenge to friends and may greatly impact them as well.

The seeds of good deeds become a tree of life; a wise person wins friends. (Proverbs 11:30)