Daily Stop & Thinks

Punctuality

Punctuality is showing high esteem for other people and their time. (Bill Gothard, speaker and writer)

Different cultures view punctuality in different ways. It seems to be nonexistent in some societies. If the meeting is to be at 1:00, and people don’t show up until 1:30, they might argue that it’s still 1:00 because it isn’t 2:00 yet. Some people are careless about arriving at an appointed time. That’s unacceptable in our culture, because it shows disrespect for others.

For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven. (Ecclesiastes 3:1)

Relationships

Treasure your relationships, not your possessions. (Anthony J. D’Angelo, author)

It would be foolish not to protect your assets: stocks, real estate, material goods, etc. But, as D’Angelo suggests, there are other assets that are even more valuable and need to be guarded carefully. Family comes to mind first and friends whether newly made or longtime. Especially shield your spiritual relationships; they are eternal.

A person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God. (Luke 12:21)

Anger

Don’t do something permanently stupid because you are temporarily upset. (Toby Mac, recording artist)

Have you ever done anything like that? Maybe you hit your thumb with the hammer, threw the hammer away, and it sailed through a glass window. At other times, we just get upset at some personal affront, and we strike out with angry, hurtful words. How do we prevent such harmful acts? Perhaps it’s not just an emotional or anger problem; maybe it’s deeper than that.

Fools vent their anger, but the wise quietly hold it back. (Proverbs 29:11)

The Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. (Galatians 5:22-23)

Investments

Those who put their trust in wealth or material possessions will be disappointed. (Jesse Deloe, editor and writer)

TV ads tell us that investing in certain companies will guarantee growing assets and a well-funded retirement. Others tout the value of buying gold and silver as a better investment. The accumulation of material things that fill our attics, garages, and storage bins, however, testifies to our misplaced faith in temporal assets. Better invest in eternal, spiritual values.

Don’t store up treasures [or invest] here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. (Matthew 6:19)

Friends

It is hard to find a friend whose presence helps you steadily become the person you want to be, but it’s worth the effort to find [him or her]. (Paraphrase of Anna Strong, 18^th &19^th century American patriot)

Strong says, “To fall in love is easy, even to remain in it is not difficult; our human loneliness is cause enough.” As she noted above, however, finding that steady “comrade” (her term), isn’t so easy. In our day with so much freedom of expression and opinionated discourse, it may take awhile to discover a trustworthy friend who will be the helpful companion you want and need.

A friend is always loyal. . . . a real friend sticks closer than a brother. (Proverbs 17:17; 18:24)

Health

The groundwork of all happiness is health. (Leigh Hunt, 19^th century English poet)

Healthy people are more likely to be happy than those who suffer physically. Yet, there are many who’ve maintained a happy spirit in spite of their ills. Think of blind and deaf Helen Keller, whose life was a testimony of overcoming enormous handicaps with a positive attitude. In the all-important realm of the spirit, real joy is the result of a healthy relationship with God.

My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; he is mine forever. (Psalm 73:26)

Creativity

The absence of limitation is the death of creativity. (Todd Henry, leadership consultant)

We’re often challenged to “think outside the box.” Henry argues that such brainstorming often wastes time considering options that aren’t even within the realm of reason. Having certain boundaries (“the box”) requires new thinking about what we’re already doing. That means we’ll have to be creative in seeking solutions to troublesome problems or revising routine practices.

Wise people think before they act. (Proverbs 13:16)

I have tried to stimulate your wholesome thinking and refresh your memory. (2 Peter 3:1)

Cost

There’s no changing the future without disturbing the present. (Danielle Strickland, justice advocate)

Sometimes when we think of the future, we may want to see significant changes, but we’re unwilling to do what it takes to make those changes possible. For example, my goal may be to lose 20 pounds, but, ouch, that means I’ll have to start dieting and exercising. Considering the cost is a prerequisite for reaching goals.

But don’t begin until you count the cost. For who would begin construction of a building without first calculating the cost to see if there is enough money to finish it? (Luke 14:28)

Different

Your difference is your destiny. (DeVon Franklin, film producer, author)

It could be a physical defect, lack of athletic skill, skin color, or even intellectual prowess that makes you different. And you may wish you were more like other people. Franklin points out, however, that it is that very feature that makes you distinct, providing a platform from which you can contribute something that the “others” can’t. Value it.

In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. (Romans 12:6)

Failure

Failures forge you. Failures are doorways to success. (Bear Grylls, TV personality)

Grylls appears to be fearless in his adventures on the popular TV shows Man vs. Wild and Running Wild with Bear Grylls. But he publicly acknowledges that his tests are not only fearful, but they often fail. In spite of the dangers of life, he says, we need to realize that what we learn from those failures often provides other opportunities for successful achievement.

The godly may trip seven times, but they will get up again. (Proverbs 24:16)

Effectiveness

Just because you are comfortable with doing something a particular way and competent at it, doesn’t mean you are being effective with it. (James Emery White, pastor, author)

“Always strive for effectiveness,” White counsels. It’s difficult to break habits, especially, if we’ve found them to be comfortable and usable, giving us the results we’ve wanted. But, to improve our effectiveness, we may have to examine our methods, evaluate how well they’ve worked, and change some things if we want to be most effective.

Therefore, change your hearts and stop being stubborn. (Deuteronomy 10:16)

Progress

We should always strive for excellence, but going for perfection may hinder real progress. (quoted by Craig Groeschel, leadership speaker)

Others have put it this way, “Perfection is the roadblock to progress.” While exactness may be essential in rocket science or brain surgery, in most other areas of endeavor, the goal of perfectionism will likely cause delays and redundant efforts in achieving a desired end. We should always strive for excellence, but striving for perfection may hinder real progress.

The Apostle Paul: “I don’t mean to say that I have already . . . reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me.” (Philippians 3:12)