Daily Stop & Thinks

Mistakes

A life making mistakes is not only honorable, but more useful than a life doing nothing. (George Bernard Shaw, 19^th-20^th century Irish playwright)

Some of us are fearful of making mistakes, knowing all the while that everybody does, and we will again and again. As Shaw notes, there is no shame in well-intended slip-ups. He’s right, of course; the only way to avoid those blunders is to do nothing. And what’s more, we probably learn more from the errors we’ve made than from our successes. So, keep on doing your best!

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

A quiet spirit can overcome even great mistakes. (Ecclesiastes 10:4)

God’s Plan

When God wants to play a practical joke on you, He grants your deepest wish. (Cynthia Heiml author, Village Voice)

It’s not a joking matter, but Heiml’s point is well-taken. Many of the things we wish for can turn out to be harmful. It’s like a mother yielding to a child’s nagging request for something she doesn’t want him to have. When she finally gives in, he might very well find out it wasn’t worth all that yelling. Mother knows best. And certainly, God does.

The Lord will work out his plans for my life. (Psalm 138:8)

Conscience

Nothing ruins a face so fast as double-dealing. (Jessamyn West, late American author)

West continues, “Your face telling one story to the world. Your heart yanking your face to pieces, trying to let the truth be known.” Have you ever found it difficult to keep a “straight face” when you’re trying to hide some truth? It’s good that our conscience convicts us when we’re trying to lie. It is possible to learn how to keep a clear conscience, so work hard at it.

Everything is pure to those whose hearts are pure. But nothing is pure to those who are corrupt and unbelieving because their minds and consciences are corrupted. (Titus 1:15)

Thanksgiving Day

I am grateful for what I am and have. My thanksgiving is perpetual. (Henry David Thoreau. 19^th century essayist)

“Thank you!” Those are such sweet words to hear when you’ve tried to do something for someone else. We should practice the habit of showing our gratitude to anyone who treats us well. More than that, we should continually be in an attitude of gratitude when we consider the grace and goodness of God as citizens, families, and people whom he has blessed richly.

Give thanks to the Lord and proclaim his greatness. Let the whole world know what he has done. (1 Chronicles 16:8)

Helping

We can’t help everyone, but everyone can help someone. (Ronald Reagan, late US president)

There is so much need and so many needy people around the world—and even in our own neighborhoods. When we see those huge numbers of people, we become discouraged and are tempted to think we can’t do enough to help all those people, so we do nothing. How much better to heed Reagan’s note and at least find someone close to us and offer what we have to help them.

Do not withhold good from those who deserve it when it’s in your power to help them. (Proverbs 3:27)

Problems

Victory comes from finding opportunities in problems. (Sun Tzu, 5^th century BC Chinese philosopher)

Another writer put it simply, “Big opportunities arise when big obstacles arise.” Most of us try to avoid difficulties. It’s a natural response but getting in that habit will cost a lot of missed openings for learning and gaining. It may be difficult, but we need to train ourselves to look at difficulties with fresh eyes to see what profit can be made from them.

We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. (Romans 5:3)

Giving and Receiving

After all, you must have a capacity to receive, or even omnipotence can’t give. (C. S. Lewis, British scholar)

Gift-giving is easy, but Lewis suggests that receiving might not be so easy. Have you ever tried to give something to someone who wouldn’t take it? Maybe you wanted to buy their dinner or just offered to help them with some difficult task. But they said, “No, thanks.” Whether it’s pride or self-consciousness, in any case, learning to receive gratefully is important.

Let the wise listen to these proverbs and become even wiser. Let those with understanding receive guidance. (Proverbs 1:5)

Each Other

God designed us for community. Isolation robs us of our greatest level of usefulness. We need each other. (Tim Sprankle, pastor)

The recent, long-lasting pandemic lockdown has created isolation and a deep sense of loss, resulting in discouragement and depression. An as Sprankle points out, the loneliness and confinement have brought with them the loss of a sense of usefulness. How can we be of help to others when we can’t even move outside our house? Creative use of time with phones, the Internet, and social media will help relieve that sense of isolation.

Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. . . Encourage each other and build each other up. (Ecclesiastes 4:9; 1 Thessalonians 5:11)

Virtue

Virtue is the mark of a life well lived, and it takes a lifetime to cultivate. (John Stonestreet, worldview writer)

Have you noticed how often we seem to extol the virtue of some notable person only to have them act in a way that discredits the acclaim we’ve given them? How disappointing! As Stonestreet suggests, integrity and character are developed over many years. Let’s encourage the promising young people we know to keep working on their character development.

I know, my God, that you examine our hearts and rejoice when you find integrity there. (1 Chronicles 29:17)

Love

If you’ve never received unconditional love, it can become hard to then give it out. (Author unknown)

Someone else put it even more simply, “One who has not received love cannot give love.” There’s only one way to have experience and that is to have it. How can you imitate what you haven’t seen? There are so many ways to say it, but the lesson is clear. To help others love, we must love. The demonstration of love will enable others to experience and share it themselves.

Let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions. (1 John 3:18)

Aging

When our memories outweigh our dreams, it is then that we become old. (Bill Clinton former US president)

When we’re young, we want to grow up; when we’re old, we wish we could be young again. But aging is a natural process that is inevitable and unstoppable. At both extremes, it is best if we can learn to accept where we are in the life cycle and make the best of it, enjoying what we are and have and working for the benefit of those around us. We can be youthful while aging gracefully.

The glory of the young is their strength; the gray hair of experience is the splendor of the old. (Proverbs 20:29)

Mistakes and Failure

Our worst mistakes double as our greatest opportunities. (Bart Blair, church consultant)

Someone else has said, “Failure is not the worst thing in the world. The very worst is not to try.” And Blair’s observation encourages us to make the effort to try again after we’ve made a mistake because it may prove to be an open door for greater success. That’s especially true, Blair says “[If] we allow God to work in our lives.

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