Daily Stop & Thinks

Others

We cannot live only for ourselves. A thousand fibers connect us with our fellow men. (Herman Melville, 19^th century American novelist)

The recent “lockdown” because of a virus threat is a perfect example of what Melville wrote. We certainly learned, as John Donne wrote long ago, that “No man is an island.” The weak, elderly, and most vulnerable discovered quickly how dependent they were on the help of others. And the rest of us experienced the joy of serving them.

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

Do you have the gift of helping others? Do it with all the strength and energy that God supplies (1 Peter 4:11).

Thankfulness

The unthankful heart . . . discovers no mercies; but . . . the thankful heart will find some heavenly blessings! (Henry Ward Beecher, 19^th century clergyman)

He writes that “. . . as a magnet attracts iron, so the grateful heart, sweeping through the day, will find good things” (paraphrased). To put it poetically, the attitude of gratitude will change the way you handle the varied experiences of your everyday life. Be thankful and share your gratitude with others. It will change them, too.

Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus (1 Thessalonians 5:18).

Know Yourself

The key to human development is building on who you already are. (Tom Rath, consultant)

He also argues, “You cannot be anything you want to be” in contrast to the often heard statement, “You can be anything you want to be, if you just try hard enough.” Not everyone has the innate skills or the circumstances to achieve certain lofty goals. It’s better, he suggests, to assess who you are, evaluate your skills, and build on that strong foundation.

Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves (Philippians 2:3).

Hypocrisy

The most virtuous are those who content themselves with being virtuous without seeking to appear so. (Plato, ancient Greek philosopher)

Have you ever known someone who acted humble in public, but behind the scenes, you knew he or she was full of pride? Any attempt to appear honorable was ruined by the terrible truth of the person’s real life. We correctly identify such behavior as hypocrisy. But, before you throw any stones, take a long look at your own mind and motives. Does your life truly reflect what’s in your heart?

How can you think of saying to your friend, ‘Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,’ when you can’t see past the log in your own eye? Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye (Matthew 7:4-5).

Tomorrow

Procrastination is one of the most common and deadliest of diseases and its toll on success and happiness is heavy. (Wayne Gretzky, Canadian athlete)

Or, as Victor Kiam said, “Procrastination is opportunity’s assassin.” It’s a widespread “disease” among multitudes of people. We just find it so much easier to put off any task—unpleasant or worthwhile–that waits to be done. Too often we find ourselves saying, “If only I had …,” thinking of those really good ideas that we didn’t follow through on. As Nike says, “Just do it.”

When you make a promise to God, don’t delay in following through. . . Keep all the promises you make to him (Ecclesiastes 5:4).

Friendship

A friend hears the song in my heart and sings it to me when my memory fails. (Donna Roberts)

Sharing life with friends is one of life’s most enjoyable experiences. Long-time friendships are even more beneficial when we encounter the difficulties of aging. To be reminded by our friends of the happy times makes our troubles a little easier to handle. Working, playing, and just being together over time builds a solid relationship for mutual benefit.

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

Story-telling

Share stories purposefully; stories stick; facts fade. (Craig Groeschel, leadership speaker)

Of the innumerable lectures you’ve heard, how many do you remember? What is it you most likely remember—the history and the facts? Most of us recall the stories. They not only kept our interest during the lecture, but they often illustrated some truth that has stuck with us. In your conversations, don’t avoid facts, but do use good stories to make your point.

[Jesus] taught them by telling many stories in the form of parables (Mark 4:2).

Practice

Champions keep playing until they get it right. (Billie Jean King, retired tennis professional)

What makes a champion? Well, a certain skill is essential, whether it’s in sports, drama, or art. Champions will tell you, no doubt, that it takes an enormous amount of practice, too. Did you know that the familiar adage, “Practice makes perfect,” is not really true? Actually, regular practice only makes your efforts permanent. Be sure you’re practicing correctly—that’s critical.

Give me understanding and I will obey your instructions; I will put them into practice with all my heart (Psalm 119:34).

Answers

[Pay] more intention to the question than to the answer and never [be] afraid to go in an opposite direction to find a solution. (Richard Saul Wurman, author)

In the midst of a conversation, we are often so distracted with the answer we’re preparing to offer that we don’t really hear the question. Wurman’s advice should be taken seriously. We want to be sure to understand clearly not just the words of the question but what lies behind it. We may discover insights, then, that will enable us to offer much better, more helpful replies.

An honest answer is like a kiss of friendship (Proverbs 24:16).

Anyone who claims to know all the answers doesn’t really know very much (1 Corinthians 8:2).

Growing

You’ve got to continue to grow, or you’re just like last night’s corn bread—stale and dry. (Loretta Lynn, singer-songwriter)

Children often “can’t wait” to grow up. Getting taller than someone else may be important to them. There comes a time, however, when adults may want to stop growing physically, but they are satisfied with the status-quo intellectually and spiritually. To be fresh and refreshing, keep learning and growing.

The wise are mightier than the strong, and those with knowledge grow stronger and stronger (Proverbs 24:5).

Love

We cannot love on our own, be gentle on our own, or bear our burdens alone. (Schultz & Estabrook, authors)

We’d like to think that we are the “captain of our ship,” in full control of our emotions and our actions. We soon discover, however, that life includes a lot of people, events, and circumstances that make our own judgment a bit more difficult. When it comes to love and serving others, we most often need the help of others, maybe even divine help.

Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God (1 John 4:7).

Snowflakes

No snowflake in an avalanche ever feels responsible. (Voltaire, 18^th century French writer)

As I write this, I’m viewing a heavy snowfall through my window. The scene makes Voltaire’s picturesque allusion very real. I certainly don’t expect an avalanche in Indiana today, but I get the picture. And I wonder: when troubles mount around us, how much have I contributed to them? Am I but a small flake, contributing to the landslide of society’s ills? God forbid!

For we are each responsible for our own conduct (Galatians 6:5).