Daily Stop & Thinks

Freedom

A loving relationship is one in which the loved one is free to be himself. (Leo F. Buscagliai, late motivational speaker)

TV personality Oprah Winfrey put it this way, “Don’t’ settle for a relationship that won’t let you be yourself.” Sometimes we seem to be “trapped” in a group under the control of a strong leader or an elite few that dictate our behavior and even our thoughts. That’s a dangerous situation we must avoid. Be strong in what you believe and step away from cultic groups.

Why should my freedom be limited by what someone else thinks? (1 Corinthians 10:29)

For you have been called to live in freedom. (Galatians 5:13)

A Smile

What sunshine is to flowers, smiles are to humanity. They are but trifles, to be sure but, scattered along life’s pathway, the good they do is inconceivable. (Joseph Addison, 17^th-18^th century English essayist)

Along with rain and good soil, sunshine makes flowers. More than that, flowers look their best when the sun shines on them. To discover a flower while walking an isolated path is to feel a spiritual lift because of its beauty. As Addison suggests, your smile can enlighten someone’s spirit, like a burst of sunshine on a dark and cloudy day.

When they were discouraged, I smiled at them. My look of approval was precious to them. (Job 29:24)

True Beauty

Beauty is only skin deep, but stupid goes clear to the bone. (Source unknown)

This common expression may be humorous, but it carries some strong principles. First, beauty is subjective. After all, beauty is often in the eye of the beholder. We all know you can’t judge a book by its cover, but we often are first attracted by it.  All of that to say that the exterior of an item—even people—is important, but the essential value is what’s inside.

Don’t be concerned about the outward beauty . . . You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God. (1 Peter 3:3-4)

Patience in Prayer

Answered prayer seems most sweet when long-delayed. (James Gribble, pioneer missionary to central Africa)

Impatient as most of us are, we don’t want to wait in line at the coffee bar, and we get antsy when the waitress doesn’t come right away to take our order. So, it’s no wonder we’re just as impatient when we pray. The waiting period, however, may be a blessed time of learning. Surely, God knows what we want and need, and he also knows the best time to answer.

Wait patiently for the Lord. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the Lord. (Psalm 27:14)

Planning

Life is simultaneous, not sequential. (Bruce Barlow, pastor)

There are a variety of applications to this idea, but Barlow’s statement is all-encompassing. We say things like: “When summer is over, then  . . .”  “When the kids are out of school, then . . .” “When we’ve paid off the credit card debt . . .” There is no end to the “whens,” so we need to recognize that we must integrate all of life’s events into daily planning and activity.

Commit your actions to the Lord, and your plans will succeed. Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity. (Proverbs 16:3; 21:5)

Communication

Speaking is not always synonymous with communicating. (Roy Angle, cross-cultural worker)

“We should not be satisfied with mere talking, but aim for clarity. . . . Speaking is shared words; communicating is shared meaning.” We can all testify to the truth of Angle’s statement. We’ve said, “I did tell you that,” and our partner will say, “No, you didn’t.” What happened? We spoke, but we didn’t communicate. Our goal is not to speak but to be understood.

The Teacher sought to find just the right words to express truths clearly. (Ecclesiastes 12:10)

Obstacles

Greatness is not measured by what a man or woman accomplishes, but by the opposition he or she has overcome to reach his goals. (Dorothy Height, late civil rights activist)

We often evaluate a person’s success solely on his or her achievements. Whether it’s the sports or musicians’ Halls of Fame or the theater or TV awards, those honors are often the main basis of our assessment of them. Height suggests that what the achievers have overcome might be an even more significant factor in judging real success.

When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. (Isaiah 43:2)

Today

What you do today is important, because you are exchanging a day of your life for it. (Heartsill Wilson, automotive executive)

Heartsill continues: “I can waste it or use it for good . . . When tomorrow comes, the day will be gone forever, leaving something in its place I have traded for it. I want it to be a gain, not a loss—good, not evil. Success not failure, in order that I shall not regret the price I paid for it.” Because time is such a valuable commodity, we must be frugal in the way we use it.

Lord, remind me how brief my time on earth will be. Remind me that my days are numbered— how fleeting my life is. (Psalm 39:4)

Chaos or Peace?

Chaos is the score upon which reality is written. (Henry Miller, 20^th century American writer)

It doesn’t take long to learn that life isn’t a smoothly paved road along the way to repeated, fulfilling successes. In addition to the chaos created by wars, epidemics, and storms, too often there is the confusion of everyday life—the struggle to make ends meet or to get along with an irritating co-worker or roommate. We must learn how to discover peace wherever we are.

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. (Philippians 4:6-7)

Awareness

Mindfulness isn’t difficult. We just need to remember to do it. (Sharon Saltzberg, author)

The purpose of the history department of one liberal arts college, translated from Latin, is “mindful of what has been done, aware of what is possible.” To be aware both of existing achievements and the possibilities around us, whatever our work, is a prerequisite for success. As Saltzberg says, we have to be alert as well as aware.

So be on your guard, not asleep like the others. Stay alert and be clearheaded. (1 Thessalonians 5:6)

Help

Men should strive to learn before they die what they are running from, and to, and why? (James Thurber, 20^th century humorist)

In the helter-skelter life of today, many of us seem to be running around from place to place or activity to activity, trying to discover where we belong or what we should be doing. Thurber’s questions are penetrating. What am I looking for? What and where do I really want to be? It’s critical to know where to find help for the answers.

So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God [to pray]. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most. (Hebrews 4:16)

Rainbows

To get the rainbow you got to put up with the rain. (Dolly Parton, entertainer)

It’s not quite like looking for the proverbial pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. That’s a fruitless search. But the rainbow may be real. Rain is essential and we’re disappointed in it only when it interferes with our personal agenda. But, even then, if we can discover the right ray of sunshine in the rain, our hearts can be lifted up a bit by the sight of the rainbow.

Then God said to Noah, “Yes, this rainbow is the sign of the covenant I am confirming with all the creatures on earth.” (Genesis 9:17)