Daily Stop & Thinks

Practice mercy and forgiveness throughout as a lesson that symbolizes the love shown through his crucifixion. (Unarine Ramaru, university professor)

Today is celebrated in the Christian world as Good Friday, the day when Jesus was crucified in Jerusalem. Even the non-Christian can recognize this event as a demonstration of love that exemplifies mercy and forgiveness from a holy God. And for the followers of Jesus, it is the foundation for their faith in a loving God.

[Follow] the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God (Ephesians 5:2).

People will cling to an unsatisfactory way of life rather than change to get something better for fear of getting something worse. (Eric Hoffer, 20^th century social philosopher)

Do you recognize yourself in Hoffer’s statement? Have you ever hesitated to make a change because you were uncertain—maybe even fearful of the outcome? We all have, no doubt. If you’re in an unacceptable situation, the challenge is to think and plan carefully, take all the precautions you can, and move forward with confidence.

My heart is confident in you, O God; my heart is confident. No wonder I can sing your praises! (Psalm 57:7).

If you do not like it, change it and if you cannot change it, change the way you think about it. (Mary Englebrat, graphic artist)

We often see things we’d like to change—it may be as simple as correcting a typo or as complex as reprogramming our computer. As Englebrat suggests, when we can’t make the change, we must think differently about the problem and find a way to think about it positively. Perhaps it’s a chance to develop a new ability or discover a new friend who can help solve the dilemma.

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

A sign of a good leader is not how many followers you have, but how many leaders you create. (Mahatma Gandhi, late Indian activist)

It’s been noted that you’re not a good leader if no one is following you. That’s obvious, isn’t it? When your leadership is over, is there anyone to take the reins and lead the enterprise forward? If not, how successfully have you led? So, Gandhi’s comment is more challenging than merely counting the number of followers. Successful leading demands helpful training.

Students are not greater than their teacher. But the student who is fully trained will become like the teacher (Luke 6:40).

Leadership is a matter of how to be, not how to do. (Frances Hesselbein, author)

Some might think of leadership as the ability to command and order, and the followers will obey. That’s partly true, but Hesselbein, apparently, has a different idea. She has discovered that people respond best to those in authority whose character and lifestyle demonstrate traits that are not only worth copying but make following much easier.

Remember your leaders . . . Think of all the good that has come from their lives, and follow the example of their faith (Hebrews 13:7).

Those who are best at waiting are best at serving, also. (James Gribble, pioneer missionary)

Today could likely be labeled as the age of “impatience.” We want what we want, and we want it NOW! In spite of modern technology that speeds things up immeasurably, many critical issues of life take time. A seed doesn’t produce fruit overnight, and a creative idea rarely develops into a complete reality instantly. If it’s worth doing, it’s worth working and waiting for.

Consider the farmers who patiently wait for the rains in the fall and in the spring. They eagerly look for the valuable harvest to ripen (James 5:7).

There are seven days in the week, and SOMEDAY isn’t one of them. (Shaquille O’Neal, retired professional athlete)

In our dreaming of the future, how often do we think “Someday I’ll . . .”? But O’Neal is right, “someday” never comes. Unless we make plans to do what we’re dreaming of, it will never happen. No doubt many people have experienced the emptiness of retirement years because they didn’t pursue their dream. Planning and taking action are the next steps after dreaming.

Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a dream fulfilled is a tree of life (Proverbs 13:12).

It’s easier to act your way into a new way of thinking than to think your way into a new way of acting. (Millard Fuller, founder of Habitat for Humanity)

Put another way, thinking something doesn’t make it happen. Worthy accomplishments begin with clear thinking and planning, of course, but just contemplating an activity never makes anything happen. Once we begin a project, our thinking about it will no doubt become clearer. But then, we have to take action and do it.

Commit your actions to the Lord, and your plans will succeed (Proverbs 16:3).

Many of life’s failures are experienced by people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up. (Thomas Edison, inventor)

Edwin H. Land, founder of Polaroid, put it another way, “An essential aspect of creativity is not being afraid to fail.” Failure is no one’s goal in life, but ultimate success in any venture may involve many disappointments along the way. It’s the persistence, as well as the creative mind, that has led to the many discoveries and technical improvements we enjoy today.

So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up (Galatians 6:9).

Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail. (Ralph Waldo Emerson, 19^th century poet)

Robert Frost, a later American poet, wrote something quite similar: “Two roads diverged in a wood, and I — I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.” It takes a good bit of courage, no doubt, to head off on an unknown road. But the opportunity to blaze a trail and make it possible for others to follow is a challenge worth pursuing.

Seek [God’s] will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take (Proverbs 3:6).

You are never too old to set another goal or dream a new dream. (C. S. Lewis, late British writer)

When is too old too old? There may be a time, of course, when you can’t physically do some of the things you used to do. Play football or do calculus in your head (could you ever do that?). But, so long as you have some mental acuity, you can continue to learn and share your wisdom and experiences with others. Don’t let the number of years limit your ability to grow.

Don’t long for “the good old days.” This is not wise. . . . When people live to be very old, let them rejoice in every day of life. (Ecclesiastes 7:10; 11:8).

Maturity is not the one with the most knowledge, but the one whose life has been changed the most by what they know. (Chris Suitt, pastor)

Maturity is not just a question of age. Some young people show more wisdom than some older adults. As Suitt notes, it’s not just a matter of gaining knowledge either. Knowledge can inflate one’s ego and doesn’t guarantee a wise use of what you know. Physical, emotional, and intellectual maturity are the result of learning and experience that effect significant growth.

Let us . . . become mature in our understanding (Hebrews 6:1). Those with knowledge grow stronger and stronger (Proverbs 24:5).