Daily Stop & Thinks

Influences

There’s always something you can’t see controlling what you can see. (Priscilla Shirer, motivational speaker and author)

Anyone who has worked at a computer has discovered Shirer’s words to be true. It’s aggravating when what you intended to happen doesn’t because something in cyberspace or hidden in your software program has affected what you typed in. Unfortunately, it’s true in real life, too. Be on guard lest your heart and mind are affected by subtle negative influences.

The people with influence get what they want, and together they scheme to twist justice (Micah 7:3).

Community

Community is not something you find; it’s something you build. Community is not something discovered; it is something forged. (James Emerson White, religious commentator)

White concludes: “My point is that all relationships of worth are products of labor.” Whether it’s teamwork in sports, political alliances, musical groups, or any other kind of group activity, the greater the cooperation, the greater the success. Cooperative achievement in community is the result of unity (part of the word itself) and hard work.

Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults . . .  Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace (Ephesians 4:2-3).

Greener Grass

If the grass looks greener on the other side… Stop staring. Stop comparing. Stop complaining. And start watering the grass you’re standing on. (Eugene Cho, non-profit leader)

It’s an old cliché, but it’s also true to life, isn’t it? Things on the other side of the fence often seem so much more attractive than what’s on our side that we are tempted to jump the fence. Cho wisely advises us to stop thinking that way. If we work hard where we are now and renew our commitment to the present task, we will no doubt see our own grass become greener.

Pay careful attention to your own work, for then you will get the satisfaction of a job well done, and you won’t need to compare yourself to anyone else (Galatians 6:4).

Action

A plan without action is just a plan. (Rebekah Radice, business consultant)

Having a brilliant idea or conceiving a great plan is a good beginning, but that’s all it is. The next steps are equally important. How do you get that idea out of your mind and into something concrete? How is that well-developed plan going to move from blueprints into three-dimensional reality? It’s obvious, isn’t it? You have to be intentional to act on the plan.

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

Misunderstood

To be great is to be misunderstood. (Ralph Waldo Emerson, 19th century essayist)

If you’ve been misunderstood, you’re not alone. Emerson lists some misunderstood influential people: Pythagoras, Socrates, Jesus, Luther, Copernicus, Galileo, and Newton. He adds, “. . . and every pure and wise spirit that ever took flesh.” So, don’t let people who misunderstand you stand in the way of moving forward.

[The purpose of Solomon’s words] is . . .  to help them understand the insights of the wise . . .  to teach people to live disciplined and successful lives,  to help them do what is right, just, and fair (Proverbs 1:2-3).

Attitude

Good leaders are never complainers. They’re doers. (John Maxwell, leadership author)

Has there ever been a time where there has been so much complaining? People groan about the weather, their bosses’ unfairness, their children’s coaches who don’t let them play enough—the list is unending. Rather than being judgmental and complaining, taking a positive attitude will go a long way to make life more pleasant for everyone.

Do everything without complaining and arguing, so that no one can criticize you (Philippians 2:14-15).

Complainers and grumblers are people who live only to satisfy their desires (Paraphrase of Jude 1:16).

Teamwork

That which is not in the interest of the hive is not in the interest of the bee. (Marcus Aurelius, 2nd century Roman emperor)

It’s an ancient thought but what a great metaphor it is for the 21st century as well as the 2nd century. Bees and the bee hive are wonderful examples of the way teamwork was meant to be. The hundreds (thousands?) of worker bees cooperate instinctively to provide a single goal: produce honey. There’s no “I” (or “B”) in team.

Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other . . . working together with one mind and purpose (Philippians 2:2).

Hypocrisy

While it’s easy to spot hypocrisy in others, it’s much harder to see it in ourselves. (Michael Lockstampfor, creative media pastor)

If we’re honest, we’ll probably agree with the quotation. But, why is that true; why do we make such unfair judgments? Lockstampfor answers: “That’s because we judge ourselves by our intentions and other people by their actions.” We know that our intentions are right (at least in our own minds), but we judge others only on what we see, not what they might have intended.

Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. For you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged (Matthew 7:1-2).

Honesty

Golf is a game in which you yell “fore,” shoot six, and write down five. (Paul Harvey, late radio commentator)

It’s a clever play on words that golfers will understand immediately. “Fudging” on your golf score may be an accepted practice when you’re just playing a game and everyone understands what’s going on. But, what does it say about the condition of one’s character. The underlying moral is honesty or integrity. If you cheat in golf or tiddlywinks, will you do worse in real life?

If you are dishonest in little things, you won’t be honest with greater responsibilities. (Luke 16:10).

Opportunity

I will study and prepare, and someday my opportunity will come. (Abraham Lincoln, 16th President of the United States)

They say that opportunity knocks only once. Whether that is true or not, the two key words in Honest Abe’s quote are study and prepare. A lot of people are wishing for that great chance to come their way, but will they be ready when it comes? We would do well to practice the Boy Scouts’ motto, “Be Prepared,” which might involve some additional learning.

So prepare your minds for action (1 Peter 1:13).

Waiting

Let there be silence. Silence is the training wheels of a good deep discussion. (Jack Brown, pastor)

Brown says, “Sometimes an awkward amount of time is required. But without it, some may never speak up.” It’s awkward, isn’t it, when the teacher asks a question to provoke discussion and no one speaks up? Trainers say that if you wait 20 seconds, someone will respond. But, it’s hard to wait, so we sometimes jump in too soon. Being patient will bring good involvement.

Understand this . . . You must all be quick to listen (James 1:19).

Character

It must happen IN you before it can happen THROUGH you! (Timothy Kight, Elementary school teacher)

This is an important lesson for adults as well as children. After all, what you ARE is more important than what you DO. Why? Because what you are determines what you do and what you do shows what you are. Is that so hard to understand? Preparing yourself intellectually and spiritually is essential to living a life of value and purpose.

For as he thinks in his heart, so is he (Proverbs 23:7).