Daily Stop & Thinks

If all men knew what each said of the other, there would not be four friends in the world. (Blaise Pascal, 17^th century French mathematician and philosopher)

That’s a sad commentary on society, isn’t it? To what extent is Pascal’s comment true? Are 20^th century people any better? If Pascal is right, the world must be full of hypocrites, pretending to be friends, but actually cut-throat in their comments about others. So, if we want to have friends, we must be honest and transparent.

Lord, who may dwell in your sacred tent? . . . The one . . . who speaks the truth from their heart, whose tongue utters no slander. (Psalm 15:1-3)

Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it. (George Santayana), 19^th-20^th centuries Spanish philosopher and writer)

It’s a common expression, but it bears repeating, because every generation needs to be reminded of its importance. You might easily wonder if certain writers and leaders recognize that what they are promoting has often been tried before with complete failure. If we can learn from the mistakes of our forebears, we have a better prospect for success.

Teach us to number our days that we may gain a heart of wisdom. (Psalm 90:12).

Time indeed has very little to do with living except at its beginning or near the end. (Phyllis Bottome, 20^th century British novelist)

While we are often quite conscious of time, it really becomes most meaningful as we grow older. They say that nobody wants to live to be 100 until they are 99. Most of us won’t live to test that theory, but we must understand that how we use the time God gives us is the important issue.

Be very careful, then, how you live . . .  making the most of every opportunity. (Ephesians 5:15-16)

Spring is nature’s way of saying, ‘Let’s party!’ (Robin Williams, late actor & impersonator)

May 1 is an ancient northern hemisphere spring festival. It is celebrated in many countries, also, as an international day honoring workers. After a long, hard winter, April and May finally bring warmer temperatures, more sunshine, and beautiful blooms. After the partying, we should approach our work and life itself with renewed energy.

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord. (Colossians 3:23)

A man wrapped up in himself makes a pretty small bundle. (Ben Franklin, prolific writer of aphorisms)

It’s inherent in human beings to think first of themselves. Just watch little children at the earliest ages begin to think selfishly. And, somehow, we don’t seem to outgrow that self-centered attitude. It takes training in character-building to overcome the me-first outlook. But, when we do, we become people who can really make a worthy contribution to society.

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves. (Philippians 2:3)

The remarkable thing about fearing God is when U fear God, U fear nothing else, but if U do not fear God U fear everything else. (Oswald Chambers, 20^th century Scottish evangelist)

Fearing God is a concept sometimes difficult to understand. It is true that He is almighty, all powerful, and His wrath against sin and wrong is fearful, to say the least. But, fearing God is not just being afraid; it is recognizing His awesome majesty and authority. In a faith relationship with God, there need be no dread of Him or fear of opposition to us.

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom . . . is a fountain of life . . . (Proverbs 9:10; 14:27) Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind. (Ecclesiastes 12:13)

The meaning of life is to give life meaning. (Inspiration Line e-newsletter)

That’s a simple statement, isn’t it? But, is there something profound about it? One of life’s most important questions is, “What is its meaning? What is life all about?” Perhaps, finding your purpose in life would make it more significant for you. If we could discover why God has put us here, we could make more of an impact for good in our world.

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28) It is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose. (Philippians 2:13)

It only takes a few minutes to do something we will regret for decades. (Keith Minear, pastor)

In a culture where speed is everything (faster and faster Internet connections, for example), we can do good quickly, but we can also make colossal mistakes almost instantly. And once those errors are made, it’s impossible to bring them back. Correcting them may take a lot of time and effort, too. So, it’s wise to “think twice before you act once.”

Those who guard their lips preserve their lives, but those who speak rashly will come to ruin. (Proverbs 13:3)

You’ll never find a rainbow if you are looking down. (Charlie Chaplin, 20^th century English comic actor)

Chaplain’s simple statement may be more profound than it seems at first glance. Have you noticed some people who always walk, looking at the pavement, and rarely look up? Are they like people who see the cup as half empty rather than half full? A little optimism may help you take life less seriously and find joy in what is all around you.

A happy heart makes the face cheerful. . . . All the days of the oppressed are wretched, but the cheerful heart has a continual feast. (Proverbs 15:13, 15)

The man who complains about the way the ball bounces is likely to be the one who dropped it. (Lou Holtz, former college football coach)

It seems to be a common trait among us that when we complain about certain kinds of failures, we are often merely reflecting our own problems. We seem to be most critical of the kinds of mistakes that we often make. It’s a strange phenomenon, perhaps, but it is cause for us to examine our own problems first before we criticize others.

Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? (Luke 6:41)

In between goals is a thing called life that has to be lived and enjoyed. (Sid Caesar, American comic actor)

Successful people are often goal-oriented. They know what they want to achieve, and they set out to accomplish it with careful planning and determination. When that is achieved, they pursue another chosen goal. Caesar suggests that, while goals are worthy, there is more to life than reaching goals. Take time to enjoy living while working hard to achieve.

I commend the enjoyment of life, because there is nothing better for a person under the sun than to eat and drink and be glad. Then joy will accompany them in their toil. (Ecclesiastes 8:15)

I’ve learned that I still have a lot to learn. (Maya Angelou, American poet laureate)

When we were children, there was so much we didn’t know and so much to learn, that it was easy to soak up new information. As we grow older, sometimes, we might be tempted to think that we pretty well know all that we need to know. Of course, that’s not true, and the sooner we realize that, the better we will be able to grow in every good way.

Let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance. (Proverbs 1:5)