Daily Stop & Thinks

Living Carefully

An optimist is a person who starts a new diet on Thanksgiving Day. (Irv Kupcinet, late American columnist)

Thanksgiving celebrations were nearly a week ago. After that scrumptious turkey dinner, did anyone decide it was time to go on a diet, hoping to lose some of the anticipated holiday weight gain? As Kupcinet suggests, only an optimist would likely do so. But, in light of the abundance many of us enjoy, isn’t it a good time to consider ways to live more carefully?

So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. (Ephesians 5:15)

Words No. 2

Wise words are like seeds. The more you scatter them, the more they will grow into infinite gardens of knowledge. (Suzy Kassem, writer and poet)

Words are of several kinds: foolish, hurtful, comforting, to name a few. But, once spoken, they cannot be taken back. They are like seeds that will reproduce their own kind. Will they result in discouragement or anger, or will they bring relief and encouragement to a hurting person? Kassem challenges us to guard our words, so they are wise, and will produce much good fruit.

Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them. (Ephesians 4:29)

Words No. 1

It’s no good having the same vocabulary if we’re using different dictionaries. (Quoted by John Stonestreet, commentator)

It’s difficult to have a meaningful discussion with someone if you’re using the same words but with different meanings. If they are simply same-sounding words with different spellings and meanings (e.g. site, cite, sight), they can be simply explained. But, when you use words like freedom, fairness, or rights, you really have to define your terms for clear understanding.

My words are plain to anyone with understanding, clear to those with knowledge. (Proverbs 3:9)

Thanksgiving No. 2

If a fellow isn’t thankful for what he’s got, he isn’t likely to be thankful for what he’s going to get. (Frank A. Clark, 19th-20th century congressman)

For many people emotions are a constant up-and-down experience. Their feelings are most often based on what happens to them or how other people treat them. That makes life pretty hard to balance. Others, who recognize that everything they are and have are gifts from God, enjoy a more stable emotional life, accepting both the good and not-so-good as opportunities to grow.

What do you have that God hasn’t given you? And if everything you have is from God, why boast as though it were not a gift? (1 Corinthians 4:7)

Thanksgiving No. 1

I am grateful for what I am and have. (Henry David Thoreau, 19th century essayist)

Lawrence Welk, the late orchestra director said, “Over and over I marvel at the blessings of my life: Each year has grown better than the last.” Life is not always easy; it has its really difficult days, but if we can adopt Thoreau’s attitude of gratitude, we’ll no doubt discover that thanksgiving cannot be limited to one day every November.

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

Self-control

Discipline yourself and others won’t need to. If you lose self-control everything will fail. (John Wooden, Hall-of-Fame coach)

Wooden was known, not only for his skills as a basketball player and coach, but for his practical, down-to-earth lessons. He added to the comment above, “You cannot function physically or mentally or in any other way unless your emotions are under control.” Wouldn’t we like to see that kind of control among some popular athletes today? It’s a good lesson for all of us.

If you reject discipline, you only harm yourself; but if you listen to correction, you grow in understanding. (Proverbs 15:31)

Thinking

A great many people think they are thinking when they are merely rearranging their prejudices. (William James, 19th-20th century psychologist)

One of the dangers in talking with, reading after, or watching the news from people you mostly agree with is that you may not be challenged to think “outside the box.” Contrary opinions force us to reflect a little more on the concerns we’re facing. We grow by comparing ideas and reasoning through the arguments. Set prejudices aside and research the issues to think clearly.

Don’t let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking. (Colossians 2:8)

Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. (Philippians 4:8)

Leadership

Leadership is never just about title or position. It’s about trust and influence. (Craig Croeschel, pastor)

Some folks are climbing the corporate ladder, hoping to be the CEO or COO. Perhaps they’re dissatisfied with the present leadership, and they just want to be the boss. But as Croeschel suggests, it isn’t the title on the door that makes a successful leader. Consultant Simon Sinek puts it this way, “A boss has the title. A leader has the people.” Build trust, and you can be a leader.

If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. (Romans 12:8)

Understanding

People fear that which they do not understand. (Robert Soto, cross-cultural worker)

As a Native American leader, Soto has encountered a lot of misunderstanding—on all sides—and a lot of the resulting fears. The history of the government’s relationships with American Indians is a prime example of such confusion and the mistakes that come from not appreciating cultural and ethnic differences. Acceptance and tolerance can go a long way to dispel fear.

Tune your ears to wisdom, and concentrate on understanding. Cry out for insight, and ask for understanding. (Proverbs 2:2-3)

Hard Work No. 2

If we fall, we don’t need self-recrimination or blame or anger — we need a reawakening of our intention… (Sharon Salzberg, best-selling author)

Salzberg continues, “…and a willingness to recommit, to be wholehearted once again.” Each decision we make, each action we take, is born out of an intention. The idea of being intentional in our work is often described as “proactive.” Good things don’t regularly happen as a result of chance. To recover after a failure, you have to work hard at achieving your goals. Be proactive!

Hard workers get rich…  Work hard and become a leader… Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity. (Proverbs 10:4; 12:24; 21:5)

Hard Work No. 1

Far and away the best prize that life has to offer is the chance to work hard at work worth doing. (Theodore Roosevelt, 26th U.S. President)

Do you sometimes wonder if this is understood by the younger generation? It seems increasingly difficult to find employees who regard work in this way. Even many who have good jobs are more focused on retirement than giving their best efforts right now. Effective workers are not only gainfully employed but they find satisfaction in a job well done.

I even found great pleasure in hard work, a reward for all my labors. (Ecclesiastes 2:10)

Hard work brings rewards. (Proverbs 12:14)

Yes or No

[Stop] saying yes when you mean no. (Gene Chizik, football coach)

This was one of five things Coach Chizik said, “You need to stop NOW.” Have you ever agreed to something you really didn’t want to do? You wanted to say no, but you said yes—and regretted it. Did you follow through to do what you committed to, or did you forget about it (intentionally or otherwise)? It’s always better to be up front, responding truthfully.

Just say a simple, ‘Yes, I will,’ or ‘No, I won’t.’ Anything beyond this is from the evil one. (Matthew 5:37)