Daily Stop & Thinks

Learning from Mistakes

Mistakes give you more information so you can get it right the next time. Don’t fear them, just learn from them. (Keith Minier, minister)

Most people don’t like to make mistakes. In fact, some people won’t even act or speak because they are fearful of making a faux pas. And yet, experience is the best teacher and even when you’ve made a blunder, you can profit from the mistake, taking a lesson on how to do or say it better the next time. Don’t be foolish, but don’t fear mistakes; learn from them.

Whoever learns from correction is wise. . . . If you punish a mocker, the simpleminded will learn a lesson; if you correct the wise, they will be all the wiser. (Proverbs 15:5; 19:25)

Listening

Wise is the listener who doesn’t feel compelled to fill up all the blank spaces. (Charles Swindoll, pastor and author)

Listening seems to be a lost art today. In many conversations, we are thinking about our responses while our companion is still expressing his or her thoughts. Consequently, we often miss their intent, and our replies are a bit off target. Here’s a good reminder: “The greatest motivational act one person can do for another is to listen.”

You must all be quick to listen [and] slow to speak. (James 1:19)

Hospitality

It’s better to leave too early and be missed than to stay too late and be pitied. (Victoria Warden)

Have you ever had guests who overstayed their welcome? They just didn’t seem to want to leave, and you were eager to wrap up the party. It takes a lot of grace to handle such a situation. Maybe you should tell them what one parent told his kids (probably grandchildren), “You can’t come back if you don’t leave!” Hosts want to be gracious, and guests need to be considerate.

Don’t hesitate to accept hospitality, because those who work deserve to be fed (Matthew 10:10). . . . Always be eager to practice hospitality (Romans 12:13).

The Narrow Road

Roads were made for journeys, not destinations. (Confucius, ancient Chinese philosopher)

At first glance, you might agree with Confucius. The journey along life’s road, no matter its destination, is where you live daily. So, you need to think positively to get the most out of present living. On the other hand, the Bible indicates there are just two roads—one broad the other narrow, and the choice of which one you take is critical because of its ultimate destination.

Wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life and only a few find it. (Matthew 7:13-14)

Wise Choices

If you could kick the person in the pants responsible for most of your trouble, you wouldn’t sit for a month. (Theodore Roosevelt, 26^th president of the United States)

Roosevelt’s comment may have been tongue-in-cheek, but it may also be too true too often. We want to blame our circumstances or other people for our problems in an attempt to excuse our poor choices or bad behavior. In the end (pardon the pun) the cause may well be our own ignorance or lack of discernment. Think carefully, make wise choices, and behave sensibly.

Those who are wise will find a time and a way to do what is right. … A wise person chooses the right road; a fool takes the wrong one. (Ecclesiastes 8:5; 10:2)

Health

It is health that is real wealth, and not pieces of gold and silver. (Mahatma Gandhi, 19^th-20^th century independence leader in India)

Have you seen all the TV commercials, touting silver and gold as the safest place investments for  your money? Or, the innumerable competing ads of the money-managing firms? You would think that the most important task in life is to manage your assets. But money won’t buy health and if you’re not well, your accumulated wealth won’t bring extended life or happiness.

And it is a good thing to receive wealth from God and the good health to enjoy it. (Ecclesiastes 5:19)

Freedom

Freedom is liberty within bounds: liberty to obey. … True . . . liberty never sets us free to indulge our lusts or to follow our fallen impulses. (A. W. Tozer, 20^th century pastor and author)

On this 4^th of July holiday, we celebrate the freedoms and liberties guaranteed to Americans by the battles and acts of our forefathers. Tozer reminds us that there are limits to our freedoms. He describes the purpose for good laws. They are “to serve mankind [and] to develop to the full all the latent possibilities within our … natures.” Free to serve—what a noble thought!

For you have been called to live in freedom, . . . [U]se your freedom to serve one another in love. (Galatians 5:13)

Future Plans

It is good to know where you came from. It is even better to know where you’re going. (Antonin Scalia, late justice of the U.S. Supreme Court)

Scalia’s comments in a commencement address are most appropriate for graduates who are excited about having completed their course of study, but who face an unknown future. The future is the focus of graduation exercises, hence the name commencement, which means beginning. The value of what has been learned is limited if you don’t know where you’re headed.

For the wise can see where they are going, but fools walk in the dark. (Ecclesiastes 2:14)

Government

All government originates in families, and if neglected there, it will hardly exist in society . . . (Noah Webster, 18^th & 19^th century author)

With so much criticism of government from all sides, we would do well to consider the significance of Webster’s statement. With the evident breakdown of families we might be seeing the reason for the growing lack of confidence in government. If we were to rebuild families, perhaps we could begin to rebuild society and foster successful governing.

When there is moral rot within a nation, its government topples easily. But wise and knowledgeable leaders bring stability. (Proverbs 28:2)

Positivity

No one forces a person to be negative, and no one forces anyone to be positive. (Byron Pulsifer, motivational speaker and author)

It’s difficult, isn’t it, to be around a person who always seems to have a negative attitude? On the other hand, it’s uplifting to be in the company of a positive-thinker. Pulsifer says that the choice of having one or the other attitude is “up to an individual and that person alone.” Don’t blame life’s circumstances for your attitude. Make up your mind to look on the “sunny side.”

Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. (Philippians 4:8)

The vow of marriage is not one of unending happiness, but a vow of determined decision making. (Jeff Bogue, pastor)

When we say “I do” at the altar, what are we committing ourselves to? Living with our companion in never-ending bliss and happiness? Like any other promise, our agreement with another party should always be to keep our commitment even when it’s difficult to do so. Happiness is not the goal but the byproduct of faithfulness.

When you make a promise to God, don’t delay in following through . . . It is better to say nothing than to make a promise and not keep it. (Ecclesiastes 5:4-5)

Blowing out someone’s candle doesn’t make yours shine any brighter. (Amber Teamann, elementary school principal)

That sounds like a very good principle to teach elementary school children, who often display a “Me first” attitude. Unfortunately, it’s a lesson many adults need to relearn. How many times have you heard people put down someone else in an apparent attempt to make themselves look better? Let’s relearn that primary school lesson to make life more pleasant for everyone.

Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves. (Romans 12:2)