GOD OF HOPE

Daily Stop & Thinks

Stop & Think: June 26, 2024

Simple

The simplest explanation is not always the right one, truth is very often not simple. (Sigmund Freud, founder of psychoanalysis)

We sometimes apply the acronym KISS, (Keep it short, stupid) to long-winded speakers. But it also applies when you change short to simple. Life has become very confusing for many, so we’re often looking for simple answers. Freud is right, however; truth is not always simple. The deep questions of life require effort to understand and apply.

True wisdom is not a simple matter. (Job 11:6)
The prudent carefully consider their steps. (Proverbs 14:15)

Stop & Think: June 25, 2024

What We Need

Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive… (Howard Thurman, late American author and philosopher)

Thurman continues “… because the world needs people who have come alive.” There are plenty of scholars, politicians, and educators who are trying to give the world what they think people need. That might be helpful, but what is really most helpful is people who are really excited about life and its possibilities sharing their vision and enthusiasm with the world.

Jesus: “My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.” (John 10:10)

Stop & Think: June 24, 2024

After Success

Each success only buys an admission ticket to a more difficult problem. (Henry Kissinger, late U.S. secretary of state)

It’s rather disconcerting, isn’t it, to achieve some measure of success only to find there are more tasks to pursue? You’ve just completed your school project or job assignment, and are immediately given another even more difficult task. Kissinger’s observation is probably not intended to discourage us but to prepare us to keep on pursuing the next goal and the next.

So whether we are here in this body or away from this body, our goal is to please him. (2 Corinthians 5:9)

Stop & Think: June 23, 2024

Others

The present-day manifestation of society’s “grand malady” is selfishness. (paraphrase of Mark Hatfield, late U.S. senator)

Maybe the “grand malady” of our day is greed or the hunger for power or fame. But Hatfield’s idea should surely be high on the list. From infancy, we detect this besetting characteristic. “It’s mine.” “Me first.” “It’s my turn.” We might wonder if we ever really outgrow those tendencies. Learning to put others first is a great start in living well in community.

Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves… Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. (Philippians 2:3-4)

Stop & Think: June 22, 2024

Serving

You need an attitude of service. You’re not just serving yourself. You help others to grow up and you grow with them. (David Green, founder of Hobby Lobby)

Green is a contemporary example of servant leadership who doesn’t just hand out this advice, he lives it. Such an attitude isn’t readily accepted today, and Green has had to defend his principles in court to keep Hobby Lobby stores open. It’s evident that Green follows the ultimate example of this kind of service, Jesus himself.

For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many. (Matthew 20:28)

Stop & Think: June 21, 2024

Hard Times

When I hear somebody sigh, “Life is hard,” I am always tempted to ask, “Compared to what?” (Sydney J. Harris, 20th century American journalist)

Life often has hard experiences for all of us. It may be the loss of our health, a job, or even more difficult, the loss of a loved one. These and many other factors in life can be really hard. But we who live a typical American lifestyle most often face only temporary hardships. That’s the time to recognize with appreciation the many other facets of life that bring joy and satisfaction.

Enjoy prosperity while you can, but when hard times strike, realize that both come from God. Remember that nothing is certain in this life. (Ecclesiastes 7:14)

Stop & Think: June 20, 2024

Knowledge 2

In the end, we will conserve only what we love. (Baba Dioum, forestry engineer)

Dioum continues, “We will love only what we understand. We will understand only what we are taught.” The foundation of this thought is education. We have learned from our parents, our environment, and our education. So much of today’s social confusion is probably based on inadequate learning, hence the lack of understanding and the attachment to limited knowledge.

A wise person is hungry for knowledge, while the fool feeds on trash… Intelligent people are always ready to learn. Their ears are open for knowledge. (Proverbs 15:14; 18:15)

Stop & Think: June 19, 2024

Knowledge

The smartest people are those who know what they don’t know. (Keith Minier, minister)

These days we’re hearing a lot from candidates and their endorsers, or we’re reading their unending flow of social media posts. You might get the impression that they know all there is to know about the subjects of their particular interests. It is the rare office-seeker who acknowledges there is more for him/her to learn. That would be refreshing to hear, wouldn’t it?

God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy to those who please him… Intelligent people are always ready to learn. (Ecclesiastes 2:26; Proverbs 18:15)

Stop & Think: June 18, 2024

Being There

The time for saying comes seldom, the time for being is always there. (George MacDonald, 19th-20th century Scottish author and minister)

In a time when most people don’t hesitate to say whatever is on their mind, MacDonald’s comment may seem inappropriate. His point, no doubt, is that there are only a few times when words are really needed. Better to assess the situation and say something appropriate if called for. But far more important is just being there for those who need encouragement.

[There is] a time to be quiet and a time to speak. (Ecclesiastes 3:7)

Stop & Think: June 17, 2024

Change

Minds… are not conquered by arms, but by love and generosity. (Spinoza, 17th century Dutch philosopher)

Over the centuries, nations have waged war to conquer other nations. The conquered people may be severely restricted, but most never give up their convictions. In fact, hatred of their conquerors has led to more armed conflicts. It’s true that “A man convinced against his will is of the same opinion still.” Change comes through loving one’s enemy and practicing generosity.

Jesus: “You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’ and hate your enemy. But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! (Matthew 5:43-44)

Stop & Think: June 16, 2024

Father’s Day

Dads are most ordinary men turned by love into heroes, adventures, storytellers, and singers of songs. (Pam Brown, Australian poet)

We’d really like this to be true in our neighborhoods today. What a blessing it would be to have such a father in every home. We should pray that men who are privileged to be good dads in their own homes would seek to find fatherless homes where they could be step-in dads to help children grow up with the guidance of a strong and loving dad.

Jesus: “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children.” (Mark 10:14)

Stop & Think: June 15, 2024

Forgiving

Everyone says forgiveness is a lovely idea, until they have something to forgive. (C.S. Lewis, late British writer)

We like to think in broad principles that apply to everybody until we’re faced with a dilemma of our own. We can rationalize the facts and convince ourselves that there is nothing to be gained by forgiving an offender. But that ignores the truth in the maxim that holding a grudge is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die.

Love prospers when a fault is forgiven, but dwelling on it separates close friends. (Proverbs 17:9)