Daily Stop & Thinks

Friends are the most important ingredient in this recipe of life. (Author unknown)

Solomon, the wisest man of his time wrote: “Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble” (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10). What would life be like without friends, people who are close enough to encourage and to correct?

The godly give good advice to their friends. . . . A real friend sticks closer than a brother. (Proverbs 12:26; 18:24)

Gratitude is a vaccine, an antitoxin, and an antiseptic. (John Henry Jowett, 19^th-20^th century British preacher and author)

Is it true that a grateful heart will protect you or overcome something that might be hurtful? It would be wise, then, to develop a constant attitude of gratitude. Tom Stoddard goes a step further in his comment: “A healthy attitude is contagious, but don’t wait to catch it from others. Be a carrier.” Being thankful, then, not only benefits you but those you influence, as well.

Make thankfulness your sacrifice to God (Psalm 50:14). Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you (1 Thessalonians 5:18).

I have never been hurt by what I did not say. (Calvin Coolidge, 30^th president of the United States)

Although Coolidge was known to be a skilled and effective public speaker, in private he was sometimes referred to as “Silent Cal,” a man of few words. With 24/7 TV news and their “talking heads” we can be overwhelmed with words. And we may be guilty ourselves of talking or texting incessantly without careful thought. Let’s heed the biblical admonitions.

So let your words be few. . . . The more words you speak, the less they mean. . . . Too many words make you a fool. (Ecclesiastes 5:2, 3; 6:11)

Making the simple complicated is commonplace; making the commonplace simple, awesomely simple, that is creativity. (Charles Mingus, musician)

Have you ever sat in a class when you wondered what the teacher was getting at? It seemed so complicated that you didn’t benefit from the experience at all. On the other hand, do you remember a teacher who was explaining a difficult theory or formula, and you found it easy to understand. It’s a gift to be able to explain difficult ideas so learning can happen.

My words are plain to anyone with understanding, clear to those with knowledge. (Proverbs 8:9)

Success is walking from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm. (Winston Churchill, British leader during World War II)

No one likes to fail or be involved in failure of any kind. Churchill’s experience in war included failure after failure—battles lost, plans gone awry, promises unfulfilled. But he, along with the people of the British Empire, persevered with the prospect of victory ever in their minds. Who can deny that, after all the failures, Churchill and his nation were successful in the end?

If you fail under pressure, your strength is too small. (Proverbs 24:10)

Without pain . . . there is no way of life (Angelina Jolie, actress and humanitarian)

“Without pain,” she says, “there would be no suffering, without suffering we would never learn from our mistakes.” That’s probably not what we want to hear. We’d rather there were no suffering or pain. But even early in life we learn that the tough times and the hurts teach us a lot about our needs, our desires, and the value of working our way through pain.

No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way. (Hebrews 12:11)

You never really learn much from hearing yourself talk. (George Clooney, actor)

Most people seem to take pleasure in talking. Conversation is one of life’s most enjoyable enterprises. But we don’t like it much when someone monopolizes the discussion. It’s even worse if we’re the culprit. Discussing interesting subjects with friends provides great opportunities for learning. To do so, however, we all need to perfect the art of listening.

Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry. (James 1:19)

Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you’ve imagined. (Henry David Thoreau, 19^th century American essayist and philosopher)

Thoreau’s thought is expressed another way by a 21^st century music star, Ella Fitzgerald: “Just don’t give up trying to do what you really want to do.” So the ancient philosopher and the modern citizen give us the same advice: keep pursuing your dreams. In other words, “Never give up.” When times are hard and circumstances difficult, it’s good advice.

Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a dream fulfilled is a tree of life. (Proverbs 13:12)

Truth without grace is just condemnation; grace without truth is mere license. (James Emery White, preacher and author)

Confronting a family member or friend about his or her improper conduct or attitude can be a really critical moment. As White suggests, we need to approach such an encounter with both truth—facts, not rumors or preferences—and grace, a willingness to forgive and restore upon proper acknowledgement of wrongdoing and a commitment to correct past wrongs.

People who conceal their sins will not prosper, but if they confess and turn from them, they will receive mercy. (Proverbs 28:13)

We become like that which we love. (Late Catholic Bishop Fulton Sheen)

Is it true that people begin to look like their pets? It’s probably just a joke, but there is some truth to what Bishop Sheen says. Over the years of marriage couples do begin to think and act alike. But if we become so infatuated with the things of this temporary life, we will miss out on God’s very best intentions for us. Loving God will improve our character and personality.

You can choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living. (Romans 6:16)

Most of us can read the writing on the wall; we just assume it’s addressed to someone else. (T. S. Elliot, late British essayist)

“The writing on the wall” is a biblical phrase that foretold doom for a nation that had subjugated God’s people and desecrated His sacred things. If we see warnings that wrong might be exposed, do we think or hope that it’s someone else’s wrongdoing? If our conscience is pricked by such signs, we had better set things right as quickly as we can.

If you fail to keep your word, then you will have sinned against the Lord, and you may be sure that your sin will find you out. (Numbers 32:23)

Most of our suspicions of others are aroused by our knowledge of ourselves. (Quoted by Kary Oberbrunner, motivational author and speaker)

That statement is a bit unsettling. But is it true? Do we question the actions or motivations of other people because we sense that there may be something similar in our own actions and thoughts? It’s a discomforting thought. Let’s not attribute our own shortcomings to others whose motives may be completely innocent.

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)