Daily Stop & Thinks

The greatest wealth is health. (Virgil, 1st century B.C. Roman poet)

John Rohn wrote, “Take care of your body. It’s the only place you have to live.” Most of us take our health for granted until we lose it. When we’re ill or disabled, we are inclined to forget almost anything else—our possessions, our hobbies, our assets. Instead, we long for health. That should encourage us to be better stewards of the bodies God has given us.

Fear the Lord and shun evil. This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones (Proverbs 3:7-8).

Keep your mind going in the right direction, and your life will catch up. (Nick Vujicic, Australian motivational speaker)

It is important to recognize that your mind is really the key in determining your direction and success in life. That critical truth is illustrated so well by Vujicic, who was born without arms or legs. To see him in action is to marvel at how he has overcome his physical limitations. The spiritual dimension in his life has enabled him to move forward with joy.

Everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith (1 John 5:4).

The fool didn’t know it was impossible, so he did it. (Jeevan Darshanam, Indian writer)

This is certainly not an endorsement of fools or foolish ventures. Most likely, it’s intended to encourage hesitant entrepreneurs to venture into the unknown, to try something everyone else thinks can’t be done. The number of such successful ventures must be startling. So, if it’s a worthy project, plan carefully, research diligently; go ahead, try something new.

Everything is possible for one who believes (Mark 9:23). What is impossible with man is possible with God (Luke 18:27).

Failures are finger posts on the road to achievement. (C. S. Lewis, 20th century British fantasy author)

Even in those fantasies that end with “And they lived happily ever after” life is typically beset with all kinds of difficulties before the happy ending. It’s after the resolution of the problems that life becomes happier. The same is true in reality. Real life has its issues and failures, but they can be steppingstones to success and joy.

Though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again (Proverbs 24:16).

In the arena of human life the honors and rewards fall to those who show their good qualities in action. (Aristotle, 4th century B.C. Greek philosopher)

We like to give honor where honor is due. So we honor people whose character qualities we admire. But, it’s the demonstration of those qualities—the lived-out virtues of character that we celebrate. The key, in Aristotle’s words, is “show … in action.” It’s not what one says about himself but what is seen in the way he lives his life that earns respect and honor.

[There will be] glory, honor and peace for everyone who does good (Romans 2:9).

A leader is a peer who does not see himself as superior to or different from his followers. (Author unknown)

A good leader, then, is not an autocrat or a tyrant. He may hold a superior position in order to exercise his proper function, but he is not essentially different from those he is leading. It’s a truth sometimes hard to realize when society seems to evaluate success in terms of “climbing the corporate ladder.” A peer relationship will most often result in shared achievement.

Those who lead many to righteousness will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and … like the stars for ever and ever (Daniel 12:3, paraphrased).

A man who is told learns with his head; a man who experiences the lesson learns with his heart. (James Rubert, author)

We might add a third to this formula: hands. With our minds (head) we gain information and make connections and judgments. By doing with our hands, we gain the experience Rupert speaks of. And with the heart we become involved in the sense of compassion and the application of the information and experience we’ve gained.

Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. . . . As water reflects the face, so one’s life reflects the heart. (Proverbs 4:23; 27:19)

Keep Calm and Carry On. (WW II propaganda banner in England)

In the event of an invasion by the enemy, a banner was to be displayed throughout England to help avoid panic among the people. Although the banners were never used, the warning is as appropriate a watchword as it was then. So much is happening in our world that it would be easy to be frightened, lose self-control, and just “drop out.” Be calm!

If a ruler’s anger rises against you, do not leave your post; calmness can lay great offenses to rest (Ecclesiastes 10:4). Say to him, ‘Be careful, keep calm and don’t be afraid (Isaiah 7:4).

Reputations are earned slowly and are lost quickly. (Lolly Daskal, leadership and development motivator)

The reputation of good character and a solid work ethic are earned only through consistency and hard work. But it takes only a moment of carelessness to destroy that hard-earned reputation. The more you achieve, the more tempting it will be to take shortcuts or forget how far you’ve come. Diligence and discipline are the keys to maintaining character.

Do not neglect your gift … Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress (1 Timothy 4:14-16 )

Why fit in when you were born to stand out? (Dr. Seuss, pen name for Theodor Seuss Geise, children’s author and illustrator)

Remember telling your parents, “Everybody else is doing it; why can’t I?” Conformity seems to be the goal when you’re young; you don’t want to be different from everyone else. Yet, we were all created with different personal characteristics and features. It’s those differences that can give us the opportunity to make unique contributions in our world.

We have different gifts (Romans 12:6)… There are different kinds of gifts… There are different kinds of service… There are different kinds of working (1 Corinthians 12:4, 5, 6).

Good order is the foundation of all things. (Edmund Burke, 18th century Irish-born member of British Parliament)

Someone has said that a cluttered desk is a sign of a cluttered mind. Others argue that it’s a sign of a creative person. Einstein said further, “If a cluttered desk is a sign of a cluttered mind, of what, then, is an empty desk a sign?” Whatever you think about this issue, Burke reflects a biblical principle that would be helpful for most of us to follow.

But everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way (1 Corinthians 14:40)

There is nothing more important than a good, safe, secure home. (Rosalynn Carter, wife of former President Jimmy Carter)

We probably all agree with Mrs. Carter. But many people do not even have a home. Storms, floods, natural disasters of all kinds, and the tragedies of broken marriages and financial failures have left thousands of people without any home at all. While we cannot solve everyone’s problems, we should do all we can to help everyone we can.

The Apostle Paul, “. . . we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ” (Acts 20:35)