Daily Stop & Thinks

Love without Truth isn’t reality—it’s sentimentality, and Truth without Love isn’t sustainable—it’s terminal. (Ann Voskamp, best-selling author)

Voskamp explains: “Real love truthfully sees the flaws and still really loves fully. Love isn’t blind—love is the only way of really seeing.” All too often romantically-inclined people may be blinded by emotion so they don’t really see clearly. True love (which always seeks the best for the loved one), recognizes flaws but lovingly works to help overcome them.

Be . . . patient, bearing with one another in love. . . . speaking the truth in love. (Ephesians 4:2, 15)

Having faith, beliefs, and convictions is a great thing, but your life is measured by the actions you take based upon them. (Nick Vujicic, inspirational speaker)

Another way of saying it: “Actions speak louder than words.” We’ve often heard people speak about what they believe and then see them acting in a contradictory manner. People of integrity, however, let their honest behavior substantiate their claims of faith. Vujicic, born without arms or legs, speaks and acts out his firm convictions of faith.

Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. (James 2:18) As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead. (James 2:26)

A life is not important except [for] the impact it has on other lives. (Jackie Robinson, late major league baseball star)

Sports fans will well remember that Robinson was the first to break the color barrier in professional sports. In spite of severe and hateful treatment, he maintained a quiet and non-threatening behavior. As a result, his life certainly impacted countless others—not only athletes of color but ordinary citizens who saw a life lived graciously.

We urge you, brothers and sisters . . . to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life. (1 Thessalonians 4:10-11) The quiet words of the wise are more to be heeded than the shouts of a ruler of fools. (Ecclesiastes 9:17)

Happiness is not having what you want but wanting only what you have. (H. Schachtel, 20th century rabbi)

“Happiness” is sometimes replaced in this quotation with “Contentment” or “Prosperity.” Whichever word you choose, the teaching is clear. Rather than always wishing for something different or something more, we must learn to live with what we have and make good use of it. It’s a lesson we need to be reminded of often.

I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances . . . I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. (Philippians 4:11-12)

Procrastination is opportunity’s natural assassin. (Victor Kiam, late American entrepreneur)

Whether it’s because of fear or uncertainty, a lot of people just can’t seem to get started. They might miss appointments or deadlines because they’re waiting for inspiration or an outside nudge to get them going. As Kiam suggests, hesitation just might be the death of an opportunity to make progress. Don’t put it off; as Nike says, “Just do it.”

I will hasten and not delay to obey your commands. (Psalm 119:60)

Sir, my concern is not whether God is on our side; my greatest concern is to be on God’s side, for God is always right. (Abraham Lincoln, 16th president of the United States)

Today we remember Honest Abe on the anniversary of his birth. His integrity was demonstrated in the many wise remarks attributed to him. There were people on both sides of the Civil War that thought God must be on their side. Abe’s sound advice is to be sure we’re on God’s side—a good reminder of how important it is to know God.

I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation. (2 Corinthians 6:2)

If we concentrated on the really important stuff in life, there’d be a shortage of fishing poles. (Doug Larson, columnist)

It’s a kind of “tongue-in-cheek” axiom, but it is something to think about. We are often so busy with the “important” activities of life—like work or community service—that we fail to take time to “smell the roses” or go fishing. Everyone needs some down time to be refreshed and restored mentally, physically, and emotionally.

Anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his. Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest. (Hebrews 4:10-11).

The secret of change is to focus all of your energy, not on fighting the old, but on building the new. (Socrates, 4th century B.C. classical Greek philosopher)

Change is difficult for many, especially as we grow older and become “set in our ways.” For such people, Socrates’ advice can be helpful. We probably don’t want to see change just for change’s sake, but if change is needed, don’t fight it. Instead, find ways to make it easier to accept and work to embrace it.

So if the old way, which has been replaced, was glorious, how much more glorious is the new, which remains forever! (2 Corinthians 3:11)

When you hold grudges, your hands aren’t free to catch blessings. (Source unknown)

Someone else said it this way: “Let your hands be so busy catching blessings that you don’t have the capacity to hold on to grudges.” Another: “Holding a grudge is like letting someone live rent-free in your head.” A spirit of unforgiveness will keep you from enjoying life; don’t let the sun go down without ridding yourself of resentment.

Resentment kills a fool. (Job 5:2) The Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone . . . not resentful. (2 Timothy 2:24)

Our life is the sum of the choices we make. (Mike Lee, American pastor)

One of the few things we can control in life is our choices. From childhood we began to make choices, and as we grew, the choices became more numerous and, often, more difficult. Those choices pretty well determined who we are and how we behave. It is critical, then, that we choose carefully in every circumstance of life.

Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve . . . But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord. (Joshua 24:15)