Daily Stop & Thinks

When you are offended at any man’s fault, turn to yourself and study your own failings. Then you will forget your anger. (Epictetus, 1^st & 2^nd century Greek Stoic philosopher)

When you see someone’s evil deeds and failings, does it make you angry? Perhaps it should. We ought to be angry when people are hurt by the hateful words and actions of others. But, such events should cause us to examine our own hearts and lives, too. Are we guilty, also, of hurting others, intentionally or accidently?

Do not judge, or you too will be judged. . . . Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? (Matthew 7:1, 3).

Books are like people in that they’ll turn up in your life when you most need them. (Emma Thompson, British actress and writer)

Isn’t it strange how people turn up at unexpected times and you discover a relationship that you had forgotten? Similarly, you may suddenly recall a passage from a book you’ve read that is just what you need. This will be especially true if you memorize passages of the Bible. You will often find them coming to mind at just the time you need their truth.

I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you (Psalm 119:11).

Virtue or morality is a necessary spring of popular government. (George Washington, 1^st president of the United States)

In the confusion of this election year, we would do well to heed Washington’s advice. It’s often difficult to evaluate public statements offered by politicians when so much is at stake. We need not only to hear their words carefully but also to evaluate their personal history and experience. Past performance will reveal the nature of their integrity and character.

My son, do not let wisdom and understanding out of your sight, preserve sound judgment and discretion. … Judgment wins favor. … Speak up and judge fairly (Proverbs 3:21; 13:15; 31:19)

The only way to have a friend is to be one. (Ralph Waldo Emerson, 19^th century American essayist and poet)

Sometimes in our very active, fast-paced society it seems very difficult to find a friend—someone we can trust and share very private matters. Many people are looking in the wrong places, and end up with many acquaintances and Facebook friends, but no really close confidants. We should follow Emerson’s advice and be friendly, warm, and trustworthy.

A man who has friends must himself be friendly: but there is a friend that sticks closer than a brother (Proverbs 18:24).

Circumstances do not make a man, they reveal him. (Wayne Dyer, self-help, best-selling author)

Dyer’s observation is worth thinking about. Too often we blame our failures or mistakes on “the circumstances.” Less frequently we credit our successes to “the circumstances.” In either case, outcomes are more the result of our hard work and effort or the lack of them. The circumstances merely provide opportunities to show who we really are what we value.

Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people (Galatians 6:10).

By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail. (Benjamin Franklin, 18^th century patriot, inventor, and writer)

Noted both for his wise counsel in political affairs and his practical wisdom as reflected in his writings, Franklin’s comment here is invaluable. Anyone who wants to enter into the political realm, the writing world, or the creative laboratory should heed his advice. We too often want to jump right into an intriguing adventure, but prior planning is essential.

The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty (Proverbs 21:5).

It’s a good thing to learn early that other people’s opinions do not matter unless they happen to be true. (Phyllis Bottome, 20^th century British novelist and short story writer)

How important are other people’s opinions to you? Often we seem to make choices based more on what others think than on our own ideas. The key, however, is not whose opinion we accept but whether the view we’re considering is true. Truth, after all, must not be based on mere opinion; it must be founded on objective reality.

Finally . . .  whatever is true, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely . . . or praiseworthy—think about such things (Philippians 4:8).

People don’t do what you expect but what you inspect. (Louis V. Gerstner, Jr, American businessman)

Many have discovered this truth through bad experiences. We’ve asked someone to do something for us, and we expected them to do it. Asking once, however, is often not enough. We must follow up our request by checking to see if it has been done. And then, we may have to check further to see if it was done properly. Follow-through is vital for success.

Moses inspected the work and saw that they had done it just as the Lord had commanded (Exodus 39:43).

We praise a man who feels angry on the right grounds and against the right persons and also in the right manner at the right moment and for the right length of time. (Aristotle, 4^th century B.C. Greek philosopher)

There is such a thing as “righteous indignation,” although a lot of people use that excuse when they’ve simply lost their temper over some supposed offense. Aristotle argues that proper anger has a sound basis, is targeted at the correct offender, is offered in a courteous manner, and is not prolonged. That’s quite a basis to measure our anger against, isn’t it?

Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. (James 1:19-20)

Those [persons who] are too smart to engage in politics are punished by being governed by those who are dumber. (Plato, classical Greek philosopher)

A lot of attention is focused on politics during this election year in the U.S., and some are turned off by the demeaning dialogue that they hear and read. We may want to give up on it all, but good citizens will do their duty by examining the issues and voting their conscience. Above all, we must continually pray for government officials at every level.

 I urge . . . that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness (1 Timothy 2:1-2).

The most worthwhile things in life often only come to flower over a long period of time. (Alistair Begg, pastor and author)

Someone else has said, “Patience is not the ability to wait, but the ability to keep a good attitude while waiting.” When we plant a seed, we’d like to see the flower or the fruit quickly. But, life isn’t that way. We need to plan well, work hard, be persistent, and live patiently and actively in anticipation of the harvest that will come and the joy it will bring.

See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains (James 5:7).