Daily Stop & Thinks

Greatness lies not in being strong, but in the right use of strength. (Henry Ward Beecher, 19^th century American social reformer)

Fitness seems to be one of the highest goals for modern man. Exercise equipment and strengthening programs are advertised continually, promising not only fitness but better looking bodies and social approval. The real value in strength, however, is how you use it. The greater our physical ability, the greater our responsibility to serve others.

We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves (Romans 15:1).

God created your face. You create your expression. (Church sign board)

No matter how much we may dislike what we see in the mirror, there isn’t a whole lot we can do about the way we look. Cosmetics can do only so much, and surgery is often not a viable option. The church sign board is right, however. We can determine our facial expressions and can likely have a very beneficial effect on those we meet.

As water reflects the face, so one’s life reflects the heart. . . . A happy heart makes the face cheerful (Proverbs 15:13; 27:19).

You will break the bow if you keep it always bent. (Greek motto)

Stress can be both helpful and harmful. When we put stress on our muscles (as in exercise), we strengthen them, but if we don’t relax them, they will cramp or do injury to us. When we face stress in life situations, we gather our forces and work hard to complete the task and overcome the tension. Then it’s time to relax and restore our energies.

 When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought me joy (Psalm 94:19). Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you (1 Peter 5:7).

Don’t count the days; make the days count. (Muhammad Ali, late heavyweight boxing champion)

Whether it’s counting the days until vacation, the last day of school, or the beginning of retirement, it really is a waste of time. Even counting the days of your illness, recovery from an accident, or a family struggle, again, counting doesn’t help much. We would do much better, as Ali suggests, to make whatever days we have left days of worth and achievement.

Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom (Psalm 90:12). As you know, we count as blessed those who have persevered (James 5:11).

May your choices reflect your hopes, not your fears. (Nelson Mandela, late South African anti-apartheid revolutionary)

Too often we make decisions because of what we’re afraid might happen. The unknown sometimes stymies us so greatly that we can’t even choose what to do next. As Mandela implies, that’s a very poor way to make choices. You can’t lead well if you look at life with such negative foresight. Rather, what is your vision, your hope for the future? Choose that.

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him (Romans 15:13).

Imagination is our ability to see inwardly and picture there [what] has not yet appeared outwardly. Imagination is God’s gift to us. (Donald Curtis, actor and religious leader)

As adults, we sometimes lose the imagination that enlivened our lives as children. But if we could use imagination now, we could move beyond the routines of life and restore a measure of creativity. So, use this God-given gift and let your mind soar. Add imagination to life; it could be life-changing.

We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us (Romans 12:6).

Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm. (Ralph Waldo Emerson, 19^th century American essayist, lecturer, and poet)

Sometimes we become so absorbed in the routines of life that we can fall into the habit of doing what we do almost without thinking. The “everydayness” of life may become boring, and we move along mindlessly. Emerson suggests that living that way will accomplish very little of value. So, find some way to bring the joy of expectation back into your life today.

Now finish the work, so that your eager willingness to do it may be matched by your completion of it (2 Corinthians 8:11).

It takes two people to say a thing—a sayer and a sayee. The one is just as essential to any true saying as the other. (Samuel Butler, Victorian-era English author)

Listening may be a lost art. With the ability to text and receive messages almost instantaneously, we’ve become accustomed to reading both sides of a cyber “conversation.” When we talk to others face-to-face, however, it’s easy to rush our answers, like an instant “oral text.” Instead, we need to listen carefully before we respond.

To answer before listening— that is folly and shame (Proverbs 18:13).

May we think of freedom, not as the right to do as we please, but as the opportunity to do what is right. (Peter Marshall, late chaplain to the U.S. Senate)

It’s Independence Day in the United States, the day to celebrate the launching of the unique American republic. As we think of the liberties we enjoy as U.S. citizens, we should be reminded of Marshall’s statement. Freedom is limited, but it can be most fully enjoyed as we use our liberty to serve others, doing what is right, fitting, and beneficial.

Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil (1 Peter 2:16).

When you boil life down to the nubbies, the name of the game is change. (Charles Swindoll, pastor and author)

And change is sometimes hard, because we’ve become pretty set in our ways. We often don’t want to change even when we know that doing or thinking differently might be good for us. A. C. Benson wrote, “Very often a change of self is needed more than a change of scene.” So, we must start with ourselves; our positive change will help both us and others.

Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 18:3).

The fight is won or lost far away from the witnesses. (Muhammad Ali, world champion boxer)

He continued reporting where the fight is won: “. . . behind the lines, in the gym and out on the road, long before I dance under those lights.” Any champion has won, not only because he was best in the race, the ring, or on the court, but because of the hours of hard work in training and preparation. We would do well to apply the same principles to our daily living.

Consecrate yourselves in preparation for tomorrow (Joshua 7:13).

The life which is unexamined is not worth living. (Socrates, classical Greek philosopher, 4^th century B.C.)

Are you rushing through life, busy with activity, but never taking the time to think about what you’re doing? If we don’t examine ourselves from time to time, we’re likely to keep doing what we’re doing without thought of how to improve or make better use of our time and efforts. Surely, we would benefit from careful reflection and change.

Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways (Proverbs 4:26).