Daily Stop & Thinks

The greatest legacy one can pass on to one’s children and grandchildren is not money or other material . . . but rather a legacy of character and faith. (Billy Graham, noted evangelist)

Many folks are working hard to build an estate, accumulating wealth they can pass on to their children. They want their heirs to have advantages they didn’t have when they were younger. That may be a worthy goal, but Graham’s comment speaks of a much greater value. Possessions are temporal; character and faith earn eternal benefits.

Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth . . . But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal (Matthew 6:19-20).

The end depends upon the beginning. (Phillips Academy motto)

But, the philosopher Plato said, “The beginning is the most important part of the work.” Actually, they’re both right. Every writer knows that getting his work off to a good start is important; otherwise, he may lose his reader in the first paragraph. Writers also realize, however, that they’d better know where they’re heading, what the end is intended to be.

The end of a matter is better than its beginning (Ecclesiastes 7:8).

You [live] a lifestyle of generosity and that eliminates the need for charity (Kirk Moyer, inner city aid worker)

The needs of the suffering and unfortunate in our world are overwhelming. A multitude of charity organizations are working hard to alleviate hardships, and they are dependent on the giving of concerned people. As Moyer points out, if more of us lived more generously, sharing from our abundance, a great deal more could be accomplished with less effort.

Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share (1 Timothy 6:18).

Live less out of habit and more out of intent. (Author unknown)

There is a valuable principle in this simple statement. We do so much merely out of habit. “We’ve always done it that way,” we say. Tradition can be good, but blindly following the habits of the past may prevent us from gaining valuable new insights. It would be far better to do what we do because we are proactive in planning and setting goals and objectives.

The purpose in a man’s heart is like deep water, but a man of understanding will draw it out (Proverbs 20:5). It is fine to be zealous, provided the purpose is good (Galatians 4:18).

When we are thankful for what we have, we find we have more and more for which to be thankful. (J Davis Illingworth, Sr, Presbyterian minister)

When we are dissatisfied with life, it blinds us to the good things that we have. On the other hand, when we are grateful for our blessings, we create an attitude of gratitude that permeates more and more of our lives. It’s contagious, too. Our appreciation for the good things of life spreads cheer and optimism all around.

Continue to live your lives in [Christ] . . . strengthened in the faith . . . and overflowing with thankfulness (Colossians 2:6-7).

Never grow a wishbone, daughter, where your backbone ought to be. (Clementine Paddleford, 20th century American writer)

It’s probably just as true of young boys as of young girls that they are often wishing for something—a Christmas gift, a new friend, or just that life might be different. Wishing isn’t bad, of course, but Paddleford’s advice is wise for any child. A strong backbone suggests integrity and strength in character. That’s something worthy for all of us to develop.

Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power (Ephesians 6:10).

Each individual is accountable for his actions. (Ronald Reagan, 40th president of the United States)

We’re living in a time when personal accountability has virtually vanished. We’re inclined, it seems, to blame someone else or our circumstances for our mistakes. It all started in the beginning when Adam blamed Eve for his disobedience, and Eve blamed the serpent. It’s past time for us to honestly confess our faults and seek God’s forgiveness and grace.

Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed (James 5:16).

The greatest mistake you can make in life is to be continually fearing that you might make one. (Elbert Hubbard, 19th -20th century American writer and philosopher)

How many times have you hesitated to start a project because you were afraid you might make a mistake? We all have such fears, but the truth is twofold: 1) it isn’t absolutely certain that you will slip-up; 2) but even if you do, blunders aren’t fatal. In fact, we often learn so well from our mistakes that we do much better when we try again.

My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever (Psalm 73:26).

Prejudice, a dirty word, and faith, a clean one, have something in common: they both begin where reason ends. (Harper Lee, American novelist)

There is that similarity between those two terms, of course, but there is a huge difference, too. Prejudice is the result of misinformation or poor logical deductions. Faith, on the other hand, exercises careful thinking, recognizing that there is truth beyond human understanding. Genuine faith is based on a solid foundation of revealed truth.

The righteous will live by faith (Romans 1:17).

Your value does not decrease based on someone’s inability to see your worth. (Ted Rubin, public speaker)

Is your self-image determined by what others think of you? It’s unfortunate that some of us think less of ourselves because someone else doesn’t see our worth or value to the community. We must remain true to ourselves and to our calling. Let’s demonstrate our value by living worthy of Him who created us in His image.

We constantly pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling (2 Thessalonians 1:11).

Work is not always required of man. There is such a thing as sacred idleness. (George MacDonald, Scottish author and minister)

In today’s busy society our world seems to revolve around nothing but work. Little time is taken for relaxation and rest, “the cultivation of which,” MacDonald says, “is now fearfully neglected.” He calls such rest “sacred idleness.” God mandated a Sabbath for man to give him rest, an essential ingredient for healthy living and productive work.

For six days, work is to be done, but the seventh day shall be your holy day, a day of sabbath rest to the Lord (Exodus 35:2).