Daily Stop & Thinks

STOP AND THINK – Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that. (Martin Luther King Jr., 20^th century civil rights leader)

Light is an amazing phenomenon. Darkness can be dispelled by just a little light, like a match. But you can’t bring a “darkness candle” into a lighted room and dispel the light. King makes the obvious comparison to the emotions of love and hate. It’s true that hatred can replace love, but only love can eradicate hate.

Hatred stirs up conflict, but love covers over all wrongs (Proverbs 10:12).

STOP AND THINK – Discovery consists of seeing what everybody has seen and thinking what nobody has thought. (Albert van Szent-Cyörgy, Hungarian Nobel prize-winning physiologist)

We may think that the people who make the great discoveries in this world are those who see things differently. In a sense that’s probably true, like it is for artists who have an eye that differentiates visual objects in ways most of us can’t. There are others who don’t see differently from us, but they think differently. That’s a creative spark to be envied.

Whatever exists is far off and most profound— who can discover it? (Ecclesiastes 7:24)

STOP AND THINK – You can never get a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough to suit me. (C. S. Lewis, 20^th century British apologist and author)

We’re told that today Americans aged 20 to 54 spend only 11 minutes a day reading for leisure—not including computer use. It would take a long time, then, to read a single book, no matter its length. Whether it’s hard copy, digital, or online, we need to re-discover the joy of reading. The learning and inspiration of good reading cannot help but improve our lives.

Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture (1 Timothy 4:13).

STOP AND THINK – Keep a wide gulf between yourself and your possessions. It will spare you many heartaches. (Herbert Vander Lugt, author and Bible commentator)

Some people seem to live for their stuff—the more they have, the happier they think they’ll be. Think of the hoarders you see on television. Possessions—no matter what their inherent value—have overtaken their homes, even their lives, it seems. Whether we hoard or not, let’s recognize that we are more than what we own. Use what you have, but don’t live for it.

Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun (Ecclesiastes 2:11).

STOP AND THINK – The first to apology is the bravest. The first to forgive is the strongest. And the first to forget is the happiest. (Author unknown)

If we would follow this oft-quoted maxim, we’d no doubt keep our friendships. But someone has changed the last clause to “The first to learn from it and move on is the happiest.” And that’s good advice in itself. To apologize and to forgive are both essential. But we must also move on and not carry the memories of those injuries into our future.

Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone (Colossians 3:13).

STOP AND THINK – Ye great teachers: listen to what you say! (Goethe, 18 and 19^th century German statesman)

Ever heard a teacher who just kept droning on, boring his audience, and seeming to push out words and ideas without thinking about what he’s saying. Or, perhaps, you’ve heard someone who is really saying something worthwhile, but who doesn’t live up to his own teaching. In both cases, we may want to shout, “Wake up, listen to what you’re saying.”

If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God (1 Peter 4:11).

STOP AND THINK – Worry is a thin stream of fear that trickles through the mind, which, if encouraged, will cut a channel so wide that all other thoughts will be drained out. (Author Unknown)

Most of us worry at one time or another; some situation causes us to be anxious because we don’t know what the outcome might be. But there are some people who seem to worry about everything. What may begin as a small concern can so easily develop into an all-consuming frame of mind if we let it, so face the anxiety head-on.

 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God (Philippians 4:6).

STOP AND THINK – What goes into a mind comes out in a life. (Frequently read but author unknown)

A mind saturated with unhealthy thoughts and ideas will manifest itself in unpleasant ways. The acrostic GIGO (“garbage in, garbage out”) is used to describe the results of entering poor data into the computer and expecting something better to come out. In life, we must be careful to enter good thoughts and ideas into our minds to guarantee our good behavior.

Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things (Colossians 3:2).

STOP AND THINK – Age does not depend upon years, but upon temperament and health. Some men are born old, and some never grow up. (Tryon Edwards, 19^th century American theologian)

Edwards continued: “Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, latte in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming  WOO HOO, what a ride!” (For another perspective, consider the Bible verse.)

[The righteous] will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green (Psalm 91:14).

STOP AND THINK – [The creative individual] is capable of questioning the assumptions that the rest of us accept. (John W. Gardner, former Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare)

Gardner also says, “[He] has the capacity to free himself from the web of social pressures in which the rest of us are caught.” He is arguing that most of us are not as creative as we might be so we give in to the influences or our society and culture. Can that be true? If so, we need to exercise our ability to think for ourselves and the willpower to strike out on our own.

Do not lie to each other

STOP AND THINK – The reprover should have a lion’s stout heart, or he will not be faithful, and a lady’s soft hand, or he is not likely to be successful. (George Swinnock, 17^th century Puritan preacher)

To criticize or correct someone is always a difficult and delicate task. As Swinnock suggests, it takes a courageous person to approach a friend and offer a bit of advice. It also requires someone with a sensitive spirit so that he or she addresses the friend in a gracious manner with a caring attitude of concern. Such an approach will bless and strengthen the friend.

A friend loves at all times (Proverbs 17:17) [and always is] speaking the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15).

STOP AND THINK – If you’re not comfortable within yourself, you can’t be comfortable with others. (Sydney J. Harris, 20^th century newspaper journalist)

We admire people who are self-assured and confident. They seem to be perfectly comfortable with who they are; they don’t want to be somebody else. There are others who always seem to be wishing they were like someone else; they lack self-confidence and assurance. But, when we discover a fulfilling purpose for our lives, we will be content with who we are.

Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment (Romans 12:3).