Daily Stop & Thinks

STOP AND THINK – You’ll probably end up behaving like your friends behave … and if that’s a scary thought, it’s time to make a new set of friends. (Inspiration Line)

When you hang out with the same people over a period of time, you begin to become like them—often picking up their mannerisms, attitudes, and even their beliefs. If you discover you’re becoming someone with habits that you don’t like, it’s probably time to re-evaluate your relationships. Develop new relationships that encourage and build you up.

 Do not be misled: Bad company corrupts good character (1 Corinthians 15:33).

STOP AND THINK – God has not called us to see through each other but to see each other through. (Jess Moody, 20^th century pastor)

Sometimes we think we can “see through” someone, that is, by noting their words and actions, we think we can evaluate their motives. Consequently, we often make judgments that are false and unfair. Rather than trying to judge others, we would do better, Moody intimates, to assist them, to help them through their struggles and make life a little better for them.

Encourage one another and build each other up. … always strive to do what is good for each other (1 Thessalonians 5:11, 15).

STOP AND THINK – One kind word can warm three winter months. (Japanese Proverb)

We all know what it’s like when someone encourages us. We can bask in that kind word for a long time. It’s a great joy, then, when we do the same favor for someone else. Think about those whom you could encourage with just a single word or phrase to uplift them. You will be the better for it, and so will they.

Anxiety weighs down the heart, but a kind word cheers it up (Proverbs 12:25).

STOP AND THINK – I have never known a person who was critical of most things and sad about many things who was generous. (Kent Wilson)

Is Wilson’s observation true? Think of the generous people you’ve known. Were they often critical and sad or tolerant and happy? There does seem to be a correlation, doesn’t there? People give generously when they are supportive of someone or some work, not critical. They’re happy about the person or the organization, so they give in happy support.

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

STOP AND THINK – No book is really worth reading at the age of ten which is not equally—and often far more—worth reading at the age of fifty and beyond. (C. S. Lewis, 20^th century British fantasy author)

Parents and grandparents often take great pleasure in reading books from their childhood to their children and grandchildren. Sometimes they even find more meaning in those readings than they did when they were younger. Lewis said elsewhere, “Someday you will be old enough to start reading fairy tales again.” Some of us have found that to be true.

Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it (Revelation 1:3).

STOP AND THINK – Love and magic have a great deal in common. They enrich the soul, delight the heart. And they both take practice. (Nora Roberts, American bestselling novelist)

Everyone realizes that a good magician has to study, practice, and work hard to perform his sleight of hand tricks. We don’t often think of love that way, though. We view it as a romantic sentiment that comes over us in the presence of someone attractive and responsive. But lasting love requires more than emotion; it takes commitment and determined effort.

Love is patient, love is kind. … It is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. … It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres (1 Corinthians 13:4, 5, 7).

STOP AND THINK – True heroism…is not the urge to surpass all others at whatever cost but the urge to serve others at whatever cost. (Arthur Ashe, late No. 1 professional tennis player)

Courage may be the primary characteristic of a hero, but another admirable trait might be selflessness. The war hero accepts the risk of injury or death to protect or save someone else. The same may be true of public or private citizens. But it doesn’t take a life-threatening danger to create a hero. Anyone serving others at personal cost to himself is a hero.

Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others (1 Peter 4:10).

STOP AND THINK – We cannot choose how many years we will live, but we can choose how much life those years will have. (John Maxwell, motivational speaker and author)

A retirement home advertises that living there will “add life to years.” No one can guarantee to add years to someone’s life, but giving more life to whatever years you have is a worthy endeavor. Much of that additional “life” will be the result of your personal attitude and wise choices. Only you can control those things, but doing so will indeed add life to your years.

Jesus: “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full (John 10:10).

STOP AND THINK – No one can make you feel inferior without your consent. (Eleanor Roosevelt, wife of the 32^nd president of the United States)

Some people live in fear of what others think of them. In the presence of someone who is self-confident and assured, they feel inferior. Is it because the other person really is so much better, or is it that the fearful one has such a poor self-image? We are all created in the image of God and worthy of the respect of others as well as a sense of well-being.

[You] have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator (Colossians 3:10).

STOP AND THINK – Never falter in striving for something worthy. If it is worthy, it’s worth it. (Bill Katip, college president)

Sometimes we give up too soon. If a task or project proves fruitless, it’s probably best to abandon it. But if what you’re struggling with has good goals and will produce something of value, you must not give up. Take a deep breath, ask God for strength, and move ahead to achieve a worthy end. It will give you a great sense of fulfillment when it’s completed.

For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God (1 Thessalonians 2:11-12).

STOP AND THINK – Inch by inch, anything’s a cinch. (Robert Schuller, pastor and author)

Schuller, of course, was a strong motivational preacher. He promoted positive thinking, and this catchy little adage is a good motivator. A race may look long, a task may seem to be endless, but when we take it one step or effort at a time, it becomes doable. Perhaps, it’s just another way of encouraging us to keep our eyes on the ultimate goal, not on the present step.

I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me (Philippians 3:14).

STOP AND THINK – How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world. (Anne Frank, survivor of the Holocaust and diarist)

Many people want to do something good and great that will benefit others but can’t seem to get started. They are waiting for the right moment, the proper environment and circumstances to begin the worthy project they want so much to do. But Frank is telling us that we need not wait—in fact, we must not wait—to start an effort to help someone.

Do not say to your neighbor, “Come back tomorrow and I’ll give it to you”— when you already have it with you (Proverbs 3:28).