Daily Stop & Thinks

STOP AND THINK – Love is very much a matter of actions rather than emotions. (Jerry Bridges, Christian author)

In a world flooded with songs, movies, and stories of love, it’s really hard to understand what genuine love is. Many times it is identified with lust or eroticism. Other times it is regarded merely as an emotion—something that fosters the idea of “listening to your heart, not your mind.” But real love is thoughtful, unselfish, and results in actions that benefit the one loved.

We should love one another . . . let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth. (1 John 3:11, 18)

STOP AND THINK – Reputation makes you rich or makes you poor; Character makes you happy or makes you miserable. (William Hershey Davis, Greek language author)

Davis’ comparisons are thought-provoking. A worker with a good reputation may become wealthy, while an ineffective worker may not do well financially. But there’s more to life than financial gain and security. When you live a life of integrity, you can be happy, but the result of a life that displays dishonesty and untrustworthiness will bring only misery.

The man of integrity walks securely. (Proverbs 10:9)

STOP AND THINK – Discouraged people don’t need critics. They hurt enough already. They don’t need more guilt or piled-on distress. They need encouragement. (Charles Swindoll, pastor and author)

There are a lot of discouraged people in the world, aren’t there? The last thing they need is someone telling them to buck up, get with it, or stop complaining. When you are discouraged, what helps you? It’s not someone with a superior attitude that only adds to your despair. What helps most are encouraging words.

Therefore encourage one another and build each other up. (1 Thessalonians 5:1)

STOP AND THINK – Happiness is always an inside job. (Author unknown)

One definition of happiness is “a pleasurable or satisfying experience.” That sounds like it is the result of some external event that makes you happy. Another: “a state of well-being and contentment.” That seems to emphasize an internal condition, the result, not so much of what happens to us, but of the settled attitude of joy that characterizes the person who is content.

A happy heart makes the face cheerful. (Proverbs 15:13)

STOP AND THINK – [Contrary to] people-pleasers, only people-lovers are able to confront. (Edward T. Welch, author)

Some folks seem to live their lives in an attempt to please everybody—never offend anyone and certainly don’t confront them in any way. Yet, Welch seems to suggest that those who really love people are willing to face up to their friends, addressing error or faults that need to be corrected. Refusing to do so reveals a lack of love and concern for others.

If someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. (Galatians 6:1)

STOP AND THINK – By grasping onto what we currently have  . . . we lose out on better goods that we might have gained. (Christian Smith and Hilary Davidson, University researchers)

The authors continue: “Giving money, volunteering . . . being a generous neighbor and friend . . . are all significantly, positively correlated with greater personal happiness, physical health [and] a stronger sense of purpose.” When we learn to give our time and money generously to others, we find the “better goods” of personal joy and satisfaction.

Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. (2 Corinthians 9:7)

STOP AND THINK – Minds are like parachutes—they only function when open. (Sir James Dewar, 19^th-20^th century Scottish chemist and physicist)

Our minds are wonderful things. They are really the “heart” of everything—how we relate to the world, how we learn, what we choose, and much more. So, it’s a terrible thing when we close our minds, unwilling to try something new or to think about an issue from a different perspective. An open mind is the avenue for learning and growth.

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind (Romans 12:2). Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things (Colossians 3:2).

STOP AND THINK – People take different roads seeking fulfillment and happiness. Just because they are not on your road does not mean they have gotten lost. (H. Jackson Brown, best-selling author)

Different people have different backgrounds and interests, so it makes sense that we don’t all travel the same pathways. We go the way we find to be comfortable—that fits with our heritage and education. So, learn to appreciate the differences that exist. Most importantly, we must search for that one right way that leads to God.

Jesus: “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction . . . But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life.” (Matthew 7:13-14)

STOP AND THINK – The greatest and noblest pleasure which we have in this world is to discover new truths, and the next is to shake off old prejudices. (Frederick II, the Great, 18^th century Prussian ruler)

Could it be said that if we are not learning we are not living? From infancy to adulthood, life is one long learning experience. And it’s a great joy to experience new truth, to discover new ideas. And, in the process of learning, we will very likely discover that some of the preconceived ideas we’ve held were wrong. The result is growth, maturity, and pleasure.

Let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance. … Instruct the wise and they will be wiser still; teach the righteous and they will add to their learning. (Proverbs 1:5, Proverbs 9:9)

STOP AND THINK- Be thankful for what you have; you’ll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don’t have, you will never, ever have enough. (Oprah Winfrey, TV talk show host)

How much is enough? Modern appetites—whether it be for food, fame, or riches—never seem to be satisfied. Instead of being grateful for what we have (and most of us have more than enough), we always seem to want more. As Winfrey suggests, we’d do better to “concentrate on what [we] have.” That should produce a sense of gratitude and satisfaction.

Whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income (Ecclesiastes 5:10). When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the Lord your God for the good land he has given you (Deuteronomy 8:10).

STOP AND THINK – Nature always takes her time. Great oaks don’t become great overnight. They also lose a lot of leaves, branches and bark in the process of becoming great. (Andrew Matthews, best-selling author)

We all knew that it takes a long time for an acorn to become a mature oak tree. But we probably hadn’t thought about all that happened during those many years of growth. The analogy to human life is insightful. As we grow, we encounter all kinds of experiences, some of which involve losses. Learning from them is an important part of maturing.

Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. (James 1:4)

STOP AND THINK – True greatness does not come from my position in life; it comes from humility and service. (Tim Wright, youth pastor and men’s leader)

We call them “snobs”—people who look down on everyone else because of the position or rank they hold. Such people seldom develop a following or become leaders of stature. It’s counter-intuitive, but leaders who achieve the most are those who work with people with a great sense of humility and the desire to lead by serving.

Whoever wants to be first must be your slave—just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve. (Matthew 20:27-28)