Daily Stop & Thinks

STOP AND THINK – The personal life deeply lived always expands into truths beyond itself. (Anaïs Nin, 20th century American author)

Nin seems to be emphasizing the importance of the mind and personal introspection. When you meditate deeply on all that you are learning and experiencing, you may very well find that your understanding of life will increase beyond your own personal thoughts and ideas. It will give you a new perspective on life and benefit both you and others.

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. (Romans 12:2)

STOP AND THINK – The season of failure is the best time for sowing the seeds of success. (Inspiration Line)

Today is the first day of spring, and farmers have been thinking about getting the fields ready to sow seed. Those positive thoughts are in contrast to today’s quote, but spring sometimes brings storms or drought, hindering the planting of crops. The faithful farmer will keep at the task, however, working for a bountiful harvest in the fall. A good lesson for all of us to learn.

See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains. (James 5:7)

STOP AND THINK – You must do the thing you think you cannot do. (Eleanor Roosevelt, late wife of the 32nd president of the United States)

Mrs. Roosevelt was an active political wife, respected for her humanitarian efforts and strong motivational force. The statement above might seem to be an oxymoron. How can one do what he can’t do? Would it be fair to restate her words: “Work hard at doing what you think is right even if you don’t think you can”? That kind of motivation can be very forceful.

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters. (Colossians 3:23)

STOP AND THINK – You must do the thing you think you cannot do. (Eleanor Roosevelt, late wife of the 32nd president of the United States)

Mrs. Roosevelt was an active political wife, respected for her humanitarian efforts and strong motivational force. The statement above might seem to be an oxymoron. How can one do what he can’t do? Would it be fair to restate her words: “Work hard at doing what you think is right even if you don’t think you can”? That kind of motivation can be very forceful.

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters. (Colossians 3:23)

STOP AND THINK – Reputation is what men say about you on your tombstone; Character is what angels say about you before the throne of God. (William Hershey Davis, Welsh poet and writer)

Many people seem to be greatly concerned about their reputation—what people think of them. Unfortunately, the fame we achieve in life is often related to events that are momentary and do not have a lasting benefit. It’s not what people see that matters so much as the inner integrity that is important, both in the physical life and especially in the spiritual.

Whoever walks in integrity walks securely … (Proverbs 10:9). The integrity of the upright guides them … (Proverbs 11:3).

STOP AND THINK – Little progress can be made by merely attempting to repress what is evil; our great hope lies in developing what is good. (Calvin Coolidge, 30th president of the United States)

It is abundantly evident in this 21st century that there is plenty of evil in the world. The many efforts of untold hundreds of organizations to defeat crime and the results of evil seem to have accomplished little. Perhaps it’s time to follow Coolidge’s’ advice and try a different tack: a positive effort to do good, to share hope, to work for peace and safety.

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. (Romans 12:21)

STOP AND THINK – We must warn people not to build nests in trees destined for the axe. (Author unknown)

A thought-provoking metaphor! Building nests implies making some kind of permanent investment, whether it’s a “nest egg” of savings or a residence. In either case you should be very careful about the long-term prospects of your “investment.” Careful planning with an eye to the future is essential for the safety and permanence of your treasure.

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 6:20)

STOP AND THINK – Man’s mind once stretched by a new idea, never regains its original dimension. (Oliver Wendell Holmes, late United States Supreme Court associate justice)

That truth just might be a two-edged sword. If an evil idea is introduced into our thinking, we might not be able to disregard it, and that could lead to bad behavior. We’d prefer to look at it more positively. When good ideas are introduced, they provide an impetus to move forward, to expand our thinking, and to pursue worthy goals.

So I turned my mind to understand, to investigate and to search out wisdom and the scheme of things. (Ecclesiastes 7:25)

STOP AND THINK – Whenever you get one inch above the ground in your own esteem, you are that inch too high. (Charles Spurgeon, 19th century British preacher)

Self-esteem is an important element in today’s evaluation of a person’s value. That’s quite different, of course, from self-promotion. In our day, looking out for #1 (meaning, me) seems to be the goal and purpose of life. That is such a contrast from the humility that most often characterizes the successful achievers of history.

Clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.” (1 Peter 5:5)

STOP AND THINK – Look for things to laugh at—and laugh out loud. (Charles Swindoll, pastor and author)

Life is serious. At times the events of our lives are not only tedious, but there are times when circumstances and responsibilities hang heavy on us, and we become burdened with it all. Those are the times, perhaps, when Swindoll would suggest that we find something to brighten our lives—perhaps have some fun. Laughing can really lighten the load.

A merry heart does good, like medicine. (Proverbs 17:22)

STOP AND THINK – To lead with integrity means to place the highest value on issues of character and the heart, not on outward conformity and performance. (Scott Morton, management consultant)

Our society seems to honor achievement and accomplishment in sports, music, and entertainment no matter the morality or ethical behavior of the performer. Often, an achiever of integrity is less highly regarded—or even overlooked—because his quiet, humble, unassuming behavior is so different. What a shame that our standards are so askew!

Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but whoever takes crooked paths will be found out. (Proverbs 10:9)

STOP AND THINK – Men are disturbed not by things, but by the view which they take of them. (Epictetus, 2nd century Greek Stoic philosopher)

It may require a little maturity to see things the way Epictetus did. Most of us are inclined to judge “things” as they happen to us, either crediting or blaming them for how life turns out for us. In reality, of course, “things” are not to blame. It’s how we look at them, how we respond to them. We are the responsible actors, not “things.”

Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me . . . All of us, then, who are mature should take such a view of things. (Philippians 3:13-15)