Daily Stop & Thinks

Be Kind

Tact is the knack of making a point without making an enemy. (Isaac Newton, 17^th-18^th century English scientist)

Some people are so certain of their knowledge and what they’ve learned from experience that they overwhelm others in any kind of discussion. They simply must make their point and they must do so with certainty and force. Not only is that tactless, which is bad enough, but it usually closes the door to further discussion that could be enlightening and helpful. Be assured but also be courteous.

Kind words are like honey—sweet to the soul and healthy for the body. (Proverbs 16:24)
Be tenderhearted and keep a humble attitude. (1 Peter 3:8)

Change

Like a man who has worn eyeglasses so long that he forgets he has them on, we forget that the world looks to us the way it does. (Kenich Ohmae, Japanese former university professor)

Ohmae goes on to note that it’s hard to let old beliefs go. They are familiar. We are comfortable with them having spent years building systems and developing habits that depend on them. Today he says, however, that we need new lenses. “And we need to throw the old ones away.” Change is inevitable, so we need to prepare for it and adapt to it and circumstances for the improvement of life and health.

Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. (James 1:23-24)

Priorities

Do take more care of yourself and less of “things”! (C. S. Lewis, late British scholar)

The media is so inundated with ads about personal care that we all should be healthy and fit. Then there are all the inducements to purchase insurance, property care equipment, and the like, so we can maintain our “things,” (cars, houses, toys) too. In reality, we need to care for all that God has given us, with priority on our own spiritual, emotional, and physical needs.

Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, just as you are progressing spiritually. (3 John 1:20)

Rest

As we incorporate leisure into the mainstream of our world, we lift ourselves above the grit and grind of mere existence. (Charles Swindoll, author)

Swindoll further suggested that when God created humans, his intention was that they enhance and reproduce the rest of creation. What is sometimes forgotten is his instruction to take time off, to observe a Sabbath—one day a week off from work. Workaholics are discovering the wisdom of such instruction. We must plan for rest and recreation as much as we plan our work.

You have six days each week for your ordinary work, but the seventh day must be a Sabbath day of complete rest. (Exodus 31:15)

Life

Don’t be afraid your life will end; be afraid that it will never begin. (Grace Hansen, author)

It’s clear that physical life will inevitably come to an end for every human being. So, Hansen is obviously speaking of living a meaningful life, a life of significance and benefit. For many, there is often a sense of uselessness; life just doesn’t seem to have any meaning for them. Life can take on new meaning when we stop thinking about ourselves and begin reaching out to serve others.

Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others. (Philippians 2:4)

Change

Very often a change of self is needed more than a change of scene. (Arthur Christopher Benson, 19^th-20^th century British essayist)

Change is often difficult. There are times when we recognize the need for some kind of improvement in our situation. We often look at our environment, our associations, and our companions to consider where to make changes and who should do them. Benson’s counsel is the best place to start. Ask yourself: “How can I contribute to the needed change, beginning with me?

Therefore, change your hearts and stop being stubborn. (Deuteronomy 10:16)

Choices

When you come to the fork in the road, take it! (Yogi Berra, late pro athlete)

Another of Berra’s infamous malapropisms. It’s obvious you can’t go in both directions at the same time, so it forces the traveler to make a decision. In The Road Not Taken, poet Robert Frost suggests that when coming to a fork in the road take the less traveled road. Only time will tell whether it’s the right choice. We do have to make choices, so do it wisely. 

But if you refuse to serve the Lord, then choose today whom you will serve. (Joshua 24:15)

Who Do You Know?

Great things come to us through people, if you want great things connect with the right people. (Source unknown)

“It isn’t what you know but who you know,” they say. We succeed best in life when we realize that we live in community. No one can know everything about any subject he may want to pursue. Before starting on a project, it would be best, not only to Google for information and helps, but also to find knowledgeable, experienced people who can come alongside to help.

Do you have the gift of helping others? Do it with all the strength and energy that God supplies. (1 Peter 4:11)

A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other. (1 Corinthians 12:70)

Deadlines

Desire without a deadline is simply a pipe dream. (Kary Oberbrunner, author and motivational speaker)

Not everyone is a dreamer, a person whose head always seems to be in the clouds. But almost everybody has a dream about something they want to accomplish. Few people seem to achieve their dreams, and Oberbrunner suggests a reason for many failures. Planning must not only have a starting point and a strategy, but it must have a deadline for completing the dream, too. 

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. (2 Timothy 4:7)

Life

After the game is played the king and the pawn go to the same box. (Dennis Engelbrecht, business consultant)

The reference to the skilled game of chess is simply a reminder that games do come to an end. When it’s over, it’s over. The winner and loser are identified, and you can’t make changes to the moves you made in the game. Life, of course, is much more than a game. But like chess, until it’s over changes can (and often should) be made. Set things right before it’s over.  

If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, you will save it. (Mark 8:35)

Just Do It!

Life is a great and wondrous mystery, and the only thing we know that we have for sure is what is right here right now. Don’t miss it. (Leo Buscaglia, late motivational speaker)

If our memory hasn’t failed us altogether, we can look to the past and remember some events that have greatly affected our present life. We can’t depend upon the future, however, for much assurance. So, we would do well to heed Buscaglia’s counsel. Today is the only day we have assurance of, and that isn’t absolutely secure. So, work diligently at your present task.

Don’t put it off; do it now! Don’t rest until you do. (Proverbs 6:4)

Indeed, the “right time” is now. (2 Corinthians 6:2)

Leadership

Effective leaders have the unique ability to see beyond someone’s perceived potential and call them above it. (Mike Pumphrey, pastor)

Choosing people who can add value to a team is an ability that a successful leader must have. You don’t want someone on your athletic, music, or business team who can’t contribute to a winning effort. Pumphrey suggests that it isn’t just what someone’s potential may be but, more than that, a leader must consider how can he spur his team members on to even greater success.

Daniel soon proved himself more capable than all the other administrators and high officers. (Daniel 6:3)