Editor: Richard (Dick) Innes
Published by: ACTS International
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Vol. 12 – No. 0610 February 06, 2010
Thought for the week: "Character—the willingness to accept responsibility for one's own life—is the source from which self-respect springs." – Joan Didion
"Everyone wants to be appreciated, so if you appreciate someone, don't keep it a secret." – Mary Kay Ash
"We must become the change we wish to see in the world." – Mahatma Gandhi
"To become a father is not hard. To be a father is, however." – Wilhelm Busch
"If a person doesn't govern his temper, his temper will govern him." – John Maxwell
"Outstanding leaders go out of their way to boost the self-esteem of their personnel. If people believe in themselves, it's amazing what they can accomplish." – Sam Walton
"If you don't know where you are going, you will wind up somewhere else!" – Lawrence "Yogi" Berra
After school one day, a young first-grade boy was sitting at the
kitchen table, eating his afternoon snack, when he blurted out, "Mom, the teacher was asking me today if I have any brothers or
sisters who will be coming to school."
The boy's mother replied, "That's nice of her to take such an interest, dear. What did she say when you told her you are the
only child?"
"You cannot legislate the poor into prosperity by legislating the wealthy out of prosperity. What one person receives without working for, another person must work for without receiving. The government cannot give to anybody anything that the government does not first take from somebody else. When half of the people get the idea that they do not have to work because the other half is going to take care of them, and when the other
half gets the idea that it does no good to work because somebody else is going to get what they work for, that my dear friend, is the beginning of the end of any nation. You cannot multiply wealth by dividing it."
Two men, both seriously ill, occupied the same hospital room.
One man was allowed to sit up in his bed for an hour each afternoon to help drain the fluid from his lungs. His bed was next to the room's only window.
The other man had to spend all his time flat on his back.
The men talked for hours on end. They spoke of their wives and families, their homes, their jobs, their involvement in the military service, where they had been on vacation..
Every afternoon, when the man in the bed by the window could sit up, he would pass the time by describing to his roommate all the things he could see outside the window.
The man in the other bed began to live for those one hour periods where his world would be broadened and enlivened by all the activity and color of the world outside.
The window overlooked a park with a lovely lake. Ducks and swans played on the water while children sailed their model boats. Young lovers walked arm in arm amidst flowers of every color and a fine view of the city skyline could be seen in the distance.
As the man by the window described all this in exquisite details, the man on the other side of the room would close his eyes and imagine this picturesque scene.
One warm afternoon, the man by the window described a parade passing by.
Although the other man could not hear the band--he could see it in his mind's eye as the gentleman by the window portrayed it with descriptive words.
Days, weeks and months passed.
One morning, the day nurse arrived to bring water for their baths only to find the lifeless body of the man by the window, who had died peacefully in his sleep. She was saddened and called the hospital attendants to take the body away.
As soon as it seemed appropriate, the other man asked if he could be moved next to the window. The nurse was happy to make the switch, and after making sure he was comfortable, she left him alone.
Slowly, painfully, he propped himself up on one elbow to take his first look at the real world outside. He strained to slowly turn to look out the window besides the bed.
It faced a blank wall.
The man asked the nurse what could have compelled his deceased roommate who had described such wonderful things outside this window.
The nurse responded that the man was blind and could not even see the wall.
She said, 'Perhaps he just wanted to encourage you.'
The following statement is adapted from Orison Swett Marden: "The universe is one great kindergarten. Everything that exists has brought with it its own peculiar lesson. The mountain teaches stability and grandeur; the ocean immensity and change. Forests, lakes, and rivers, clouds and winds, stars and flowers, stupendous glaciers and crystal snowflakes, every form of animate or inanimate existence, leaves its impression upon our soul."1
For me personally,2 the universe is one great expression of God and his creation. His Word says, "The heavens declare the glory of God;the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard."3
A few years ago, 14 students at an affluent public high school were involved in a school break-in. They weren't vandals and weren't trying to steal anything. Their goal was to alter computer records of their academic transcripts so they'd have a better chance of getting into premier colleges.
Some people were horrified, others were amused, and still others treated the matter as a minor youthful indiscretion. The superintendent fell into the last category. "It's a one-time infraction of the rules," he said and imposed a five-day suspension.
Corrected transcripts were sent to the colleges involved, but the schools weren't told about the burglary or falsification of records. According to the superintendent, "The students were under a lot of pressure, but we think they learned their lesson. We don't want to ruin their lives."
The students learned a lesson all right.
They learned that there's little downside to doing whatever it takes to get what you want, even if it involves committing a felony. They learned that even if you get caught, you probably won't suffer serious consequences. Come on! Suspending high school seniors for a week is a vacation, not a punishment.
This sort of excessive leniency sends a terrible message to kids about right and wrong. The superintendent trivialized the act by calling it a "mistake." A mathematical error is a mistake. Forgetting someone's birthday is a mistake. Getting into a bad relationship is a mistake.
Breaking into a locked office to alter documents is not a mistake. It's a premeditated act of dishonesty and should be treated as such. If that means the students will suffer long-term impact, so be it. That's what justice requires and responsibility is about.
This is Michael Josephson reminding you that character counts.
"Where can I go from your Spirit [God]? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.... If I say, 'Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,' even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you."1
Roger Ray, a minister in Springfield, Missouri, told of a local physician who was driving between hospital calls one evening, exceeding the speed limit rather shamelessly in an attempt to make up for lost time. Suddenly a police car pulled up behind him and turned on the lights. Having some considerable experience in both speeding and getting caught, the doctor picked up his stethoscope and held it up for the policeman to see in hopes of communicating that he was on a medical emergency. Yet the police officer continued in pursuit with no regard to the physician's signals. Once more the doctor waved his stethoscope in the air, this time more dramatically, in hopes of conveying the importance of his mission. But when the physician looked into his rear-view mirror to see whether the police officer got the message, he saw a smiling officer waving his own symbol of authority in the air—his revolver.
These are the "Oh-oh" experiences in life when we realize we've been caught red-handed. And sometimes I wonder if there are certain things I don't do more from a fear of getting caught rather than wanting to do the right thing.
However, there's one thing that is certain ... no matter how hard I may try or how much I try to fool myself, there's no hiding from God. He sees all. He knows all. But he's not waving his "heavenly revolver" at us, nor is he out to get us to punish us for our sins, but rather to save us from punishing ourselves as a result of our sins—the wages of which are death—eternal death.
Suggested prayer: "Dear God, thank you that no matter where I am, what condition I am in, or what I have done or have failed to do, you know exactly where I am and what condition I am in. Thank you, too, that you are pursuing me, not to punish me, but because you want me to come to you for forgiveness, healing, and wholeness. Help me to stop hiding and stop running except to run to your open, loving, and forgiving arms. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus' name, amen."
1. Psalm 139:7-8, 11-12 (NIV).
For further help read, "How to Be Sure You're a Real Christian Without Having to Be Religious" at: http://tinyurl.com/real-christian.
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