Editor: Richard (Dick) Innes
Published by: ACTS International
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Vol. 13 – No. 2311 June 04, 2011
Thought for the week: "Character is much easier kept than recovered." – Thomas Paine
"Worry often gives a small thing a great shadow." – Swedish Proverb
"The propitious smiles of Heaven can never be expected on a nation that disregards the eternal rules of order and right, which Heaven itself has ordained." – George Washington
"Children have more need of models than of critics." – Carolyn Coats
"The man who walks with God always gets to his destination." – Unknown
"If you have a pulse, you have a purpose." – Unknown
"First man: Sometimes I'd like to ask God why he allows poverty, famine and injustice to continue when he could do something about it. Second man: What's stopping you? First man: I'm afraid he might ask me the same question." – Anonymous
A calorie-conscious woman drove past a bakery and saw some gorgeous cookies.
She decided to pray about it: "Lord, if you want me to have some of those delicious cookies, let me have a parking place directly in front of the bakery."
And sure enough, the eighth time around the block, there it was!
* * * * * * *
Today's THOT: If you're going to try cross-country skiing, start with a small country.
Isn't it disappointing when someone says they will do something: get back to you, call you, etc. and they don't? When you tell someone you will do something—then do it!
If anything, do it better. Do it sooner than you promised. Others will trust and have faith in you. Be a person of your word. If someone is asking something of you that can't be done (or you don't want to do it), then tell them up front. Be honest about it. They may not be happy, but you will keep their respect and your own."
Bernard Gilpin, accused of heresy before Bishop Bonner, set out for London for trial. His favorite maxim was, "All things are for the best." On his journey he broke his leg. "Is it all for the best now?" jested a scorner. "I still believe so," he replied.
And so it proved, for before he was able to resume his journey, Queen Mary died. Instead of going to London to be burned, he returned home in triumph.
"Don't be misled: No one makes a fool of God. What a person plants, he will harvest. The person who plants selfishness, ignoring the needs of others—ignoring God!—harvests a crop of weeds. All he'll have to show for his life is weeds! But the one who plants in response to God, letting God's Spirit do the growth work in him, harvests a crop of real life, eternal life."
"Sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me."
Really? Insults, teasing, gossip, and verbal abuse can inflict deeper and more enduring pain than guns and knives. Ask anyone who as a kid was fat, skinny, short, tall, flat-chested, big-busted, acne-faced, uncoordinated, slow-witted, or exceptionally smart. In schoolrooms and playgrounds across the country, weight, height, looks, and intelligence are the subject of more taunting and ridicule than race or religion.
And it doesn't get better. Unkind words, tasteless jokes, criticism, and ridicule don't lose their sting when we become adults.
There's nothing new about this. But if we trivialize how damaging words can be, especially to youngsters, the ethical significance of verbal assaults can be lost. When we say words can't hurt anyone, we negate the feelings of those who are genuinely hurt.
Instead of minimizing the importance of words, we should encourage parents and teachers to demand a higher level of respect and greater sensitivity, precisely because words can be so powerful.
Yes, we should try to fortify our children's sense of self-worth so they can bear insults and sarcasm better. And we should urge them not to take what others say too seriously. But it's just as important to teach them that words have the power of grenades and must be used carefully.
This is Michael Josephson reminding you that character counts.
"Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones."1
Alexandra Kropotkin, in an article titled, "Homemade," described the death of her friend as follows: "One day a millionaire of my acquaintance, whose pride it was never to offer a tip for any service, faced an unforgettable tragedy. His chief accountant committed suicide. The books were found to be in perfect order; the affairs of the dead man, a modest bachelor, were prosperous and calm. The only letter left by the accountant was a brief note to his millionaire employer. It read: 'In 30 years I have never had one word of encouragement. I'm fed up."'2
It never ceases to amaze me that so many people don't bother to say thank you to the many people who help them or do something for them. I often hold a door open for someone who is following me into a store, the Post Office, or the bank, some of whom walk through without saying a word. Whenever I see our mailman, I always thank him and let him know how much I appreciate his service. I do this to lots of people.
And do we often say thank you and give a word of encouragement to our spouse, our children, our friends, our employer, and to our employees? If we all do this on a daily basis, we can make an impact on the world in which we live. Whether it is a kind word or a kind deed, in the words of Charles Dudley Warner, "It is one of the beautiful compensations of this life that no one can sincerely try to help another without helping himself."
In the Bible a man named Joseph was given the name of Barnabas because it means, "Son of Encouragement." Let's all be a Barnabas to someone today.
Suggested prayer: "Dear God, please help me to be a Barnabas in some way today (and every day) to every life I touch. May I also be known as a son or daughter of encouragement. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus' name, amen."
1. Proverbs 16:24 (NIV).
2. Stan Toler, God Has Never Failed Me, but He Sure Has Scared Me to Death a Few Times! (Tulsa: Honor Books, 1995). Cited on www.sermons.com
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