Editor: Richard (Dick) Innes
Published by: ACTS International
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Vol. 16 – No. 0514 February 01, 2014
Thought for the week: "Silence in the face of evil is itself evil: God will not hold us guiltless. Not to speak is to speak. Not to act is to act." – Dietrich Bonhoeffer
"Opportunity often comes disguised in the form of misfortune, or temporary defeat." – Napoleon Hill
"It's not what you do once in awhile; it's what you do day in and day out that makes the difference." – Jenny Craig
"Success has nothing to do with what you gain in life or accomplish for yourself. It's what you do for others." – Danny Thomas
"It doesn't matter who you are, where you come from. The ability to triumph begins with you. Always." – Oprah Winfrey
"Do a little more than you're paid to. Give a little more than you have to. Try a little harder than you want to. Aim a little higher than you think possible, and give a lot of thanks to God for health, family, and friends." – Art Linkletter
"Men acquire a particular quality by constantly acting a particular way. You become just by performing just actions, temperate by performing temperate actions, brave by performing brave actions." – Aristotle
"Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it."1
"Today upon a bus, I saw a lovely maid with golden hair; I envied her—she seemed so happy, and how I wished I were so fair; When suddenly she rose to leave, I saw her hobble down the aisle; she had one foot and wore a crutch, but as she passed, a smile. Oh God, forgive me when I whine, I have two feet—the world is mine.
"And when I stopped to buy some sweets, the lad who served me had such charm; he seemed to radiate good cheer. His manner was so kind and warm; I said, 'It's nice to deal with you, such courtesy I seldom find'; he turned and said, 'Oh, thank you, sir.' And then I saw that he was blind. Oh, God, forgive me when I whine, I have two eyes—the world is mine.
"Then, when walking down the street, I saw a child with eyes of blue. He stood and watched the others play, it seemed he knew not what to do; I stopped a moment, then I said, 'Why don't you join the others, dear?' He looked ahead without a word, and then I knew he could not hear. Oh God, forgive me when I whine, I have two ears—the world is mine.
"With feet to take me where I'd go; with eyes to see the sunsets glow, with ears to hear what I would know. I am blessed indeed. The world is mine; oh, God, forgive me when I whine."2
Dear God ... above all else beside please give to me a thankful heart and may I always have an attitude of gratitude.
Successful and unsuccessful people, at times, get up in the morning not wanting to face the challenges of the day. The difference is that the successful person does it anyway. I think that is the reason I love the saying: "Just do it!" In a given month, what percentage of the time do we really "feel" like giving our best? Half the time, maybe? Winners who work at their goals with real effort, regardless of how they feel, have a major advantage. Multiply that over a five or ten year period, and it's no wonder so many people with "average" talent and intelligence can achieve so much.
I once heard the chairman and CEO of a huge public company tell a roomful of ambitious, hardworking, dedicated executives that if he had to do it all over again, he would have spent more time with his family. That's not news, but to Type-A personalities, it's easier said than done.
David L. Weatherford's poem "Slow Dance" sends the message in a particularly compelling way:
Have you ever watched kids on a merry-go-round
Or listened to rain slapping on the ground?
Ever followed a butterfly's erratic flight
Or gazed at the sun fading into the night?
You better slow down, don't dance so fast,
Time is short, the music won't last.
Do you run through each day on the fly?
When you ask, "How are you?" do you hear the reply?
When the day is done, do you lie in your bed
With the next hundred chores running through your head?
You better slow down, don't dance so fast,
Time is short, the music won't last.
Ever told your child, "We'll do it tomorrow,"
And in your haste not seen his sorrow?
Ever lost touch, let a good friendship die,
'Cause you never had time to call and say hi?
You better slow down, don't dance so fast,
Time is short, the music won't last.
When you run so fast to get somewhere,
You miss half the fun of getting there.
When you worry and hurry through your day,
It's like an unopened gift thrown away.
Life is not a race, so take it slower,
Hear the music before your song is over.
The question isn't whether this makes sense to you. It's what are you going to do about it, and when are you going to start?
This is Michael Josephson reminding you that character counts.
"Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves."1
It's an old story but worth repeating: Two friends are hiking in the woods when they come upon a menacing-looking bear walking directly toward them. When one fellow starts to slowly remove his backpack, the other whispers, "What are you gonna do?"
"I'm going to run for it," was his reply.
"But you can't outrun a bear," his pal protested.
"I don't have to outrun the bear. I just have to outrun you."
As Michael Josephson said in his weekly CHARACTER COUNTS column, "Everywhere we see people living their lives according to this Darwinian law of the jungle. They see everything as a competition just to find the most extreme tactics to assure their own survival. You've heard the rationales: 'It's a dog-eat-dog world,' 'Eat or be eaten,' 'You've got to look out for Number One.'"1
Wrong! These people end up only outrunning themselves—even if it is eventually!
People who believe in and live by this dog-eat-dog philosophy will die by this philosophy. As it has been said, "Those who live by the sword will die by the sword." And what is the point of being the richest or most successful person in the cemetery? The reality is that we can't take what we gained with us when we die.
But if we honor others and treat them as Jesus would treat them, we can send ahead all that we have legitimately gained—as an investment in eternity—and therein store up riches in heaven.
Suggested prayer: "Dear God, please deliver me from ever participating in this 'dog-eat-dog' mentality and practice. Help me rather to be like Jesus in all ways and treat others accordingly. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully in Jesus' name, amen."
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