Enthusiastic Ideas

INSTRUCTION (APRIL 9)View on Website -- https://wordpoints.com/instruction-april-9/"Learn from others what to pursue and what to avoid, and let your teachers be the lives of others" (Dionysius Cato).IT’S A SIMPLE THING, BUT IT’S HARD TO ADOPT: THE WILLINGNESS TO BE INSTRUCTED. If any instruction needs to take place, it’s more satisfying to our pride to be the instructor rather than the instructee. Most of us would agree that straightening out someone else is more comfortable than being straightened out ourselves!But if we back away from being instructed, we cut ourselves off from most of the learnings that make our lives useful and enjoyable. “Learn from others what to pursue and what to avoid,” Dionysius Cato said, and his advice is full of insight. When others try to share with us the wisdom they’ve learned from the mistakes they’ve made, common sense says we ought to be “instructable.” We need to learn from the mistakes of others because, as the old saying goes, we won’t live nearly long enough to make them all ourselves.However, there are certainly times when our own experience can be a powerful teacher, and on such occasions we need to be just as open to our own “instruction” as we are when someone else is teaching. That’s especially true when our experience is the painful kind. Benjamin Franklin knew what he was talking about when he said, “Those things that hurt, instruct.” Yet we often ignore pain’s lessons and have to repeat our schooling even more painfully later on.If someone pointed out how many times a day we’re in the position of either instructing or being instructed, we’d probably be surprised. The fact is, much of life consists of these two interactions. So, the more we can learn about what makes a good instructor and a good instructee, the more advantage we give ourselves in life.When was the last time you willingly let yourself be instructed? If the honest answer is that it has been a long time, you may be older than you realize — or you may simply have let your mind grow old before its time. Like it or not, “instructability” (or the lack of it) is a prime indicator of how much life we’ve got left in us!"Every act of conscious learning requires the willingness to suffer an injury to one's self-esteem. That is why young children, before they are aware of their own self-importance, learn so easily; and why older persons, especially if vain or important, cannot learn at all" (Thomas S. Szasz).Gary Henry - WordPoints.com + AreYouaChristian.com

GODLINESS (APRIL 8)View on Website -- https://wordpoints.com/godliness-april-8/"The difference between worldliness and godliness is a renewed mind" (Erwin W. Lutzer).IF IDEAS HAVE CONSEQUENCES, AND THEY CLEARLY DO, THE MOST CONSEQUENTIAL OF ALL OUR IDEAS IS THE IDEA OF GOD. Once we choose how we’re going to deal with this idea, a very different kind of life begins to unfold than any that would have come from another choice. Nowhere does life ask a more basic question than when it asks what we’re going to believe about God.Today, think with me about the concept of  “godliness” as a character trait. Let’s attempt to set aside our personal preferences and predispositions and ask what would really be involved in this trait.(1) Openness to the idea of God. “The finest fruit of serious learning should be the ability to speak the word ‘God’ without reserve or embarrassment” (Nathan M. Pusey). The godly mind is receptive to the possibility that God may be more real than we have thought.(2) Commitment to the truth about God. ‘A’ can’t be ‘A’ and ‘Not A’ at the same time. Either it’s true that God is an objective reality or it’s not true. If, in fact, God is an objective reality, then rightly understanding the nature of that reality should matter to us greatly.(3) Adoption of the virtue of godliness. Godliness will certainly show up outwardly, but it’s primarily an inward matter, an attribute of the heart. Godliness means seeing all worldly things from a godly perspective. It means that God is our basic frame of reference.Among the people I know, the person who demonstrates the trait of godliness with the greatest integrity is a sister in Christ whose “renewed mind” is nothing short of a marvel. Independently and against daunting odds, she has chosen to open herself honestly to the idea of God. She is not only passionate in learning what’s true about God, but she also follows whatever facts she discovers with a you-can-count-on-it dependability almost unheard of in this day of convenience and compromise. Because of the godliness of her inward character, I trust her . . . I learn from her . . . I love her.Thy soul was like a star, and dwelt apart;Thou hadst a voice whose sound was like the sea:Pure as the naked heavens, majestic, free,So didst thou travel on life’s common way,In cheerful godliness.(William Wordsworth)Gary Henry - WordPoints.com + AreYouaChristian.com

FAIRNESS (APRIL 7)View on Website -- https://wordpoints.com/fairness-april-7/"Fair play is primarily not blaming others for anything that is wrong with us" (Eric Hoffer).FAIRNESS CAN’T BE SEPARATED FROM PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY. It would be unfair of me, for example, to blame you for something that was my responsibility. In fairness, I can’t ask you to accept any more responsibility than is actually yours. And the opposite is also true: I can’t expect you to take any less responsibility than your own. Fairness and personal responsibility go hand in hand.We all prefer to live in nations, communities, and neighborhoods where justice prevails, but large-scale justice will never prevail in those areas if ordinary, small-scale fairness doesn’t prevail in our everyday dealings with the particular people we come in contact with. “A man who deals in fairness with his own, he can make manifest justice in the state” (Sophocles). So it’s a helpful exercise to ask ourselves from time to time: if everyone in the world treated people exactly as I do, what would the world be like?Out of all the things we might want to be known for, fairness would be one of the most admirable. Whatever else might come to people’s minds when they think of us, if they think of fairness, that’s a reputation we should be glad to have. In fact, if we ever had to choose between being loved and being respected (for things like fairness), being respected would be the better choice. If those who know us can take it for granted that, come what may, we can be counted on to do what’s fair, that ought to give us a very good feeling.In the long run, it’s foolish to deal unfairly with anyone. Doing so is morally wrong, certainly, and that should be reason enough to stay away from it, but the fact remains, unfairness is also foolish. It doesn’t work. Sooner or later, it proves to be ineffective. We may take advantage of somebody today and think we’ve gotten away with it, but sooner or later that person will realize that we’ve been unfair, and the repercussions at that time will outweigh any short-term benefit we may have gotten from acting unjustly. In the matter of fairness, as in all else, the law of the farm rules: we reap what we sow."Since nothing is settled until it is settled right, no matter how unlimited power a man may have, unless he exercises it fairly and justly his actions will return to plague him" (Frank A. Vanderlip).Gary Henry - WordPoints.com + AreYouaChristian.com

CONSTITUTION (APRIL 6)View on Website -- https://wordpoints.com"[Our nature] is constituted for the practice of what is good" (Mencius).IF MOST NATIONS HAVE A CONSTITUTION, SO DO EACH OF US PERSONALLY. In its most literal sense, the word “constitution” means the composition of a thing, and when it’s used in reference to a human being, it usually means that person’s physical makeup, as in the phrase “a man with a strong constitution.” I’d like to use the word in a broader sense, however, and suggest that all of us have some sort of general constitution. Thinking not just of our bodies but also of our characters, all of us have come to have a particular constitution. If we said, for example, “She’s made out of pretty strong stuff,” we wouldn’t just mean the physical components of that person’s body. We’d mean that she had a strong character. So at this point in life, what kind of constitutions do you and I have? What qualities have we allowed to become the basic ingredients of our makeup — courage or timidity, discipline or indulgence, honesty or compromise?We start out in life with a number of good things going for us. Potentially, we all have the makings of a strong constitution, and I agree with Mencius’s statement that our nature “is constituted for the practice of what is good.” Along the way, however, most of us have let some less-than-desirable “stuff” get into our constitutions, and not only that, we have failed to develop the good potential that was there all along. So we should be careful about our constitutions. To be strong, they need to be cared for, protected, and enhanced.Even physically, we need to adopt lifestyles that contribute to a stronger, rather than a weaker, constitution. Socrates, for example, said, “A man should inure himself to voluntary labor, and not give up to indulgence and pleasure, as they beget no good constitution of body nor knowledge of mind.” There is an intimate relationship between character and physical condition, and we need to nurture both of these aspects of our being so that they interact in a healthy way.When you compare yourself to others, you may think you don’t have a very strong constitution. But if you were suddenly thrown into the midst of certain circumstances, you might surprise yourself. All of us are made of stronger stuff than we realize. It pays to be grateful."By my physical constitution I am but an ordinary man . . . Yet some great events, some cutting expressions, some mean hypocrisies, have at times thrown this assemblage of sloth, sleep, and littleness into rage like a lion" (John Adams).Gary Henry - WordPoints.com + AreYouaChristian.com

CONSCIENCE (APRIL 5)View on Website -- https://wordpoints.com/conscience-april-5/"Conscience is the impulse to do right because it is right, regardless of personal ends" (Margaret C. Graham).NOT A DAY GOES BY THAT OUR CONSCIENCE DOESN’T TEST US. Some of the tests are big while others are little, but the question is always the same: “Will we do what our conscience tells us is right, or will we do something else, perhaps something less difficult or more pleasant?” These tests, however insignificant they may seem, are important for two reasons: they demonstrate what kind of character we presently have, and they move our character further down one path or the other: either the path of goodness or that of evil. Every time we say yes or no to our conscience, we add a little more evidence to the record that will someday be our legacy.Joy. If you’ve never experienced the joy that comes from saying yes to your conscience, you really ought to try it. “A good conscience is a continual Christmas” (Benjamin Franklin). I’ve lived in the world long enough to have enjoyed many of its pleasures, but I’ve yet to find one that compares to the good feeling of going to bed at night knowing you’ve done what your conscience said was right.Stability. There is no way to tell what any of us will have to deal with before our lives are over. If we haven’t already done so, some of us may experience significant and unexpected hardship, and we may think we can’t find anything steady to hang on to. But a clear conscience is an amazingly stable thing, despite the twists and turns of life in this vale of tears. “There is one thing alone that stands the brunt of life throughout its course, a quiet conscience” (Euripides).We admire those who, in the great hours of historical crisis, have taken a heroic stand on the basis of conscience. Most of us, however, will never stand in the spotlight of history, and even if we did, our moment there might not be the most accurate measure of our character. A truer indication of that would be whether we listen to our conscience in the quiet, personal moments — those times when God alone knows what we’ve chosen. Faced with such private decisions (which, in the real world, can be extremely complex), we should never do anything less than what is right — just because it’s right."I cannot and will not recant anything, for to go against conscience is neither right nor safe. Here I stand. I can do no other, so help me God. Amen" (Martin Luther).Gary Henry - WordPoints.com + AreYouaChristian.com

EXPEDIENCY (APRIL 4)View on Website -- https://wordpoints.com/expediency-april-4/"No man is justified in doing evil on the ground of expediency" (Theodore Roosevelt).The word “expediency” is unusual in that it’s often used in two different senses, one negative and the other positive. In addition to their denotation or explicit meaning, many words also have a connotation, a more indirect meaning consisting of a positive or negative aura or atmosphere that surrounds them. “Expediency” has two basic meanings, but these two meanings have two different connotations. One is negative while the other is positive.The first meaning of “expedient” is “serving to promote one’s interests,” and this meaning does not give us a good feeling. This kind of expediency is the kind that we associate (whether rightly or wrongly) with politicians. Pontius Pilate, for example, apparently decided to go ahead and have Jesus of Nazareth executed because it was politically expedient. But as Theodore Roosevelt argued, “No man is justified in doing evil on the ground of expediency.” With regard to this kind of expediency, William Morley Punshon summed it up like this: “Cowardice asks, Is it safe? Expediency asks, Is it politic? Vanity asks, Is it popular? Conscience asks, Is it right?”But the second meaning is “appropriate to a particular end or purpose,” and this meaning not only has a positive connotation, but it also contains an idea that’s quite valuable for us to think about. Used this way, the word “expedient” means that which is “fitting, proper, beneficial, or helpful.” And in this sense, we ought to consider the expediency of every action that we consider engaging in. With any decision, the crucial question for an honorable person is not simply “Is this permissible from a legal standpoint?” but more importantly, “Will this help others? Will the outcome be profitable?”Laws are important, and we can’t do without them. But laws are no more than a minimum standard for us to go by — within the law, we must also be concerned with what is expedient. The fellow who is willing to do “anything the law allows” is not the person you want for a next-door neighbor. But our neighbor shouldn’t have that kind of neighbor either. So we’ve always got to ask, “Is what I’m about to do beneficial? Will it be a blessing to those around me?”"'All things are lawful,' but not all things are helpful. 'All things are lawful,' but not all things build up" (First Letter of Paul to the Corinthians).Gary Henry - WordPoints.com + AreYouaChristian.com

PEACEFULNESS (APRIL 3)View on Website -- https://wordpoints.com/peacefulness-april-3/"In our rough-and-rugged individualism, we think of gentleness as weakness, being soft, and virtually spineless. Not so! . . . Gentleness includes such enviable qualities as having strength under control, being calm and peaceful when surrounded by a heated atmosphere, emitting a soothing effect on those who may be angry or otherwise beside themselves" (Charles R. Swindoll).PEACE IS ALMOST UNIVERSALLY PRAISED, BUT THE PEACEFULNESS THAT LEADS TO PEACE IS NOT ALWAYS ADMIRED. People who have adopted the character trait of peacefulness are sometimes perceived as being weak rather than strong. But genuine peacefulness is anything but weak. In fact, conflict is easy compared to constructiveness. Bridges are much easier to blow up than to build.To be sure, if a person were to pursue peace at any price, that would not only be weak but weak in the worst possible way. There is no honor in sacrificing our principles merely to appease an angry enemy, and Dag Hammarskjöld, who served an illustrious career as Secretary-General of the United Nations, was correct when he gave this advice: “Never ‘for the sake of peace and quiet’ deny your own experience or convictions.” But whether we’re honest enough to admit it, it’s often not our principles that have to be sacrificed to establish peace — it’s merely our personal preferences and privileges.The real test of whether we have a peaceful character is not how well we deal with adversaries who are cooperative in spirit, but how effectively we work with those who aren’t (as Jesus taught in Matthew 5:46,47). Peacefulness requires more than the ability to reconcile with a dear friend after a minor disagreement. As Yitzhak Rabin once said, “Peace is not made with friends. Peace is made with enemies.” And so, as Thomas à Kempis said, “To be able to live peaceably with hard and perverse persons, or with the disorderly, or with such as go contrary to us, is a great grace.”It should be obvious that if peacefulness is to characterize us, we’ll have to learn patience. Establishing constructive, if not friendly, relations with those with whom we have serious disagreements calls for the highest and best within us. And we can’t let ourselves be discouraged when our efforts don’t yield immediate results. Peacefulness is costly, and the cost spreads out over many years."Peace is a daily, a weekly, a monthly process, gradually changing opinions, slowly eroding old barriers, quietly building new structures" (John F. Kennedy).Gary Henry - WordPoints.com + AreYouaChristian.com

ANTICIPATION (APRIL 2)View on Website -- https://wordpoints.com/anticipation-april-2/"There is something new every day if you look for it" (Hannah Hurnard).ONE OF OUR MOST REMARKABLE ENDOWMENTS IS THE ABILITY TO FORETASTE PLEASURE. The literal meaning of “anticipate” is to “take before,” and we have it within us to look ahead (at least a little) and take enjoyment from our experiences before they arrive. To make this choice and welcome the future with joy is an act of courage. It’s also an act of considerable wisdom.Not everything about the future will be pleasant, of course. But even so, anticipation is a wise choice. As a positive character quality, anticipation gives us a more constructive outlook. By believing the best and acting on our hopes, we find a better future than if we expected the worst. For this reason, Albert Schweitzer, who spent his adult life dealing with life’s rough edges, once remarked, “My knowledge is pessimistic, but my willing and hoping are optimistic.”So, how can we heighten our anticipation and relish the future? Ironically, the primary thing we can do is pay attention to what’s happening in the present moment. As I write these lines, for example, it is early spring, and the trees outside my window are beginning to bud and blossom. It would be difficult to look at these things thoughtfully and not anticipate (or “take before”) the greater, more fully developed beauty they’ll have tomorrow morning. So whatever death and decay there may be in this old world, let’s also see the evidence that many good things are moving, growing, and reaching forward. If we taste deeply the present truth about these things, our minds will tingle with anticipation for what lies ahead. As Brenda Gantt always says, “It’s gonna be good, y’all.”Even when we have no idea what will happen tomorrow, there are still reasons to anticipate it. The intriguing mystery of it all — the possibility that tomorrow’s path may take a surprising turn — can energize us. If life could be completely planned and programmed, we might be “safe” in certain ways, but in our hearts we know we want more than mere safety. Like the inquisitive, once-upon-a-time children we used to be, we want to learn more than we know and do more than we’ve done. There’s a bit of the adventurer in all of us.Still round the corner there may wait,A new road, or a secret gate.(J. R. R. Tolkien)Gary Henry - WordPoints.com + AreYouaChristian.com

AMUSEMENT (APRIL 1)View on Website -- https://wordpoints.com/amusement-april-1/"Anyone without a sense of humor is at the mercy of everyone else" (William Rotsler).ON THIS DAY EVERY YEAR, PRACTICAL JOKES ARE TRADITIONALLY ACCEPTED AND EVEN ENCOURAGED. Today of all days, “anyone without a sense of humor is at the mercy of everyone else.”Some of us need more than one such day a year. We take ourselves too seriously, like Queen Victoria of England, who would cut off individuals guilty of being humorous in her presence with the stiff reply, “The Queen is not amused.” Thus, the Victorian Age, which is named for her, is remembered for some good things, but amusement is not one of them. The Queen was not a comedian.Not many of us would like to discover that we’re perceived as a stuffed shirt or a killjoy. We like people who can be easily amused, and we’d prefer to be viewed that way ourselves. Too often, however, we let the weighty issues of life drag us down into a place where there’s very little amusement. Our faces freeze into a frown. So we could profit from a day once in a while, like today, when a bit of humor is forced upon us. “Humor,” as Jan McKeithen said, “is a hole that lets the sawdust out of a stuffed shirt.”The ability to amuse and be amused is a quality worth cultivating if it’s not already a part of our character. It may seem inconsistent to talk about “working on” our amusement, but that may, in fact, be what we need to do. Making some conscious decisions to loosen up and learn how to be both the amuser and the amusee is wise. Doing so pays worthwhile dividends (for example, contributing to health and longer life). The breaking-in period may be uncomfortable, as when we’re learning to like a new pair of shoes, but eventually the capacity for genuine, healthy amusement will be worth acquiring.Amusement is a part of what makes for rich relationships with other human beings. If we want our relationships to be multi-layered and many-dimensioned, we should aspire to having more than one kind of influence. We certainly need to work on being able to teach, inspire, and encourage. But, personally, I also want to be able to amuse. And those whom I count as my dearest friends are those whom I know I can amuse now and then. How about you?"We cherish our friends not for their ability to amuse us, but for our ability to amuse them" (Evelyn Waugh).Gary Henry - WordPoints.com + AreYouaChristian.com

JUSTICE (MARCH 31)View on Website -- https://wordpoints.com/justice-march-31/"The just hand is a precious ointment" (Latin Proverb).ONLY THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN TREATED WITH SERIOUS INJUSTICE CAN FULLY UNDERSTAND WHAT A “PRECIOUS OINTMENT” JUSTICE IS. Frankly, there aren’t many things in life more valuable than the simple treasure of fairness. And no matter who we are, we would do well to examine ourselves honestly from time to time and make a new commitment to this virtue, which is one of the greatest.But when we are meditating on justice, which is the more profitable question: whether we’ve received adequate justice from others or whether we’ve done adequate justice to others? In a culture where we almost compete for the status of “greatest victim,” we seem always to be concerned that others haven’t given us what we deserve. But if our lives as a whole were to be taken into consideration, would we really want what we deserve? Before we say yes, we should probably reconsider. “Use every man after his desert, and who should scape whipping?” (Shakespeare).If we ever really got what we should get, most of us would want to return to the “unfairness” we thought was so unbearable. H. L. Mencken was right when he said, “Injustice is relatively easy to bear; what stings is justice.” What most of us want is mercy — and to the greatest extent possible, that is what we should want for others also.Perhaps we should spend more of our time questioning the justice we extend to others. Here, most of us ordinary folks will find lots of room for improvement, especially when we consider that we may do injustice as much by what we leave undone as by what we do. A few days’ trial of Benjamin Franklin’s rule (“Wrong none by doing injuries or omitting the benefits that are your duty”) will show us how challenging it is to make a real-life commitment to justice.Above all, however, we must take care not to limit our defense of justice to those who make a favorable impression on us or those we think “ought” to be treated justly. If we have a most common failing in the matter of justice, it is probably that we show favoritism in dispensing it. But to be authentic, justice must be “blind,” in the honorable sense. Everybody deserves to be treated fairly."Do justice to your brother (you can do that, whether you love him or not), and you will come to love him. But do injustice to him because you don't love him, and you will come to hate him" (John Ruskin).Gary Henry - WordPoints.com + AreYouaChristian.com

EAGERNESS (MARCH 30)View on Website -- https://wordpoints.com/eagerness-march-30/"We act as though comfort and luxury were the chief requirements of life, when all that we need to make us happy is something to be enthusiastic about" (Charles Kingsley).RUNNING OUT TO MEET LIFE EAGERLY IS A WISE AND BENEFICIAL CHOICE. Whatever we do, we do it better when we do it eagerly rather than reluctantly. When we approach life with eagerness, we overcome obstacles more easily, gain cooperation from others more readily, and experience satisfaction more deeply.If we take an honest look at our lives, however, many of us have to admit we’ve let the forces of daily existence grind down our eagerness, perhaps to the point where there’s little left of it. Maybe we’re not at the point of despair or outright rebellion, but we find ourselves merely tolerating life rather than living it. We’re only “going through the motions.” As G. K. Chesterton remarked, “There is a great deal of difference between an eager man who wants to read a book and the tired man who wants a book to read.” Just so, there is a big difference between the person who has a life to live and the one who merely has to live life — between “living” and “being lived.”But we can do better, can’t we? We can rebuild our reserves of enthusiasm and eagerness. It may take time to get back in touch with the principles that spark excitement, but it’s worth working on, starting today. And one of the best reasons is that we honor others by being eager. Our general attitude toward life comes through in our dealings with those around us, and when we’re living our lives eagerly, others experience that eagerness as a welcoming, enthusiastic approach to them personally. It’s like giving them a hug!Deep down, eagerness is a product of gratitude. Instead of taking life for granted, enthusiasts appreciate it as a gift and a privilege. Without denying their difficulties, eager individuals emphasize their opportunities — and they show their gratitude for them by actively embracing them. With each new day, we get a chance to recharge our attitude and take another run at life’s requirements. While some folks greet the rising sun with a groan, others are rarin’ to go. When we decide which it will be, we make a choice that will affect not only our lives but those of our loved ones, too."Wake up with a smile and go after life . . . Live it, enjoy it, taste it, smell it, feel it" (Joe Knapp).Gary Henry - WordPoints.com + AreYouaChristian.com

MORALE (MARCH 29)View on Website -- https://wordpoints.com/morale-march-29/"Morale is faith in the person at the top" (Familiar Saying).IN MOST OF THE GROUPS THAT WE’RE MEMBERS OF, GREAT THINGS DEPEND ON THE MORALE OF THE GROUP. If those who make up a group are collectively discouraged, depressed, negligent, and unwilling to work, it’s not likely that good things are going to result. But if they’re confident, cheerful, disciplined, and eager to contribute, there aren’t many goals the group can’t accomplish. And the more important the goal, the more morale is a crucial factor.Morale does not come from the mere assertion of a leader’s authority. Leaders need to understand that morale among the “troops” depends, to a large extent, on whether the troops believe the leaders know what they’re doing. Great morale is inspired by those who have the confidence of their peers to help them reach their goals.But if “morale is faith in the person at the top,” many people would say, “Well then, morale is not my responsibility; I’m not the person at the top.” If we think that way, we’re probably taking a limited view of our lives. We’re probably thinking of only one or two of our relationships, such as work or school. But in the larger reality, all of us are members of many different relationships, and each of us has the responsibility for leadership in at least a few of them.Think of a relationship, however small, in which others look to you for leadership. How is the morale? Are those who comprise the relationship encouraged or discouraged about the group’s mission? Could you make a difference by leading differently?Sometimes, we may unknowingly share our fears with others rather than our courage. However, most people already have enough fears to cope with on their own; what they need is hope — along with the motivation to actively pursue it. So Robert Louis Stevenson’s advice was wise: “Keep your fears to yourself, but share your courage.”We need to care about positive morale enough to promote it and protect it. Doing that doesn’t always require big steps; sometimes small steps in the right direction are extremely helpful. The people who follow us just need to know that we’re making progress."When enthusiasm is inspired by reason; controlled by caution; sound in theory; practical in application; reflects confidence; spreads good cheer; raises morale; inspires associates; arouses loyalty, and laughs at adversity, it is beyond price" (Coleman Cox).Gary Henry - WordPoints.com + AreYouaChristian.com

APPRECIATION (MARCH 28)View on Website -- https://wordpoints.com/appreciation-march-28/It takes a heap o’ livin’ in a house t’ make it a home,A heap o’ sun an’ shadder, an’ ye sometimes have t’ roamAfore ye really ’preciate the things ye lef’ behind,An’ hunger fer ’em somehow, with ’em allus on yer mind.(Edgar Albert Guest)IT’S SAD HOW LITTLE WE APPRECIATE SOME THINGS UNTIL WE’VE EITHER LOST THEM OR LEFT THEM BEHIND. By deferring our appreciation until we’ve been deprived, we miss out on much of the day-to-day enjoyment of appreciation. It would be so much better if we paid the price to gain a sense of gratitude right now.Appreciation is the last link in a chain that starts with the deliberate effort to count our blessings. It has never been said better than in the words of the old hymn: “Count your many blessings, name them one by one.” This means consciously and intentionally focusing our minds on the things we hold valuable. And though this sounds like a simple practice, it is no minor challenge in these busy days. We rarely have the time to leisurely and luxuriously reflect on each of the good things in our lives — but we need to take the time (and “name them one by one”). When we do, we’ll be struck by how impoverished our lives would be if we didn’t have these things, and that awareness then leads to the last link in the chain: appreciation. So remember the sequence: (1) meditation on our blessings, (2) awareness of their importance, and (3) appreciation of their value.Of all the things we ought to appreciate, of course, the greatest are the people around us. Psychologist William James famously wrote, “The deepest principle of human nature is the craving to be appreciated.” In our heart of hearts, we all know this saying contains a great insight. And if we know how much we appreciate being appreciated, that’s all the more reason for us to go out of our way to appreciate others. They need it as much as we do.Disliking things is easy, isn’t it? It requires little effort and little character. But finding worthy things to like and then fully appreciating them requires more of us. That being true, let’s set ourselves a goal: let’s aspire to be people defined by both the goodness of the things we love and the depth of our appreciation for each of them."The question is not what a man can scorn, or disparage, or find fault with, but what can he love and value and appreciate" (John Ruskin).Gary Henry - WordPoints.com + AreYouaChristian.com

EXPECTATION (MARCH 27)View on Website -- https://wordpoints.com/expectation-march-27/"Expect people to be better than they are; it helps them to become better. But don’t be disappointed when they are not; it helps them to keep trying" (Merry Browne).OUR EXPECTATIONS ARE POWERFUL FORCES THAT ACT ON OTHER PEOPLE’S LIVES. High expectations pull people upward; low expectations drag them downward. It behooves us to be careful about what we expect of others. What we expect is often what we get.The suggestion that we should expect the best in those around us is often met with cynicism, if not outright mockery. “It’s naive to expect the best,” some would say. I well remember a college teacher who told me, “Gary, nobody ever went broke underestimating the ignorance of the human race.” He said it humorously, tongue-in-cheek, but I’m afraid there are a number of people who would say that and not be joking at all. In fact, most people seem to think cynicism is the safest path to follow: “Expect the worst, and then if anything better than that takes place, you’ll be pleasantly surprised.”But whatever safety there may be in cynicism, I know of no world-class performers in any field who take that approach. Vince Lombardi would never have told his football players, “Now, guys, I don’t really expect that you’re going to play up to your potential, but if you do, that will be okay. I’ll take it as a pleasant surprise.” No, high achievers from around the world have always expected the best — both of themselves and everybody they collaborated with.The truth is, it’s not naive to expect the best of others, especially our friends and family. The best that others can offer may not be perfect, but whatever their best is, they are capable of offering that to the world, and it’s not unrealistic to expect them to do so.We are motivated by “great expectations” (to borrow Charles Dickens’s phrase). They give us energy to “go for the good stuff.” And so it makes sense to do three things: (1) nourish high expectations of ourselves, (2) surround ourselves with friends who’ll keep our expectations high, and (3) influence others to expect higher things for themselves. In every way, it’s wise to encourage hope in the hearts of our fellow travelers. It’s among the greatest of all gifts, and it’s responsible for many of the best things in life."A master can tell you what he expects of you. A teacher, though, awakens your own expectations" (Patricia Neal).Gary Henry - WordPoints.com + AreYouaChristian.com

FASCINATION (MARCH 26)View on Website -- https://wordpoints.com"Youth, large, lusty, loving — youth, full of grace, force, fascination, do you know that old age may come after you with equal grace, force, fascination?" (Walt Whitman).NO MATTER WHO WE ARE OR HOW FAR ALONG WE MAY BE ON LIFE’S PATHWAY, FASCINATION SHOULD CHARACTERIZE US. We should, on the one hand, be people who enjoy being fascinated by the assortment of wonders around us, but on the other hand, we should take an approach to life that gives our lives a little fascination of their own. “Being fascinating” doesn’t qualify as one of the major goals in life, obviously, but the fact remains: if a human life is well lived, fascination will be one of its natural by-products.If something “fascinates” us, what does that mean? It means that it holds our interest with intense attraction. We are more than slightly curious about it; we are spellbound. Think of the snake charmer using music and movement to hold the unbroken attention of a cobra. Think of the hypnotist mesmerizing his subject or the orator enthralling his audience. The thing that fascinates us intrigues us. Doing more than pique our interest, it rivets our attention.But what is it that really fascinates us? I like Calvin Miller’s suggestion: “Joy intrigues.” Isn’t that it? Aren’t we most powerfully intrigued by those who, despite the ups and downs and the occasional unhappiness of life, drink deeply of a joy that seems to be theirs no matter what? I think we are, and I think our fascination with joy is a significant clue to many of the mysteries of the human spirit.We don’t become fascinating by imitating the ways in which other people are fascinating; we do it by entering deeply and enthusiastically into our own unique experience. One of the most fascinating people I’ve ever met was a lady who lived in the same retirement center as my father for a while. She was 104 years old, had never been married, and had been retired for over forty years from her job as a schoolteacher. Her fascination came not from having done anything offbeat, but from having wholeheartedly lived the life that was hers to live. And so the question is not what we’ve done; it’s how joyously we’ve let our years be used up, whether many or few.There’s a fascination franticIn a ruin that’s romantic;Do you think you are sufficiently decayed?(Sir William Schwenck Gilbert)Gary Henry - WordPoints.com + AreYouaChristian.com

EFFICIENCY (MARCH 25)View on Website -- https://wordpoints.com/efficiency-march-25/"There can be no economy where there is no efficiency" (Benjamin Disraeli).BY DEFINITION, EFFICIENCY REDUCES WASTE, AND FOR THAT REASON, IT’S AN ESSENTIAL HABIT TO ACQUIRE. When our resources are scarce, it’s obviously important to minimize waste, but when they’re abundant, as they are for many of us in the modern world, it’s no less important to use those resources efficiently. When we’re plentifully supplied with raw materials for our work, it’s harder to see the need for carefulness, but abundance is never an excuse for waste, and we should always get the most good that we can out of every moment, every dollar, and every ounce of our strength.One place where efficiency and good stewardship are especially important is the realm of personal talents and abilities. Since these are intangible qualities, it may be harder to see them as “resources,” but that’s what they are. Think, for example, about something like intelligence. The more intelligent a person is, the more they should use their intelligence efficiently, wasting as little of it as possible on unworthy pursuits. Susanna Wesley wrote this prayer: “Be pleased, O God, to grant unto me that great freedom of mind that will enable me to . . . manage the common affairs of life in such wise as not to misemploy or neglect the improvement of my talents.”It has often been pointed out by teachers like Stephen R. Covey that “efficiency” must always be governed by “effectiveness.” We may climb life’s ladder with all the efficiency in the world (good technique), but if, when we get to the top, we find that we’ve had our ladder leaning against the wrong wall (wrong vision), we’re in trouble.Working efficiently and effectively requires the old-fashioned quality of wisdom. There’s no shortcut to it — except our willingness to listen and learn from the wisdom of those who’ve gone before.The thing to remember about efficiency is that we’re only in this world for a short time. Whatever contribution we want to make to the lives of those around us, we only have a limited number of days in which to make it. It’s common sense, then, to work as efficiently as we can. If by working efficiently, we can reach the end of our lives having done more good than by working any other way, that’s a powerful argument for learning how to be efficient."The possession of efficiency — the power to do" (Nicholas Murray Butler).Gary Henry - WordPoints.com + AreYouaChristian.com

CHOICE (MARCH 24)View on Website -- https://wordpoints.com/choice-march-24/"You choose, you live the consequences. Every yes, no, maybe, creates the school you call your personal experience" (Richard Bach).EACH TIME WE MAKE A CHOICE, TAKING ONE FORK IN THE ROAD AND NOT THE OTHER, AN INTERESTING THING HAPPENS. On the one hand, our lives expand. As we move forward along the path we’ve chosen, new elements are added to our experience. But on the other hand, our lives contract. The path we didn’t take is no longer a possibility. Whatever might have been if we’d chosen that option is something we’ve now let go of. Similar choices might open up in the future, but they won’t be identical. They will be made in different circumstances and will have different pluses and minuses. Once any choice has been made, it is a historical fact. If it was a bad choice, we may be forgiven, but we’ll still need to admit that we were the person who made that choice. For most of us, history is a humbling thing!None of us is happy with every choice we’ve ever made. Now and then, we all make decisions that yield regrettable consequences. But there are two points to keep in mind. One is the point made by Richard Bach above: “Every yes, no, maybe, creates the school you call your personal experience.” The wonderful variety in life — the exquisite particularity of each individual — comes largely from the combination of a person’s choices, both the painful and the pleasant. Not many of us have flawless complexions, and we don’t have perfect track records in our lives either. In both cases, we must learn to be comfortable in our own “skin” — a skin we started making the first time we used our free will to make a decision on our own.But the second point is that we should have the maturity and discipline to act honorably concerning our choices. The man who says, “I’ll honor this contract as long as it doesn’t stand between me and something else I might want in the future,” is probably not a fellow we’d want to go into business with. We all want to deal with people who honor their choices, so we need to honor ours as well. In the end, it helps to know that life is made better, not worse, by things like trust and honor. We can’t always hedge our bets, run away from risk, and try to wiggle out of inconvenient commitments after we’ve made them. Choices made and promises kept are the stuff of life."Life does not give itself to one who tries to keep all its advantages at once" (Léon Blum).Gary Henry - WordPoints.com + AreYouaChristian.com

POLITENESS (MARCH 23)View on Website -- https://wordpoints.com/politeness-march-23/"Manners are the happy way of doing things" (Ralph Waldo Emerson).IF SOMETHING MAY BE DONE IN MORE THAN ONE WAY, POLITENESS MEANS CHOOSING THE MORE GRACIOUS WAY. Nearly everything we do has an impact on those who have dealings with us, and being polite is a way to make that impact as pleasant as possible. For instance, you can chew your food with your mouth open or closed. But the inside of the human mouth, especially when there’s food in it, is not an attractive sight, and so to make our tablemates’ experience more pleasant, we spare them the sight of our open mouth. George Washington, who learned early about how human influence works, wrote this in his copybook when he was sixteen years old: “Put not another bite into your Mouth till the former be Swallowed, and let not your Morsels be too big for your Mouth.” It may seem insignificant, but that’s a “happy way” of doing things at the table!The rules of etiquette are not random, and before we discard them, we should consider that they are time-tested ways proven by many people to have some value. That some people carry them too far doesn’t mean they are completely useless.Some people who flout the conventions of politeness do so because they think their rudeness projects a certain strength or bravado. But the truly strong don’t need to be impolite. As Eric Hoffer observed, “Rudeness is the weak man’s imitation of strength.”Nor is politeness insincere or pretentious. Madame de Staël said, “Politeness is the art of selecting among one’s real thoughts.” Not everything we think needs to be spoken out loud, and even when tough truths need to be communicated, politeness urges us to balance our courage with a healthy measure of consideration. “Speak the truth in love,” the apostle Paul wrote in Ephesians 4:15.Here’s the point: politeness means considering other people’s feelings. It wants others to have as pleasant an experience as possible. So good manners are just a way of showing kindness to those around us. And while the difference between the polite and the impolite may sometimes seem too small to pay attention to, that’s not an argument for discarding the idea of politeness. In fact, it may be the “little” acts of politeness that matter the most."Never come between anyone and the fire" (Wabasha).Gary Henry - WordPoints.com + AreYouaChristian.com

EXAMINATION (MARCH 22)View on Website -- https://wordpoints.com/examination-march-22/"Before we set our hearts too much upon anything, let us examine how happy those are who already possess it" (François de La Rochefoucauld).MANY OF LIFE’S REGRETS COME FROM NOT LOOKING AT THINGS CAREFULLY ENOUGH. It frequently happens that we acquire possessions or become involved in activities that bring us more grief than happiness, and it would have been relatively easy to see where they would lead if we’d examined them beforehand. That boat you thought you had to have, for example. Did you even ask anyone how much time it would take to maintain it? As La Rochefoucauld points out, before letting ourselves be disturbed by desire for something, we ought to “examine how happy those are who already possess it.” We ought, in other words, to audit our appetites.“Fine print” is boring to read, but it’s often helpful to read it anyway. And the more important the contract, the wiser we are to read the fine print. But we don’t often do that, do we? We assume too much. We jump to too many conclusions without examining them, and then later, when we realize what we’ve gotten ourselves into, we wish we had surveyed the situation a bit more carefully.As little as we examine some things, however, we examine others too much. For instance, most of us spend too much time inspecting and analyzing other people’s business. However, “he who passes by and meddles in a quarrel not his own is like one who takes a dog by the ears” (Proverbs 26:17). A “busybody” is a person who meddles or pries into the affairs of other people, and that’s exactly what we catch ourselves being and doing sometimes. In fact, I have a friend who, based on his observation of human nature, has formulated the following rule: our interest in any topic is inversely proportional to that topic’s bearing on our own conduct.A more productive use of our time would be self-examination. When Socrates said that “the unexamined life is not worth living,” he wasn’t talking about examining someone else’s life to make it more worthy! The growth of our own character depends on being willing to scrutinize ourselves. The flaws are there waiting to be seen, and they are correctable — but only if we submit to self-scrutiny."When we see men of worth, we should think of becoming like them; when we see men of contrary character, we should turn inward and examine ourselves" (Confucius).Gary Henry - WordPoints.com + AreYouaChristian.com

SEASONS (MARCH 21)View on Website -- https://wordpoints.com/seasons-march-21/Sing a song of seasons!Something bright in all!(Robert Louis Stevenson)JUST AS THE YEAR FALLS INTO FOUR NATURAL DIVISIONS — SPRING, SUMMER, AUTUMN, AND WINTER — IT’S GOOD FOR US TO LEAD LIVES THAT ARE “SEASONAL.” Nowadays many of us are cut off from any significant contact with nature and its recurring periods, and if we’re not careful, we will fall into the habit of doing the same thing all the time, twelve months every year. But just as nature does a different kind of work in the spring than in the fall, we need to vary the pattern of our living. Our human years need to be characterized by seasons, so that we enjoy some rhythm and variety.To begin with, it would help us to recover our appreciation of the natural seasons themselves. The qualities that distinguish the four seasons are truly refreshing. However, if we even notice these qualities, it is often only to complain: if it is hot or cold, dry or rainy, we speak as if these variations were undesirable. But they’re not to be regretted or complained about; they are the changes that can give structure, pattern, and texture to our lives. We need to taste the seasons — each of them — more consciously and appreciatively.Taken as a whole, our lives fall into seasons. There is the spring of youth, the summer of early adulthood, the fall of late adulthood, and the winter of old age. All of these present special opportunities and challenges. Each is to be enjoyed and used wisely.But young or old, it’s good to follow the natural seasons each year, enjoy them, and gratefully adapt to their differences. If we’ll lead a summer-like life in the summer, a winter-like life in the winter, and so forth, we’ll find ourselves not only relishing life but being more productive in our worthwhile activities. Respecting the seasons is a good way to get more out of life in all its dimensions.Today, it’s good to be reminded that spring is the “first” season, a time of new beginnings and growth. As greenery starts to emerge from the gray of winter, who can help but be reminded of the opportunity this gives us to renew our commitment to life itself? So whatever good thing you can begin — or renew — today, let it live in you!"In our hearts those of us who know anything worth knowing know that in March a new year begins, and if we plan any new leaves, it will be when the rest of Nature is planning them too" (Joseph Wood Krutch).Gary Henry - WordPoints.com + AreYouaChristian.com

POTENTIAL (MARCH 20)View on Website -- https://wordpoints.com/potential-march-20/"There are admirable potentialities in every human being" (André Gide).POTENTIAL HAS TO DO WITH POSSIBILITIES. It means we can grow, develop, and learn to use powers that are only latent within us right now. And the fact is, every human being has some potential. Improvement is always possible in the way we live and serve others. That’s true because no human being is using all the powers he or she is capable of using. We all have room to grow, and we need to be encouraged by the fact that our potential for growth is greater than we’ve imagined in the past. Our possibilities should energize us.There is a sense, of course, in which it’s better to have as little potential as possible. If we define potential as unused ability, then it would be a compliment if someone said we had very little of that!But most of us have at least a few powers we’ve not learned to use fully, and so one of the most important items on our agenda in this world is reaching forward to realize more of our potential. In fact, the quality of our lives depends more on this than it does on the enjoyment of things we’ve already accomplished. There is always an impulse in the human mind that wants to make progress. Apathy, indifference, complacency, and the like are deadly enemies, and we’re not happy, really, unless we’re striving toward our full potential.And yet, there’s a consideration even more important than our own growth, and that would be the growth of those whom we love. We never use ourselves more worthily than when we do things that help our loved ones reach their potential. When we even help them see their potential more clearly, we do them a favor. And there aren’t many joys in life greater than watching someone reach a potential we’ve encouraged them to see and develop.The fulfillment of potential, whether our own or somebody else’s, almost always requires sacrifice. The weightlifter’s motto, “No pain, no gain,” is pertinent to far more than physical training. There is nothing worth having in life that doesn’t have a price tag, and the cost of realizing our potential often consists of letting go of the comforts of our current condition. We can’t have tomorrow and today too — either we pay the price and grow, or we stay stuck where we are."The important thing is this: to be able at any moment to sacrifice what we are for what we could become" (Charles DuBois).Gary Henry - WordPoints.com + AreYouaChristian.com

ENHANCEMENT (MARCH 19)View on Website -- https://wordpoints.com/enhancement-march-19/"Good is all that serves life, evil is all that serves death. Good is reverence for life . . .  and all that enhances life. Evil is all that stifles life, narrows it down, cuts it to pieces" (Erich Fromm).ALMOST NOTHING GETS BETTER BY ITSELF. To the contrary, most things deteriorate unless someone does something to enhance them from time to time. To “enhance” means to augment something for the better, to make its value or its beauty greater. And that, really, is what our work in this world is all about. It’s not just maintenance; it’s enhancement. Through our work, we have the privilege of improving the things we deal with. And it’s a fine thing to be known as individuals who enhance whatever we touch.Appreciation for improvement. One of our major goals for personal growth should be valuing improvement and establishing it as a priority. We must learn to see the benefit of working toward betterment rather than settling for mediocrity. We need a clearer vision of what can happen when we engage in value-added living: adding value to whatever projects we participate in, little by little.Enhancement of everything. With an appreciation for improvement, we then must be enhancers of everything we interact with. It’s more than an attitude; it’s a type of behavior. We might even say it’s a way of life. In this way of life, we don’t walk past that piece of litter on the sidewalk; we pick it up and place it in the nearest trash can.Gratitude for grace. The most active enhancers of their surroundings are usually those who are grateful for the grace shown to them by God and other human beings. And that’s no coincidence. In the end, gratitude is the great motive for helping others: the realization that we ourselves have been helped beyond our merits. Conscious of our blessings, we are eager to “pay forward” the gifts we’ve received.Sometimes, it’s surprising what enhances life. Just as certain herbs and spices only release their full zest when they’re crushed or rubbed together, we may find that the flavor of life is enhanced by events that may, at first, seem to be only irritants. When we view life with a basically appreciative attitude and respond to those around us with grace and respect, even our differences can make life more zestful. But then, it’s not life that’s being enhanced — it’s we who are."[My wife and I] sometimes had those little rubs which Providence sends to enhance the value of its flavors" (Oliver Goldsmith).Gary Henry - WordPoints.com + AreYouaChristian.com

QUIETNESS (MARCH 18)View on Website -- https://wordpoints.com/quietness-march-18/"True silence is the rest of the mind and is to the spirit what sleep is to the body, nourishment and refreshment" (William Penn).OUR NEED FOR QUIETNESS SEEMS TO INCREASE WITH EACH PASSING DAY. It’s a loud world we live in, in more ways than one, and we can’t endure loudness without some moments of relief. Torturers have always known that it’s possible to drive a human being insane by subjecting him to incessant noise, even if it’s no more than the dripping of water. We have an irrevocable need for quiet: our minds and hearts need stillness and silence to rest. And not only that, they need these things to grow. “I cannot be the man I should be without times of quietness. Stillness is an essential part of growing deeper as we grow older” (Charles R. Swindoll).Our need for quietness, however, shouldn’t send us into the woods or up to the mountaintop to live apart from any other human beings. Quietness, like physical sleep, is a necessity now and then, but it’s not the ultimate goal of life, and we can’t allow our enjoyment of things like meditation to detract from our responsibilities to other people. As Morton Kelsey suggests, “What we do with our lives outwardly, how well we care for others, is as much a part of meditation as what we do in quietness and turning inward.”Yet there’s no denying that we need more quietness than we usually attain in these days of urgent activity. The busier our lives become, the more discipline it takes to eke out times of solitude and serenity. Merely confessing that quietness is a virtue would be a step in the right direction, putting us on the path to greater joy. We’re too quick to dismiss ideals like quietness and simplicity as being obsolete, and we need to start appreciating their goodness once more. “Happiness is the harvest of a quiet eye” (Austin O’Malley).Quietness is an aspect of maturity — physically, emotionally, and even spiritually. Both the perception of its value and the discipline of its practice require personal growth. And like most forms of positive growth, quietness calls for commitment.If only I may growfirmer,simpler,quieter,warmer.(Dag Hammarskjöld)Gary Henry - WordPoints.com + AreYouaChristian.com

ADVICE (MARCH 17)View on Website -- https://wordpoints.com/advice-march-17/"Four eyes see better than two" (Old Saying).IT’S A FOOLISH PERSON INDEED WHO DOESN’T APPRECIATE THE VALUE OF ADVICE. When we’re faced with a decision-making situation, none of us can see everything that would be profitable to see. We need the supplementary vision that comes from other eyes, and to the extent that we let our viewpoint be enlarged and improved by other people’s perspectives, our decisions will turn out better.There are some, no doubt, who go to the opposite extreme, taking the advice of everyone they meet, regardless of whether the advice is good, bad, or mediocre. But the person who takes everyone’s advice is just as foolish as the person who doesn’t take anybody’s. At some point, we have to take responsibility for our own choices. We should heed good advice and disregard that which is not so good — and then we must make our decisions independently.But therein lies the trick! If we could always tell the difference between good and bad advice, we probably wouldn’t need any advice. As Wilson Mizner said, “To profit from good advice requires more wisdom than to give it.” So, we need to grow in wisdom — the wisdom required to recognize and act on good advice.Our most common mistake is disregarding advice that conflicts with our preferences and preconceived ideas. Whoever agrees with our preferred course of action is “wise,” and his advice is “good,” while the fellow who warns us we’re on the wrong track is usually written off as someone who “just doesn’t understand.”But sometimes the best advice is the most uncomfortable. And not only that, but the best advice may come from unwelcome sources, perhaps even our enemies. Yet if we know what’s good for us, we’ll learn to profit from helpful advice, regardless of where it comes from or how little we may want to hear it.In my experience, the best advice usually has to be sought. We must actively look for it; it doesn’t usually look for us. Because they desire to be courteous, many of our friends won’t speak frankly about our circumstances unless we ask them to. And as we all know, asking for advice can be embarrassing. But if we stay silent when we need help, we only hurt ourselves in the long run."I not only use all the brains I have but all I can borrow" (Woodrow Wilson).Gary Henry - WordPoints.com + AreYouaChristian.com

PONDERING (MARCH 16)View on Website -- https://wordpoints.com/pondering-march-16/"First ponder, then dare" (Helmuth von Moltke).IT’S TRUE THAT MOST OF US NEED TO BE MORE ADVENTURESOME, BUT IT’S ALSO TRUE THAT WE NEED TO PONDER OUR DEEDS BEFORE WE DO THEM. As von Moltke says, the correct order of action is “First ponder, then dare.” And the more consequential the dare, the more profound should be the pondering that precedes it.“Ponder” comes from the Latin pondus (“weight”). It means to consider something carefully. When we ponder, we “weigh” an idea in our minds, thinking how significant it is or, if the thought is one of action, what its outcome might be. Pondering is more than casual thinking — it is thinking with care and thoroughness.There is no better way to build credibility than to be a person who ponders things. Living impulsively is not the way to become trustworthy. In fact, we shouldn’t have much credibility if we don’t consider things carefully. If we’re known to act rashly, we’ll not be the people our friends turn to in times of need or difficulty. Our carelessness will keep us from being as trusted as we’d like to be.The notion that ideas can be “weighed” in our minds ought to be of more than passing interest. Contrary to what many seem to think nowadays, not all ideas are equal and interchangeable. Some have more weight than others; that is, some are more true, significant, beneficial, beautiful, and so forth. The challenge in thinking is to discern, by pondering them, which ideas are weighty and which are not. When we’re making decisions, we need to let the weighty ideas count for more and pay less attention to the lighter-weight trivia. And the same principle applies when we’re weighing our words: we should choose wisely between words that are good, better, and best.Being a person who ponders things may sound pretty dull, as if that person never did anything but think. But the truth is, life is never dull when we’re in a receptive state of mind. Those who take the time to ponder the world and its happenings often find that surprises break into their reveries. When we meditate wisely, we’re not merely passing time; we’re preparing for a breakthrough. Pondering opens our hearts and minds to happy discoveries!"I keep the subject constantly before me, and wait till the first dawnings open slowly, by little and little, into a full and clear light" (Isaac Newton).Gary Henry - WordPoints.com + AreYouaChristian.com

DISCUSSION (MARCH 15)View on Website -- https://wordpoints.com/discussion-march-15/"No discussion between two persons can be of any use, until each knows clearly what it is that the other asserts" (Lewis Carroll).WHEN WE DISCUSS THINGS, WE OFTEN ERR BY TALKING WHEN WE SHOULD BE LISTENING. Taking it for granted that we understand what the other person is saying, we’re primarily concerned with whether they understand what we are saying to them. Understanding is not as important to us as being understood, and so our discussions often fizzle out ineffectively. What could have been a dialogue between two inquirers, and therefore an exercise in understanding, becomes a pair of monologues between two talkers, both of whom are in a defensive crouch rather than a learning posture.Our English word “discuss” comes from a compound Latin verb: dis- (“apart”) + quatere (“to shake”). So, the literal meaning to “shake apart.” But the thing “shaken apart” is not one’s counterpart in the discussion — it’s the subject being discussed. To discuss something means to inspect it closely by exchanging ideas and viewpoints. When two people discuss a matter, they speak to one another about it in an effort to ascertain truth or reach agreement. To discuss is to “talk over” something — in other words, to consider a topic by means of conversation. The colloquial expression “put our heads together” is a colorful way of describing the cooperation that occurs in a discussion.Discussion helps to clarify our thinking. “Reading makes a full man, meditation a profound man, discourse a clear man” (Benjamin Franklin). We learn not just by thinking but by conversing, and most of us need to go through the give-and-take of a few discussions before we can see a subject clearly. “As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend” (Book of Proverbs).But there is another, more important, reason discussions are valuable: they help us along the path to common understanding. It is through discussion that groups of people meld their visions into a shared vision and their commitments into mutual commitments.Discussions can sometimes turn contentious, as we all know, but they don’t have to. And when they’re conducted respectfully, as among friends, they are one of life’s biggest joys. Debates and defenses have their place occasionally, but discussions have theirs too."The more the pleasures of the body fade away, the greater to me is the pleasure and charm of conversation" (Plato).Gary Henry - WordPoints.com + AreYouaChristian.com

LIFE (MARCH 14)View on Website -- https://wordpoints.com/life-march-14/"Life is a hard fight, a struggle, a wrestling with the principle of evil, hand to hand, foot to foot. Every inch of the way is disputed. The night is given us to take breath and to pray, to drink deep at the fountain of power. The day, to use the strength that has been given us, to go forth to work with it till the evening" (Florence Nightingale).TO LIVE — THAT IS, TO BE FULLY ALIVE — IS A TEST OF THE HIGHEST POWERS WITHIN US. The thing that can truly be called “life” can’t be reached by taking the course of least resistance. It can only be enjoyed by those prepared to grasp it decisively and with determination. With anything less than that, we find that we’re not really living; we’re just passive puppets who are “being lived.”Most of us can probably sympathize with Jules Laforgue’s sentiment: “Oh, how daily life is!” It keeps coming at us quickly, one day after another, one moment after another. Continually, continually, continually these appear, as if marching to an inexorable drumbeat. One is no sooner done with a day than another presents itself to be dealt with. Each of these days and moments challenges our sense of stewardship: will we use the time to a good end or let it go by unimproved? If we default and do nothing (at least nothing worth doing), the unused increments of our lives eventually pile up behind us, creating a sad monument to negligence and lost opportunity.So the gift of life — and it truly is a gift — must be received properly. We must appreciate it, certainly, but beyond that, we must use it. It is to be employed as well as enjoyed. And the best employment is to use it defending and enhancing the lives of those around us, helping them have a greater measure of life in all its dimensions.When we live responsibly, we recognize our connection to other people (and even to the plants and animals that share our habitat). Except in rare circumstances, human life is a communal experience rather than a solo affair. We’re living at our best when we relate ourselves rightly to the “unimaginable whole” of which we are each a part. And what a delightful “whole” it happens to be!"Life is a roar of bargain and battle, but in the very heart of it there rises a mystic spiritual tone that gives meaning to the whole. It transmutes the dull details into romance. It reminds us that our only but wholly adequate significance is as parts of the unimaginable whole. It suggests that even while we think we are egotists we are living to ends outside ourselves" (Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr.).Gary Henry - WordPoints.com + AreYouaChristian.com

TRUTH (MARCH 13)View on Website -- https://wordpoints.com/truth-march-13/"The ideals which have lighted my way, and time after time have given me new courage to face life cheerfully, have been kindness, beauty, and truth" (Albert Einstein).TRUTH IS NOT THE CREATION OF WEAK PEOPLE’S IMAGINATIONS; IT’S A STRONG AND NOBLE REALITY. Many of those who think it’s intellectually unsophisticated to talk about truth wouldn’t be qualified to carry the briefcase of a man like Einstein, who not only talked about it but also honored it, sought it, and used it to noble ends.We may as well admit it: we fight hopelessly anytime we fight against something as robust as truth. Reality is sturdy; ultimately, it is unassailable. In the short term, we might get away with conduct that’s based on falsehood, but eventually the truth will assert itself. As Edgar J. Mohn colorfully said, “A lie has speed, but truth has endurance.” So philosophically, we ought to stay away from untruth. But not only philosophically, we ought to avoid it personally. It simply does no good to deal in deceit. “Every time you try to smother a truth, two others get their breath” (Bill Copeland). So wouldn’t it be smart just to go ahead and commit ourselves to the truth?Doing that, however, requires more strength and diligence than we might suppose. Truth is not always easy to find, and the reason is one we may not like to confront. “We do not err because truth is difficult to see. It is visible at a glance. We err because this is more comfortable” (Alexander Solzhenitsyn). For every instance when we haven’t looked hard enough for the truth, there are hundreds of other times when we’ve run away from truth that was in plain view. Our difficulty is not so much ignorance as it is cowardice. To put it bluntly, a commitment to truth is a severe test of our bravery.A fearless commitment to truth is one of the major components of moral human character. As far as I can see, it might even be the greatest of all. No matter what other virtues we may possess, without a commitment to truth, everything else fades away.But we don’t honor truth by paying lip service to it; we do it by submitting to it. That means we must follow it rather than try to lead it. There’s just no calculating the good that can happen when we expend our energies in the service of truth — or the damage that’s done when we use our powers to subvert it."I have one request: may I never use my reason against truth" (Elie Wiesel).Gary Henry - WordPoints.com + AreYouaChristian.com

SATISFACTION (MARCH 12)View on Website -- https://wordpoints.com/satisfaction-march-12/"He is well paid that is well satisfied" (William Shakespeare).MANY THINGS WE MAY NOT HAVE, BUT IF WE HAVE WHAT GIVES US SATISFACTION, WE CAN GIVE THANKS. No two of us are exactly the same, so we’re not going to be satisfied by the same things. Yet the world we live in is so wonderfully varied that there is something to satisfy everybody. What we must do is decide to find satisfaction in our own pursuits. Rather than being seduced by the advertisers and entertainers to want things that wouldn’t be satisfying even if we had them, we’d do better to bow our heads and give humble thanks for our own real satisfactions.It’s a common misconception that satisfaction is the same thing as apathy or indifference, but it’s not. Genuine satisfaction doesn’t mean complacency; it means contentment. Satisfaction still leaves room for growth, and it knows how to aspire to greater things. But it also knows how to enjoy and be honestly grateful for present benefits. What it comes down to is this: things don’t have to be perfectly satisfying for them to be pleasantly satisfying.It’s an old suggestion, but it still contains a lot of good sense: simple things are often the most satisfying, although they don’t make the news headlines. As I am writing this, for example, the morning sun has just climbed above the horizon and warmed the waiting world with a golden glow. As I look up from my writing desk and take in the view outside my window, I see something that is satisfying in a simple way. Whatever else I may not have on this day in my life, I’ve enjoyed something that should content my soul.But life isn’t just about being satisfied; it’s about giving satisfaction to others. It’s not always possible to do that, of course, but when it is, we should be eager to do it, even if it means going the extra mile. Sacrificing to see that others are satisfied is one of life’s privileges.You may never have thought about it, but your satisfaction is a contributor to the satisfaction of those around you. Knowing and working with people who are at peace within themselves is one of life’s most refreshing joys, and we do our friends a favor when we choose to be satisfied. Not apathetic, mind you. But satisfied."Let a man’s talents or virtues be what they may, we only feel satisfaction in his society as he is satisfied in himself" (William Hazlitt).Gary Henry - WordPoints.com + AreYouaChristian.com

DEVELOPMENT (MARCH 11)View on Website -- https://wordpoints.com/development-march-11/"Those who won our independence believed that the final end of the State was to make men free to develop their faculties" (Justice Louis Brandeis).FREEDOM IS NOT GIVEN TO US FOR SELFISH INDULGENCE; IT’S MEANT TO BE USED IN REACHING OUR POTENTIAL. This is as true of our civil liberties as it is of those that are more personal in nature. Even the laws and regulations under which we live are for the purpose of creating conditions in which we can flourish and “develop [our] faculties,” as Brandeis put it. Not many people realize that’s what freedom is for, and many who know it don’t take full advantage of it, but freedom is meant to help us grow. It’s not about doing whatever we want; it’s about becoming all we’re capable of.There is a sense in which human lives have to be “unfolded” or “unpacked.” They don’t come already put together, and to say (as the label always tells you when you’re in a hurry) that “some assembly is required” is a considerable understatement. So “development” is the word we often use to describe what has to happen if a person’s character is going to become all it’s capable of being. It’s as if many things are wrapped up in us that have to be unpacked.Like many worthwhile things, the development of character takes time. It’s not work that can be done in a day. In fact, when we look at it properly, we recognize that it’s a lifelong process. No matter how long we live, our character still needs some development.But haven’t we all seen a tendency in our lives to stop developing? Indeed, avoiding stagnation is one of the primary challenges we face as we grow older. It takes extraordinary commitment and discipline to keep on developing as long as we’re in this world.Serious issues are at stake, however. The choice that confronts us is, as someone has said, “Develop or die.” Our endowments are wonderful. Our resources are abundant. Our potential is so vast that it seems unlimited. But none of these things can be neglected without frightful consequences later on. If there’s a law that’s clearly written on every page of nature’s book, it is this: use it or lose it."In every animal . . . a more frequent and continuous use of any organ gradually strengthens, develops, and enlarges that organ . . . while the permanent disuse of any organ imperceptibly weakens and deteriorates it, and progressively diminishes its functional capacity, until it finally disappears" (Jean-Baptiste Lamarck).Gary Henry - WordPoints.com + AreYouaChristian.com

RESTRAINT (MARCH 10)View on Website -- https://wordpoints.com/restraint-march-10/"Liberty exists in proportion to wholesome restraint" (Daniel Webster).IF WE THINK FREEDOM WOULD MEAN THE ABSENCE OF ANY RESTRAINTS ON OUR BEHAVIOR, WE’RE HEADED STRAIGHT TOWARD ONE OF LIFE’S GREATEST DISAPPOINTMENTS. It’s nothing but naive to think we can indulge every whim and desire in any way we please, express ourselves with reckless abandon, disregard the rules of every game we play in, and still be remembered for having made a worthy contribution to the world. Listen to me: life doesn’t work that way, and if we think it does, we are bound to have our hearts broken sooner or later — and in the process, break the hearts of many others.It doesn’t matter what kind of power is under consideration, whether in nature or in human relationships, power has to be restrained. Out-of-control power is never anything but destructive, and the greater the power, the more damage it will do if it’s not regulated, balanced by other forces, and made to stay in bounds.If raw, unrestrained power did as much good as any other kind, a strong boxer could win every bout by rushing into the ring and throwing as many wild punches as possible. But as anybody knows who’s ever been in a boxing match (or any difficult human situation), merely flailing away doesn’t get the job done. To keep from getting your head knocked off, you’ve got to husband your strength, restrain your impulses, and keep your punches under control.In the living of a human life, there is no way around our need for helpful restraints. We need both kinds: external restraints (laws, rules, requirements) and internal restraints (training, discipline, self-control). We even need to have some friends who’ll restrain us. We need these things because without them, we’d often go too far.Rarely is it wise or beneficial to do, say, or think all that might be done, said, or thought. More is not always better, and there’s an undeniable beauty in things like reserve and understatement. So we need not only strength but also wisdom. We need not only freedom but also government. For those times when we can’t see for ourselves that “enough is enough,” we need the help of limits, those signposts of various kinds that simply say, “Here, but no further.”Ah, men do not know how much strength is in poise,That he goes the farthest who goes far enough.(James Russell Lowell)Gary Henry - WordPoints.com + AreYouaChristian.com

WORK (MARCH 9)View on Website -- https://wordpoints.com/work-march-9/"Every man is a consumer, and ought to be a producer. He fails to make his place good in the world unless he not only pays his debt but also adds something to the common wealth" (Ralph Waldo Emerson).TECHNICALLY, “WORK” IS SIMPLY TOIL OR LABOR — IT’S PHYSICAL OR MENTAL EFFORT OR ACTIVITY. But I’d like to suggest that we’d profit from thinking of work in a higher sense. The best concept of work is that which sees it as more than mere labor — it is labor that adds value to the world. When we’re working, we’re adding “something to the common wealth,” as Emerson put it. We’re repaying our debt to the world, first, by replenishing the resources that we’ve taken out of it and, second, by adding some value that wasn’t there before. The result of our work is that something in the world has been improved in some way. Some worth has been created.It’s unfortunate that we so often limit the word “work” to labor we’re paid to perform for an employer. When we speak of the “workplace,” we usually mean the realm of money-paying jobs and careers. But the work that a human being does over the course of his or her lifetime involves a great deal more than that person’s paid occupation. In fact, much, if not most, of the value that gets added to the world is added by the things people do when they’re not “at work,” and we need to quit thinking that the only folks who are working are those who have salaried jobs. (And we certainly need to stop asking stay-at-home mothers why they don’t “work.”)Regarding our work, one of the best things we can do is dedicate it to one or more persons whom we love. It’s no coincidence that writers usually dedicate their work to someone; great power comes from having a special someone “for” whom we’re doing our work. But we don’t have to be a writer to benefit from this power. Whatever work we’re doing, we can see ourselves as “dedicating” it to someone else.Good work is a blessing to be appreciated, not a burden to be resented. It’s a privilege to have the opportunity to add value back to a world that has given us so much. And if we think of our work rightly, there’s a good chance we’ll want to enter into it appreciatively, enthusiastically, and energetically. Adding value by giving honest effort is a thing we’ll find satisfying and, yes, even enjoyable.Work! Thank God for the swing of it,for the clamoring, hammering ring of it.(Edwin Markham)Gary Henry - WordPoints.com + AreYouaChristian.com

CREATIVITY (MARCH 8)View on Website -- https://wordpoints.com/creativity-march-8/"Man unites himself with the world in the process of creation" (Erich Fromm).WE’RE BORN INTO A PRE-MADE WORLD, BUT WITHIN THE WORLD AS IT WAS WHEN WE GOT HERE, WE’VE GOT THE ABILITY TO MAKE MANY NEW THINGS. Some might say we can’t make anything truly new; we can only do new things with the raw materials already here. But what wonderful reorderings of the raw materials we’re capable of! Our human creativity is a fascinating force.Because it’s so powerful, our creative urge needs to be carefully managed. Among people seriously involved in creative work, we often hear it said (by artists, musicians, writers, etc.) that the only reason for their work is to allow the creators to “express themselves.” But in a world where we’re all connected, that should never be the case. Not everything a person might “express” needs to see the light of day. Before I create anything, I need to ask myself honestly: will this expression of myself make a positive contribution to those around me, or will it pollute them? Will it help or will it hurt?Our ability to create carries a serious stewardship, and in our present culture there may be some doubt whether we’re handling that stewardship responsibly. “We live at a time when man believes himself fabulously capable of creation, but he does not know what to create” (José Ortega y Gasset). As with all of God’s gifts, creativity is meant to be used beneficially. We have it within us to give others hope, to bring refreshment, and to strengthen.When we take a wise approach to the creative act, however, magnificent things can be accomplished. Our creativity can bring much-needed freshness to our own lives and those of others. Not only that, but we have it within our power to create things that will do good long after we’re gone from this world. Few of us are going to be remembered by succeeding generations, but the question of what we’re going to leave behind is still significant. We’re at our best when we’re using our creative powers to do lasting good. It doesn’t matter whether any historian gives us credit; it only matters that we’ve created something that will help others — now and perhaps even later!"Creativity is not merely the innocent spontaneity of our youth and childhood; it must also be married to the passion of the adult human being, which is a passion to live beyond one’s death" (Rollo May).Gary Henry - WordPoints.com + AreYouaChristian.com

INVENTIVENESS (MARCH 7)View on Website -- https://wordpoints.com/inventiveness-march-7/"The most gifted members of the human species are at their creative best when they cannot have their way" (Eric Hoffer).ONE OF THE MOST AMAZING THINGS ABOUT HUMAN BEINGS IS OUR ABILITY TO FIND SOLUTIONS WHEN WE’RE FACED WITH PROBLEMS. Nearly every day, we see evidence, either in our own lives or those of others, that the adage is true: “necessity is the mother of invention.” When our path is blocked, we find an alternate route. When we’re frustrated, we find a way to make progress. When no tool exists that will serve our purpose, we invent a new one. We’re a creative species, and it seems there is no end to our inventiveness.Unfortunately, human beings have not always used their inventiveness to good ends. Many of the most harmful contrivances in the world have been conceived by geniuses whose creativity was allowed to run loose, unfettered by true principles or worthy values. So, we need not think that inventiveness is a good thing in itself. If true goodness is to result from our ingenuity, our creative powers must be harnessed and disciplined. When we answer the call to be inventive, it must be in the pursuit of goodness and not evil.The world would be a better place, for example, if we used less of our inventiveness to get what we want for ourselves and more of it to meet the needs of those around us. If we could manage to be half as ingenious in helping others as we are in helping ourselves, the world would be a much better place.And speaking of our relationship to others, the most inventive force in the world is love. Whatever needs to be figured out or accomplished, love will find a way. It doesn’t really matter what the hurdle is; if a person is in love, the hurdle is likely to be cleared.Since the things and people we love make us so inventive, we need to be wise in deciding which things and people those are. Almost inevitably, we move in the direction of our aspirations, creatively finding ways around every problem that stands between us and what we aspire to. So, as the old-timers used to say, we need to be careful what we want, because we are apt to get it. Our inventiveness can be counted on to get us to our goals; the only question is whether our goals are worthy."Our inventions mirror our secret wishes" (Lawrence Durrell).Gary Henry - WordPoints.com + AreYouaChristian.com

INNOVATION (MARCH 6)View on Website -- https://wordpoints.com/innovation-march-6/"We are more ready to try the untried when what we do is inconsequential. Hence the remarkable fact that many inventions had their birth as toys" (Eric Hoffer).DELIGHTFUL THINGS OFTEN OCCUR WHEN WE’RE WILLING TO TRY SOMETHING NEW. Perhaps that’s why children’s lives are so full of joy: their natural sense of playfulness encourages them to turn things upside-down and inside-out. The lives of young people fairly bristle with innovation, and the discoveries they make are often of benefit to those much older than themselves.As grown-ups, we often find it hard to get the right balance when it comes to innovation. Sometimes we go to the extreme of worshiping whatever is new, and we foolishly throw overboard anything that has any age or tradition to it. When we’re in this mode, we need to be reminded that there’s nothing inherently valuable about something new; its value depends upon its context, and we need to think twice before we smash a tradition that can’t be recovered once it’s destroyed. Innovation and change are not synonymous.Yet we often go to the other extreme as well. In our conservatism, we become so tied to the status quo that we reject innovations that would be truly helpful. The apple cart becomes so sacred that we dare not risk upsetting it. Yet, as Frank A. Clark suggested, “Why not upset the apple cart? If you don’t, the apples will rot anyway.” Obviously, it would be foolish to mindlessly apply that thinking to every situation, but there’s no denying the creative value of the question itself: why not upset the apple cart?Even in our personal relationships, there is a sense in which we should be wholesomely innovative. No matter what the problem or project, if others can count on us to bring a fresh and helpful perspective to the effort, that’s a fine reputation to have.Whatever may be our individual talents and abilities, these were meant to be used — energetically and even innovatively. If we’re actively engaged with life, we’ll make some delightful discoveries while trying out new approaches to old problems. We’ll be willing, at least once in a while, to experiment — just like the curious child who says, “I wonder what would happen if you did it this way?”I will work out the divinity that is busy within my mindAnd tend the means that are mine.(Pindar)Gary Henry - WordPoints.com + AreYouaChristian.com

CLARITY (MARCH 5)View on Website -- https://wordpoints.com/clarity-march-5/"Hold every moment sacred. Give each clarity and meaning, each the weight of thine awareness, each its true and due fulfillment" (Thomas Mann).THERE IS TOO MUCH FUZZINESS IN OUR IDEAS. What should be sharp and clear is often indistinct and cloudy. We need to bring some clarity to the business of living — and also of loving.Clarity in our thinking. Since our actions are the consequence of our thinking, it’s essential that what we think be as clear as possible. Sometimes, however, we don’t work very hard on this goal, even concerning vital topics. Alfred North Whitehead once spoke of a particular philosophy as “an adventure in the clarification of thought.” If you know the philosophy of which he spoke, you may doubt whether it made anything clearer, but still, his expression, “an adventure in the clarification of thought,” is interesting. How long has it been since you embarked on an adventure like that? How recently has your thinking on a significant subject been clarified?Clarity in our relationships. Sometimes our relationships lack quality because they’re ill-defined. We haven’t made the effort to know the other person clearly, nor have we given them the chance to know us clearly — so the relationship is foggy. Our interactions would improve if we clarified them with openness, humility, and courage.Perhaps we find it difficult to relate to others clearly because we don’t experience things clearly ourselves. And maybe that’s because so much of our experience now is “synthetic.” Cut off from the clarity of the natural world, our minds are fed primarily by the flickering images on our digital devices, big and little screens alike. As wonderful as these media are, they can never present more than a vague representation of original reality. Out of touch with sharply defined reality itself, it’s no surprise that our thinking falls out of focus. We would do well to “clear up” our intellect and our imaginations more often by directly experiencing the creations that call to us “out there” — beyond the doors of our dwellings. Things that are clear in themselves can help to make our minds more clear.There is a poignancy in all things clear,In the stare of the deer, in the ring of a hammer in the morning.Seeing a bucket of perfectly lucid waterWe fall to imagining prodigious honesties.(Richard Wilbur)Gary Henry - WordPoints.com + AreYouaChristian.com

SELFLESSNESS (MARCH 4)View on Website -- https://wordpoints.com/selflessness-march-4/"A man cannot enter into the deepest center of himself . . . unless he is able to pass entirely out of himself and give himself to other people in the purity of a selfless love" (Thomas Merton).ONE OF THE GREAT IRONIES OF LIFE IS THAT WE FIND OURSELVES BY LOSING OURSELVES. If we’re so obsessed with what we’ve accumulated for our own enjoyment that we won’t relinquish any of it for the sake of others, the result is not a richer life but a poorer one. (Think of Scrooge on Christmas Eve.) On the other hand, if we put less emphasis on what is ours and embrace the idea of sacrifice, what we find is that we’ve gained more than we’ve given away. (Think of Scrooge on Christmas morning.) We find what we’re looking for only after we start looking for something else. A “self” comes to us not by self-centered-ness but by — believe it or not — self-less-ness.If we haven’t come to terms with it already, it’s high time we recognized that we’re happiest when we’re giving ourselves away. That’s just the nature of the reality we happen to be a part of, and we can no more change it than we can amend the law of gravity. To try, as many do, to gain happiness by selfishness rather than selflessness is an effort doomed to failure. C. S. Lewis said it this way: “What is outside the system of self-giving is not earth, nor nature, nor ordinary life, but simply and solely Hell. Yet even Hell derives from this law such reality as it has. That fierce imprisonment in the self is but the obverse of the self-giving which is absolute reality.” Selfishness is an assault on reality, an assault that is bound to fail eventually.This doesn’t mean we have no self-interest at all. It would be an unhealthy person indeed who had no concern for his own wants and needs. But selflessness means that we’re willing to sacrifice for the good of others, when sacrifice is needed, and that our own desires are filled up only when we’re willing to pour them out. There aren’t going to be any good things in the world if somebody doesn’t do some giving, and if we want a share of the goodness, we’re going to have to participate in the giving. As long as the world is the kind of place it is, there will be no serious gain without significant loss."Every man brings an egg and every one wants an omelette — but without breaking his own egg. That poses a most difficult situation" (Frank Mar).Gary Henry - WordPoints.com + AreYouaChristian.com

REINFORCEMENT (MARCH 3)View on Website -- https://wordpoints.com/reinforcement-march-3/"What reinforcement we may gain from hope" (John Milton).NONE OF US IS SO STRONG THAT WE DON’T NEED SOME OCCASIONAL REINFORCEMENT. In particular, we need the kind of reinforcement that comes, as Milton suggests, from hope. As the days come and go, our energies wane, our commitments weaken, and our courage fails. Fairly frequently, we need to receive a reinforcement of hope. We need to be buttressed with fresh strength.But here is what I want you to think about: the best kinds of reinforcement are those that add a different type of strength than what was already there. As in the physical world, the things that do the best job of bracing our spirits are those that supplement our strength from a different — and perhaps surprising — angle.Older and younger. Do you want some serious reinforcement in your life in a hurry? Just find somebody whose chronological age is significantly different from yours. Interact with them. Listen to them. You may be astonished at how much stronger this makes you.Men and women. A major part of the beauty and mystery of life is the difference between the strengths of men and women. To be truly strong, masculine strength needs to be reinforced by what men can learn about strength from women, and vice versa.Rich and poor. One reason for our weakness nowadays is that we cut ourselves off from any real contact with anyone outside our own social and economic niche. But “inter-niche” contact is reinforcing.Each of us is a unique being, made up of strengths not found in any other person in exactly the same combination. What that means is that all of us have the ability to add reinforcing strength to other people’s lives. Because we’re different, the strengths we impart to one another will always come from a different “angle” than what was already in that person’s life. And ultimately, that’s why our gifts have been given to us, whatever they may be. Our endowments are not for our private enjoyment alone; they are meant to be used in the work of reinforcement. And we use our various gifts best when we use them “to charm, to strengthen, and to teach.”But the great Master said, “I seeNo best in kind, but in degree;I gave a various gift to each,To charm, to strengthen, and to teach.”(Henry Wadsworth Longfellow)Gary Henry - WordPoints.com + AreYouaChristian.com

AMAZEMENT (MARCH 2)View on Website -- https://wordpoints.com/amazement-march-2/"The true scientist never loses the faculty of amazement" (Hans Selye).WE USE THE WORD “AMAZEMENT” IN A DIFFERENT WAY THAN IT WAS ORIGINALLY USED. In its older sense, amazement meant bewilderment or perplexity (the feeling you’d have if you were lost in a cornfield “maze” or labyrinth). Shakespeare used the word this way in Act IV of King John: “I am amaz’d, methinks, and lose my way / Among the thorns and dangers of the world.” Today, however, to be amazed means to be in a state of extreme surprise or wonder. Most of us already know that, but is there anything about this word that would make it a good word to meditate on? I think there is.There is some value and virtue in keeping our hearts open enough that we can be amazed. If we’ve seen so much, or perhaps grown so tired, that nothing amazes us anymore, then I believe we’ve suffered a sad loss. As far as the objective reality around us is concerned, there is very much in the world to be amazed at. (Remember And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street by Dr. Seuss?) Several times a day, most of us encounter something that should fill us with surprise and wonder. If our antennas are not up, however, the astonishing qualities of these things will be lost on us.I would even go so far as to say that being amazed in the older sense is beneficial, at least once in a while. Many of us have gotten so confident in our modernity that it would do us good to suffer some occasional bewilderment or perplexity. It’s healthy to get lost in a “maze” now and then — and thus be reminded of our fallibility.Amazement is undoubtedly one of the keys to learning. As Hans Selye said, “The true scientist never loses the faculty of amazement.” We should keep our childhood curiosity and sense of wonder as long as we can. When we lose it, we quit learning new and useful things.Beyond the learning value of amazement, however, we are simply healthier, more interesting people when there is some amazement in our lives. If I could choose only one life to live, I’d rather be a country bumpkin any day, easily and enjoyably amazed at the simplest of things, than to be a sophisticated man-about-town who’s outlived his enthusiasm for the wonders of the everyday world.As Tammie glow’red, amazed and curious,The mirth and fun grew fast and furious.(Robert Burns)Gary Henry - WordPoints.com + AreYouaChristian.com

SPORTSMANSHIP (MARCH 1)View on Website -- https://wordpoints.com/sportsmanship-march-1/"Everyone admires a good loser — except his wife" (Anonymous).FAILURE COMES IN MANY DIFFERENT FORMS. In any situation, there is more than one test we might fail, more than one way in which our conduct might fall below the level of acceptability. Today, let’s think about the test of “sportsmanship.” At first glance, you may not think “unsportsmanlike conduct” is one of the more serious crimes that a person might commit, but don’t be so quick to dismiss it. If you’ll just observe what happens around you for a few days, you’ll see that a good bit of what causes friction among people comes down to a simple failure on somebody’s part to play fair and to be a good loser or a good winner. Sportsmanship involves some fairly significant issues — such as justice, honor, and respect for others.Playing fair. There would be a lot less stress in the world if we all remembered what we learned on the playground about old-fashioned fairness. Despite our sometimes tortured legal arguments, it usually isn’t all that hard to figure out what’s fair. We may, for one reason or another, find it difficult to do what is fair, but knowing what a good sport would do isn’t as complicated as we make it out to be. As a guiding principle, fairness is as simple as it is powerful.Being a good loser. I once heard someone (probably a coach) say, “Don’t criticize a poor loser — a poor loser’s still a better opponent than any kind of winner.” Maybe so, but all joking aside, the problem of people acting dishonorably when they lose something they desperately tried to gain is a serious problem. And we’re all guilty of it occasionally. If we wanted to make a positive contribution to the world, each of us could do that by resolving never again to act spitefully or vindictively when we’ve lost something we wanted to win.Being a good winner. In a sense, being a good winner is harder than being a good loser. When we’ve lost, we have to be good sports to keep from being further shamed. But when we’ve won, it’s hardly considered a sin if we indulge in a little well-earned gloating. So, as winners, the incentive to good sportsmanship is simply our respect for those on the other side. But what an incentive that should be! Without respect for others, our winnings aren’t worth a dime."Win as if you were used to it; lose as if you enjoyed it for a change" (Anonymous).Gary Henry - WordPoints.com + AreYouaChristian.com

HANDS (FEBRUARY 29)View on Website -- https://wordpoints.com/hands-february-29/"I have met people so empty of joy that when I clasped their frosty fingertips it seemed as if I were shaking hands with a northeast storm. Others there are whose hands have sunbeams in them, so that their grasp warms my heart. It may be only the clinging touch of a child’s hand, but there is as much potential sunshine in it for me as there is in the loving glance for others" (Helen Keller).OUR HANDS ARE MORE THAN JUST ANOTHER PART OF OUR BODIES. If our bodies are the instruments through which we do our work in the world, it’s our hands, especially, that do that work. The Book of Ecclesiastes, for example, says, “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might.” Something an individual has accomplished is that person’s “handiwork.” A disadvantage in our work is called a “handicap.” And, of course, something that helps us do our work is described as “handy.” No part of the body is more closely linked to the doings of human beings than the hands.Have you ever noticed how much hands say about a person’s character? The hands reveal hardly any less than the face. I once met an artist, in fact, who did nothing but hands. She sculpted hands, drew them, painted them, photographed them, and even wrote poems about them, as I recall. Children’s hands and older people’s hands. Rugged hands and delicate hands. Friendly hands and hostile hands. The whole gamut of human feeling and experience was powerfully and beautifully portrayed by these hands, artistically rendered. What a creative gift by this artist!Most of us have memories of hands we’ve known in the past. Can’t you remember your grandmother’s hands? The hands of your piano teacher? Your baseball coach? These images should remind us: we’re remembered not just for what we are but for what we do.Having healthy, functional hands is not a thing to be taken for granted; it’s a sober stewardship. With these physical extensions of our will, we can do good or evil, and we’re responsible for our choice in the matter. What we “hand” down to our descendants needs to be something that will invite gratitude rather than regret. And there is not a one of us who can’t do this. No matter who we are, we can do worthy work. With our hands, we can work what is good and honorable and valuable to those who are coming along behind.Enough, if something from our hands have powerTo live, and act, and serve the future hour.(William Wordsworth)Gary Henry - WordPoints.com + AreYouaChristian.com

KEYS (FEBRUARY 28)View on Website -- https://wordpoints.com/keys-february-28/"Open sesame!" (The Arabian Nights).LOCKED DOORS ARE MYSTERIOUS, AND THE KEYS THAT OPEN THEM HAVE A ROMANTIC AURA ABOUT THEM. I once came across a collection of keys on a brass ring in an antique store, and it was all I could do to keep from buying them. Even without knowing what doors they would have opened, I still found the keys fascinating. Keys are like that. They are powerful, and they are interesting.The most important keys, of course, are not those that are physical; they are the intangible ones that unlock invisible doors: the “doors” we have to go through to get from one “room” in our lives to another. When we have trouble getting these doors open, it’s nice to have a friend who can provide the key. And these keys come in many different forms, don’t they? Sometimes it’s a word of encouragement that opens the door, or perhaps an insight from our friend’s thinking. It may involve a recommendation given by our friend to a third party. Often, it’s simply an act of kindness or service by our friend that provides the key to progress. Each key is important in its own way.Friendship also involves the mutual keeping of another kind of key. Close friends confide in one another in valuable ways, and in a faithful friendship, these special, private truths cannot be divulged without the permission of the other friend, who, in effect, holds the “key.” In the words of Christopher Smart’s poem: “‘Tis in my memory lock’d / And you yourself shall keep the key of it.”Perhaps the most amazing kind of key, however, is the one that opens the door through which someone else discovers their real life! It’s a startling thought, really, but we can sometimes assist other people in discovering who they are and where they should be headed in life. Looking back, most of us can identify friends or mentors who helped us in that way, and we should be eager to pass along the favor whenever we can. In fact, there aren’t many higher things we can aspire to in this life “under the sun.” It’s a joy to be people who have the effect of unlocking others, awakening their sense of purpose. To cultivate that kind of influence — being known for opening hearts and minds — is a reputation worth working to preserve.He opened us —who was a key,who was a man.(Gwendolyn Brooks)Gary Henry - WordPoints.com + AreYouaChristian.com

SUFFICIENCY (FEBRUARY 27)View on Website -- https://wordpoints.com/sufficiency-february-27/"No, 'tis not so deep as a well, nor so wide as a church door; but 'tis enough, 'twill serve" (William Shakespeare).SUFFICIENCY IS NO SMALL THING. If what has been provided is “enough” or it’s “adequate,” then we shouldn’t look down on it or fail to be thankful. If we’ve gotten to the point where we feel that what is “sufficient” is somehow less than we deserve, then our affluence is probably hurting us more than it’s helping us. And if, in our work, we feel insulted when someone describes our output as “sufficient,” then we may have gotten too high-minded for our own good.To be sure, excellence is a worthy ideal, and if you know me, you know I’m not recommending mediocrity. The person who is content to do less than his best needs to get off his derriere and start doing better. But if I’ve done my best and my best is sufficient, then I shouldn’t see my effort as anything less than honorable. For all the talk done by those who promise excellence, the world could do with a few more folks who actually deliver sufficiency!In my estimation, some of the greatest people who contribute to the world are those who quietly go about the business of supplying “sufficiency” in all their relationships. They don’t have press agents. They don’t get standing ovations. And they don’t receive awards. But they do what their more prominent peers often don’t do: they deliver the goods. Adequately and dependably. Day in and day out.Our talk of “excellence” is often a substitute for “sufficient” work. If you hear someone saying they’re too talented to work for the minimum wage, you’d expect they might be making much more than that. All too often, though, that person has made less net income, over the long term, than the minimum-wage worker. “Sufficient” income is a blessing. As Aesop told us long ago, the tortoise often reaches the goal (and a comfortable retirement) faster than the hare.So how is it with us in our own lives? All of us have people — friends, family, coworkers, neighbors, etc. — whose lives are affected by what we do. Our relationship with these people is such that they depend on us to supply certain necessities. If we wish to provide more than what’s “sufficient,” that’s fine — but our loved ones shouldn’t have to worry about receiving any less than that."Enough is as good as a feast" (John Heywood).Gary Henry - WordPoints.com + AreYouaChristian.com

USEFULNESS (FEBRUARY 26)View on Website -- https://wordpoints.com/usefulness-february-26/"A useless life is an early death" (Johann Wolfgang von Goethe).WANTING TO BE USEFUL IS A CRUCIAL PART OF OUR NATURE. We may be easily distracted from that desire — and some folks seem to have suppressed the urge altogether — but still it’s true, we want to feel that we’re of significant use to somebody. Times of enforced idleness, such as periods of illness or disability, are rarely the seasons we remember as the happiest in our lives. “It is a great misfortune to be of use to nobody” (Baltasar Gracián).Regarding this “misfortune,” however, there is something we need to be aware of: it is never actually the case that we’re “of use to nobody.” We may feel useless sometimes, but that feeling is never entirely consistent with reality. My father, for example, who just celebrated his ninetieth birthday, struggles with occasional feelings of uselessness. Physically, he’s limited in what he can do, and it’s often hard for him to see any real purpose for his continued presence in the world. Yet in truth, he continues to be helpful to others in ways he’s not aware of. If nothing else, his example of steadfastness and good cheer is of great value to all who know him.It’s an obvious fact, of course, that our usefulness can be diminished by circumstances beyond our control, like old age or physical impairment. But usually, what is reduced is only our preferred and customary ways of being useful. What we need to do is let go of the past and have the humility to switch gears in our service to others. We need to adjust ourselves to new ways of being useful — ways that may be less congenial to us but are no less valuable to others.There will be few days in this world when we can’t do something that someone needs to have done. We can be helpful if that’s what we want to be, and it’s a marvelous thing to set that as our goal. An even greater goal, however, is to combine usefulness with grace. We can diminish the drabness in our world not only by doing what needs to be done but also by carrying it out in a way that delights and encourages those we serve. Pragmatism and practicality are commendable qualities in their own right, but they’re nothing short of astonishing when they’re clothed with the added quality of grace."The difference between utility and utility plus beauty is the difference between telephone wires and the spider’s web" (Edwin Way Teale).Gary Henry - WordPoints.com + AreYouaChristian.com

FAVOR (FEBRUARY 25)View on Website -- https://wordpoints.com/favor-february-25/"A favour well bestowed is almost as great an honor to him who confers it as to him who receives it" (Richard Steele).FAVOR IS ONE OF THE MOST GRATIFYING THINGS IN LIFE. Whether we think of it as an attitude or an act, it’s always a delightful gift. As an attitude, it’s a gracious, kind, and friendly way of thinking about somebody else. And as an act, it’s a deed that reflects such an attitude. When we “do a favor” for someone, we do something that shows our “favor” for them personally. And as Richard Steele suggests, a favor “well bestowed” (with honesty and courtesy, for example) is “as great an honor to him who confers it as to him who receives it.” Favors, whether big or little, are a part of the grace of life. Without them, this world would be far more dreary.It would be a fine thing to develop “favor” as a basic outlook or disposition. That is, it would help us to look on life itself more “favorably.” Yes, some things have to be dealt with that cannot — and should not — be looked upon with favor. In fact, there are many such things, and it’s foolish to pretend they don’t exist. But there is also much good in this world, and we have an important choice to make: which one are we going to spend most of our time thinking about? When we’re determining our inner inclination or orientation, I believe it’s wise to be as favorable as possible. Our choice can be to think and act as favorably toward others as wisdom will allow. And when the evidence is ambiguous, we can give people the benefit of the doubt. In other words, we can “favor” the more positive scenario.We have it within our power, every day of the week, to show kindness to other human beings, and by doing so, to show them favor. We can live in such a way that doing a favor is more than a random act we engage in — favor can be integral to who we are. It can be one of our principles, a part of the fabric of our character. When that’s the case, we’ll find ourselves bringing a welcome happiness into the lives of all who deal with us. And not only that, by having gratitude as a settled part of our character, we’ll begin to appreciate how much favor others show to us, and even the ordinary affairs of daily living will be warmed with some colors that are quite wonderful. Both the giving and receiving of favor are among life’s richest treasures."How beautiful a day can be when kindness touches it" (George Elliston).Gary Henry - WordPoints.com + AreYouaChristian.com

ADMONITION (FEBRUARY 24)View on Website -- https://wordpoints.com/admonition-february-24/"A friend is one who warns you" (Arabian Proverb).TO “ADMONISH” IS TO REPROVE SOMEONE MILDLY OR KINDLY BUT SERIOUSLY. If a friend admonishes you, that means they caution you about your behavior or counsel you against a dangerous course of action. Because it has a distinctly “disciplinary” ring, admonition may not seem like a positive practice — I doubt many would call it an “enthusiastic idea.” However, it’s a better thing than most people suppose. Since success in this life often comes down to whether we’re willing to be warned, being open to admonition is a part of the good life. And as far as our friends are concerned, a faithful friend will admonish us when we need it — in serious cases, even risking the relationship in order to say what we need to hear.Receiving admonition is certainly not pleasant, and if we judge things solely by whether they make us feel good emotionally, admonition won’t be something we tolerate. But the momentary pain of having it pointed out that we’re headed down the wrong road is worth accepting, simply because it helps us avoid a much greater, and perhaps disastrous, pain later on. As Shakespeare put it, “Better a little chiding than a great deal of heartbreak.”We need to work on two things: receiving admonition in the proper spirit and giving admonition in the right way. When we’re being warned, we need to hear the admonition with openness, humility, courage, and an eagerness to act on whatever truth we’re hearing. And when we’re the one issuing the warning, we need to do so wisely. It takes good judgment, honest love, and considerable skill to find the balance between courage and kindness, but without that balance, admonitions often do more harm than good.Whether or not we have friends who’ll admonish us, we all have a conscience, and that’s precisely what our conscience is supposed to do. We need to ensure that our conscience is well-educated and that its warnings are based on truth and reality. But more than that, we need to listen to our conscience. If we don’t, the time will come when it will give up. It will stop trying to get our attention and eventually abandon us. Let’s make sure that doesn’t happen."If conscience smite thee once, it is an admonition; if twice, it is a condemnation" (Nathaniel Hawthorne).Gary Henry - WordPoints.com + AreYouaChristian.com

DIVERSITY (FEBRUARY 23)View on Website -- https://wordpoints.com/diversity-february-23/"The glory of creation is in its infinite diversity" (Gene Roddenberry).IT’S HARD TO LOOK AT THE WORLD WE LIVE IN AND NOT BE INTRIGUED BY ITS INTRICACY. Rather than being one homogeneous substance throughout, it’s made up of billions and billions of separate entities. This world is not a vanilla pudding; it’s a tossed salad. And what a diverse salad it is! You could spend twenty-seven lifetimes studying the earth and not even list everything that’s here, much less describe how every “thing” is different from every “other thing.” If variety’s the spice of life, we’re surrounded by spice, aren’t we? And shouldn’t we be grateful? The diversity of our world is part of its strength and beauty, and meditating on that is a helpful exercise.As individuals, most of us would be stronger if there was more diversity in our character. There is a sense, of course, in which simplicity is beautiful, and we’re not recommending that any of us try to become complicated, difficult, or hard to figure out. The point is just that variety can be a valuable thing, in ourselves just as in the world at large. Our characters will be better if they include various elements that reinforce one another and round us out.One thing that can add diversity to our character is becoming interested in and respectful of people who differ from us in significant ways. As Charles Dickens has one of his characters say in Martin Chuzzlewit, “Them which is of other natures thinks different.” Conflicting opinions may make us uncomfortable, but we need not fear them. Our own thinking is strengthened, rather than weakened, when we view things from the perspective of people who stand at a different spot and see things from a different angle. This doesn’t mean that every viewpoint is equally helpful or accurate; it just means that our reasoning needs to be enriched and deepened by input from outside our present patterns of thought.How many kinds of people can you enjoy working with? How varied are the situations in which you can function effectively? How diverse are your tastes? Your habits? Your ideas? If your answer is, “Not very,” you’re missing out on much of the world’s amazement. So, jump into the tingling waters of diversity and go for a swim!The heavens rejoice in motion, why should IAbjure my so much lov’d variety?(John Donne)Gary Henry - WordPoints.com + AreYouaChristian.com

LEADERSHIP (FEBRUARY 22)View on Website -- https://wordpoints.com/leadership-february-22/"He that would be a leader must be a bridge" (Welsh Proverb).IT WOULD BE HARD TO THINK OF GEORGE WASHINGTON, BORN ON THIS DAY, WITHOUT THINKING OF LEADERSHIP. If it hadn’t been for his ability to blaze a trail, both literally and figuratively, our nation might easily have been lost trying to find its freedom. We wouldn’t have to stretch our imaginations much to believe that the availability of his leadership at that time was providential.When history judges a person to have been a leader, that person is almost always someone who helped his contemporaries get through a time of change. And the more gut-wrenching the change, the more valuable were the services of the individual who led others through the transition. Great leaders don’t waste time wishing for more favorable circumstances in which to demonstrate their skills or display their wisdom; they recognize that if circumstances were entirely favorable, their services would scarcely be required. Hard work during hard times is what leadership is primarily about.Unfortunately for our nation, we are quickly losing touch with the real-life facts of the Revolutionary War. Far removed from the bloody traumas of that period, comfortable in freedoms that have been the norm all our lives, and uninterested in reading history books or honoring heroes, we live as if things have always been the way they are now. We forget the horrifying chasm over which George Washington led us — from what once was to what now is.However valuable his service to us was, George Washington was not primarily interested in being remembered as a famous individual. He would not have wanted our freedoms to depend on any continuing influence by him down through the years. Like all great leaders, he wanted those whom he led to be enabled and empowered. He might have wanted to be remembered kindly, but more than that, he would have wanted us to move ahead, no longer needing his active assistance. And so, on his birthday, let’s honor Washington wisely, acknowledging with gratitude the bridge he led us over. Then let’s see if we can’t find some chasms that our own friends and neighbors need help crossing."The final test of a leader is that he leaves behind him in other men the conviction and the will to carry on" (Walter Lippmann).Gary Henry - WordPoints.com + AreYouaChristian.com

GLORY (FEBRUARY 21)View on Website -- https://wordpoints.com/glory-february-21/"When I found I had crossed that line, I looked at my hands to see if I was the same person. There was such a glory over everything" (Harriet Tubman).WE’VE ALL HAD THEM NOW AND THEN: THOSE EXPERIENCES IN WHICH EVERYTHING AROUND US CAME ALIVE AND SEEMED TO SHINE WITH A STRANGE AND WONDERFUL GLORY. Harriet Tubman, one of the great abolitionists of the Civil War period, described such an experience to her biographer, Sarah Bradford. When, in 1845, she first escaped from slavery and found herself in free territory, Tubman said she had to check to make sure she was the same person: “There was such a glory over everything.” She saw the world differently!In its literal sense, the word “glory” has to do with “brightness” or “brilliance.” That which is glorious shines brightly. But we use the word figuratively to describe things that “shine” in that they possess “majestic beauty and splendor” (American Heritage Dictionary). Harriet Tubman experienced a joy that made everything around her seem more beautiful than she’d ever known it to be before. That kind of glory is more important than any amount of physical brightness.It’s no coincidence that the sun, which shines with visible glory, figures prominently in many of the situations that we later describe as glorious. In particular, the rising of the sun at dawn is a thing that moves us. “Full many a glorious morning I have seen” (Shakespeare). “Oft when the white, still dawn / Lifted the skies and pushed the hills apart / I have felt it like a glory in my heart” (Edwin Markham). And, to be fair, the moon has its own glory. In the words of Tennyson, “Lo! the level lake / And the long glories of the winter moon.”But whether it’s some shining, shimmering thing in nature that touches us with glory, or, as in Harriet Tubman’s case, it’s some unusual event or circumstance, glory is a good thing to get a deep taste of. And like it or not, how often we’re conscious of glory has more to do with us than with what happens to us. We’re surrounded by glory almost all the time, but some people are more receptive to it than others. Because of the openness of their heart and the eagerness of their outlook, glory is their frequent companion — and their receptiveness to glory is a virtue any of us can cultivate.O, what their joy and their glory must be,Those endless sabbaths the blessed ones see!(Peter Abelard)Gary Henry - WordPoints.com + AreYouaChristian.com

PRESENCE (FEBRUARY 20)View on Website -- https://wordpoints.com/presence-february-20/"Take care and say this with presence of mind" (Terence).PRESENCE OF MIND IS A HARD THING FOR BUSY PEOPLE TO ACHIEVE. The more we do, the less we think about what we do. Most days find us rushing through such a crowded agenda, we have little opportunity to concentrate. When our minds are so urgently pulled forward by the next thing to be done, they don’t get a chance to dwell fully on the words and deeds of the current moment.Consider Terence’s statement quoted above: “Take care and say this with presence of mind.” How much of what any of us has said in the last twenty-four hours has been said “with presence of mind”? Probably no more than a small fraction. Frankly, most of our words are said while our minds are on “automatic,” and the majority of our deeds could be described as “going with the flow.” If you don’t have that problem, you are living on a level most of us haven’t reached.But what is “presence of mind”? It’s the state in which we not only think consciously about what we do, but we savor and relish these things as they are happening. Assuming that what we’re doing is aligned with our conscience, we miss a great opportunity if, as we act, we don’t consider our actions and enjoy them, gratefully aware of ourselves, our deeds, and those with whom we may be interacting. Life is made up of moments, and if we’re not “present” in these as they pass by, there is simply no other happiness we can enjoy. So, being mindful of our moments is a habit as wise as it is joyful.When we fail in the matter of presence, one of the sad aspects of the problem is that we fail to impart to others the acknowledgment they deserve. In these days of multichannel communications, it’s rare to communicate with anyone, even face to face, and feel that you have that person’s undivided attention. Our minds are so overloaded, we’re not as present for one another as we should be.But try it — once or twice a day — and see what a difference it makes. As you interact with someone, honor that person by being completely present for them. Say, by the attention you devote to them, “I am aware of you. I am conscious of you. I am thinking of you, and in this moment, I am at your service.”"The greatest gift you can give another is the purity of your attention" (Richard Moss).Gary Henry - WordPoints.com + AreYouaChristian.com