Benjamin Spock led the way among
child rearing professionals in instructing parents not to discipline their children.
He said that doing so would damage children’s ego. Later in his life he realized that he had made a mistake and said:
At age nineteen, these resolutions were
adopted by Dr. James Clement Furman who became the first president of Furman University:
Resolved, never to speak ill of an
individual but to call to mind my own sins and imperfections and be silent.
Resolved, when my heart feels cold
and languid, to strive earnestly in prayer to God for deliverance from such a
state and for the abiding influence of His Holy Spirit; and to inquire into the
causes which have produced this effect upon me and to guard against them in the
future.
William McPherson was the superintendent for a stone quarry when a blast severely injured him. He lost his eyesight and both hands in the explosion. He was determined to read the Bible, and learned to read raised letters with the tip of his tongue. It is said that he read through the Bible four times in this manner.
Source: Annual Report of the American Bible Society, Volume 97
While patrolling the streets of his small town, a new
policeman gave a citation for every infraction he could find. When a car
came rushing by, he immediately turned on his siren and lights and pulled over
the driver. The young man jumped from his car and tried to explain his
emergency but the officer perceived the verbal initiative as a threat so he
cuffed the man and hauled him off to jail. Every time the guy tried to
speak, Luke exercised his authority and insisted on silence. After
making the arrest and feeling confident he had demonstrated the complete
Pablo Casals was considered the greatest cellist to
ever live. When he was 95 years old he was asked why he continued to practice 6 hours a day. He
answered, “Because I think I’m making progress.”
A little girl said to her teacher, ”Miss Hayes, I
don’t want to scare you, but my dad said, If my grades don’t improve, someone’s
going to get a spanking!”
I’m part of the fellowship of the unashamed. I have stepped
over the line. The decision has been made. I’m a disciple of Jesus Christ. I
won’t look back, let up, slow down, back away or be still. My past is redeemed,
my future is secure. I’m finished and done with low living, small planning,
smooth knees, colorless dreams, tamed visions, mundane talking, cheap living
and dwarfed goals.
Three recruiters were to address high
school seniors. Each recruiter represented a branch of the military (the Army,
Navy, and Marine Corps) and was to have fifteen minutes. The Army and Navy
recruiters got carried away, so when it came time for the Marine to speak, he
had just two minutes. He walked up and stood utterly silent for a full sixty
seconds, half of his time. Then he said, “I doubt whether there are two or
three of you in this room who would even stand a chance in the Marine Corps.
George Mueller read the Bible through over 100 times. He also wrote over 30,000 letters per year for 40 years. He had nine assistants working in a dozen languages. He pastored 1200 believers, had the oversight of five large orphanages and a huge publishing house, printed and distributed millions of books, tracts, and Bibles.
He said, “I never think of going to my work without first having a good season
of time with God and my Bible.”
Source: Unknown
Submitted by the homiletics class of West Coast Baptist College
Persistence paid off for American astronomer
Clyde Tombaugh, who discovered the planet Pluto. After astronomers calculated a
probable orbit for this “suspected” heavenly body, Tombaugh took up the search
in March, 1929. Time magazine recorded the investigation: “He examined scores of
telescopic photographs each showing tens of thousands of star images in pairs
under the dual microscope. It often took three days to scan a single pair. It
was exhausting, eye-cracking work, in his own words, “brutal, tediousness.” And
it went on for months. Star by star, he examined 20 million images.
During the fourteenth century Raynald III, was a duke in
what is now Belgium. As the result of a violent quarrel, Raynald’s
younger brother Edward successfully revolted against him. When Edward captured
Raynald he built a room around him featuring windows and a door and promised him that the day he left the room his title and property would be returned to him.
“Form the habit of heeding His taps, and you will be less likely to
receive His raps.”—A. W. Pink
“Remind yourself of how much dross there is yet among the gold and view
the corruption of your own heart and marvel that God has not smitten you
more severely.”—A. W. Pink
Your work is an expression of the image of God in you, and it's worth
thinking about how your work reflects His character. Work as simple as
cleaning out a closet reflects the God who makes order out of
chaos. Holding a stop sign for children to cross the road creates an
environment of safety that reflects the God who protects. The person
who flips burgers is providing food, which is something that God
does. A father or mother who nurtures a child reflects the love,
patience, and perseverance of God.
While Roxie Wallace’s preschool grandson was visiting, he got testy and
started crying about the least little things that didn’t go his
way. One such incident involved animal crackers. He wanted some more,
but she refused to give in so he burst into tears. In exasperation
Roxie said, “Sam, I don’t know what I’m going to do with you. You cry
over nothing.” He calmed down, looked at her and replied, “You need to
tell me, ‘Stop whining.’”
