“There is a marvelous medicinal power in joy. Most medicines are distasteful; but this, which is the best of all medicines, is sweet to the taste, and comforting to the heart. This blessed joy is very contagious. One dolorous spirit brings a kind of plague into the house; one person who is wretched seems to stop all the birds from singing wherever he goes . . . [But] the grace of joy is contagious. Holy joy will oil the wheels of your life’s machinery. Holy joy will strengthen you for your daily labor.
Work
Rick Chollet was a financially successful entrepreneur until March 18, 1991. He had even been the president of Brookstone Company, a small mail order business that he transformed into a national retail leader selling products for craftsmen. But on March 18 Mr. Chollet locked the garage door of his New Hampshire house, climbed into his BMW, and turned on the engine. He left behind a note that read, “Please forgive me, but the thought of going through the torture of living is just too much to bear.”
“I long to accomplish a great and noble task, but it is my chief duty to accomplish small tasks as if they were great and noble.”—Helen Keller
“The highest reward for a man’s toil is not what he gets for it, but what he becomes by it.”—John Ruskin
“You can measure what you would do for the Lord by what you do.”—T. C. Horton, quoted in Christian Life
Above the entrance to the concentration camp in Auschwitz, Germany were the words Arbeit Macht Frei. The words mean “Work makes free.” It was a boldfaced lie suggesting that if the prisoners worked hard, they would be given liberty. The promised freedom was a horrifying death.
Many people believe that if they do their best good works they will earn Heaven. This, however, is false. They will learn too late that good works do not earn freedom.
It is Christ’s blood that liberates. He died to give us freedom from the penalty of our sin.
Bertoldo de Giovanni is a name even the most enthusiastic lover of art is unlikely to recognize. He was the pupil of Donatello, the greatest sculptor of his time, and he was the teacher of Michelangelo, the greatest sculptor of all time.
Illustration Topics
Many years ago a young man went to China as a missionary with an income of $2,500 annually. A company decided that they wanted this young man to work for them and offered him a position with a $5,000 salary. He declined the offer, and it was raised to $7,000 and then to $10,000, but he still declined.
The company asked him if the salary was his sticking point and he answered, “Oh, the salary is big enough, but the job isn’t.”
Source: The Speaker’s Quote Book, Roy B. Zuck
Submitted by the homiletics class of West Coast Baptist College
Position: Mother, Mom, Mama
Job description: Long term, team players needed, for challenging permanent work in an often chaotic environment. Candidates must possess excellent communication and organizational skills and be willing to work variable hours, which will include evenings, weekends, and frequent 24 hour shifts on call. Some overnight travel required, including trips to primitive camping sites on rainy weekends and endless sports tournaments in far away cities. Travel expenses not reimbursed. Extensive courier duties also required.
On April 23, 2008, Dr. Michael DeBakey received the Congressional Gold Medal for his legacy in heart surgery. President Bush said, “His legacy is holding the fragile and sacred gift of human life in his hands and returning it unbroken,” during the ceremony.
Dr. DeBakey invented many medical devices and operations, performed the first successful heart bypass operation and saved countless lives.
An elderly carpenter was ready to retire. He told his contractor of his plans to leave the house-building business and live a more leisurely life with his wife enjoying his extended family. The contractor was sorry to see his good worker go and asked if he could build just one more house as a personal favor. The carpenter agreed, but in time it was easy to see that his heart was not in his work. He resorted to shoddy workmanship and used inferior materials. It was an unfortunate way to end his career.
Illustration Topics
A young attorney started his first practice. He was ambitious and excited about how great his firm would soon be. His phones had not yet been hooked up, but he quickly picked up the phone when he heard footsteps toward his office.
Looking as dignified as possible, the new attorney said, “Yes, this is Attorney Jones. I need to do depositions tomorrow.” Then a man walked into his office.
“Can I help you?” asked the young attorney.
“Yes, I’m here to turn on your phone service.”
Source: Unknown
David Livingstone, pioneer missionary to Africa, received a letter saying, “Have you found a good road to where you are? If so, we want to know how to send other men to join you.”
Livingstone replied, “If you have men who will come only if there is a good road, I do not want them. I want those who will come if there is no road at all.”
Source: The Speaker’s Quote Book, Roy B. Zuck
Illustration Topics
During the early days of northern Ontario’s gold rush Sandy McIntyre found what is now the famous mine bearing his name. He sold out for $25 in order to buy some liquor. Years later he still passed his time crying in beverage rooms, while the mine he discovered produced gold worth 230 million dollars.
Source: Open the Book, Lucian T. Durso
One of England’s most exclusive grocery stores, Fortnum & Mason in London’s Piccadilly, advertised for a new chocolate taster, including a salary of $54,000 a year. This dream job consisted of traveling the world, sampling as much chocolate as possible, and selecting the very best for the store’s discerning customers.
Source: Unknown
Sixty-eight-year-old Elsie Holdren lost her position as a security guard in August 2010 because she was too courteous. Her superiors wrote, “Due to your caring and giving nature, you are compromising your position as a security officer. Being caring and giving is not a job requirement, nor is it what you are paid to do.” Elsie was transferred to a new position in nearby Melbourne. Most people would not be fired because they are too nice, but because they are not nice enough.