“The only shield to [a person’s] memory is the rectitude and sincerity of his actions. It is imprudent to walk through life without this shield” (Winston Churchill).

WE MAY NOT OFTEN USE THE WORD “RECTITUDE,” BUT ITS MEANING IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT, BOTH TO OUR INDIVIDUAL LIVES AND TO ORGANIZATIONS AND COMMUNITIES. The core meaning of rectitude is simply “rightness.” To rectify something is to straighten it out or make it right, and so rectitude is the condition or quality of being right. It means correctness or moral uprightness.

Isn’t being right something we ought to aim for? I believe it is, and by being right I don’t just mean being right in an intellectual argument; I mean being right morally — doing in every situation the thing that is right. Contrary to what many have been led to believe in our day, there is such a thing as right, and what is right basically comes down to doing what is just, as defined by the objective, immutable standards of justice that all people are subject to. Thomas Aquinas put it this way: “Justice is a certain rectitude of mind whereby a man does what he ought to do in the circumstances confronting him.”

When we fail to do what is right, we damage the world we live in (usually more than we realize), but we also hurt ourselves. Without rectitude, we are severely wounded as human beings, as anyone knows who has ever lived for any length of time with a bad conscience. As Churchill observed, rectitude is a “shield” that we need to have. “It is imprudent to walk through life without this shield,” he said.

If we don’t have rectitude, we don’t have anything worth having. Without integrity, we are nothing. If we amassed all the wealth in the world but sacrificed the principles of right conduct in the process, our wealth would, in the long run, be nothing but cold comfort to us.

But finally, bear in mind that rectitude is the only way to have any good influence on those around us. What we are speaks much more loudly than what we say or do, and so let’s resolve to be people of integrity. People of justice. People who simply do what is right.

“The effective impact upon us of men of honor, rectitude, and goodwill is to arouse kindred impulses within us. We begin to detect in ourselves undeveloped capacities. The touch of the heroic awakens in us the slumbering hero” (Charles Malcolm Douglas).

Gary Henry – WordPoints.com + AreYouaChristian.com

     

“Be civil to all; sociable to many; familiar with few; friend to one; enemy to none” (Benjamin Franklin).

IN OUR DEALINGS WITH OTHER PEOPLE, THERE MAY BE MANY THINGS WE FIND IT IMPOSSIBLE TO DO, BUT WE CAN AT LEAST BE “CIVIL” TO ONE ANOTHER. To be “civil” is to act like a “civilized” person. The word comes from the Latin civis (“citizen”), and it refers to the behavior of those who live under a government in an organized society or “city.” Historically, when people have lived in close proximity, they have found it helpful to treat one another in a “civil” way. So basically, “civility” is courtesy. It’s the way people act who realize that a group’s quality of life is greatly affected by the way its members treat one another, as opposed to people for whom “might makes right.”

Civility does not seem to come naturally to us. Rising above the behavior of animals involves the use of our freedom of will. It takes deliberate choice and conscious effort. So we must (1) value the benefits of civility, and (2) aim to make our communities places where that is the norm. It won’t happen if we don’t make it happen.

But in the quotation above, Benjamin Franklin advised being “civil to all,” and therein lies the real challenge. Almost anyone can be civil to those who are civil in return, but it takes people of uncommon character to practice civility to all, even to those who are uncivil.

Some would say that being courteous and mannerly to those who dislike us is timid and cowardly, but John F. Kennedy was right when he said in his inaugural address, “Civility is not a sign of weakness.” Indeed, it takes far more strength to be civil than to fail to do so.

One of life’s great pleasures is to please others. If we had to compromise our principles to be pleasing, that would not be commendable, of course. But within the boundaries of moral integrity, there is ample room to bring pleasure by being civil and mannerly to those around us. Graciousness and generosity are habits well worth learning. When we act as civilized people, rather than as brute beasts, we give a gift that’s as agreeable to the giver as it is to the recipient.

“The ultimate aim of civility and good manners is to please: to please one’s guest or to please one’s host. To this end one uses the rules laid down by tradition: of welcome, generosity, affability, cheerfulness, and consideration of others” (Claudia Roden).

Gary Henry – WordPoints.com + AreYouaChristian.com

     

“Success is neither magical nor mysterious. Success is the natural consequence of consistently applying the fundamentals” (Jim Rohn).

ALMOST EVERY ACTIVITY IN WHICH WE ENGAGE IS MADE UP OF SMALLER ACTIVITIES THAT HAVE TO WORK TOGETHER. Some of these smaller activities are more essential than others. The ones that are most essential are known as the “fundamentals.” These are the basics, the elements, or the ABCs of the activity. If you were a beginner, the fundamentals are what a teacher would teach you first.

Right now, for example, I am trying to learn something I’ve always wanted to be able to do: play the banjo in the style that Earl Scruggs played it. If I work at it, I may eventually be able to play Earl’s Foggy Mountain Breakdown, but for now, I am spending most of my time learning the fundamentals of the instrument: finger rolls with the right hand, chords with the left hand, etc. If I were so eager to get to the exciting stuff that I rushed past the basics, that would be a costly mistake. People often find the fundamentals of a subject boring, but they are very important. In any worthwhile endeavor, there is no real excellence without mastery of the fundamentals.

The importance of the fundamentals has long been recognized by athletes, whose paycheck depends on achieving peak performance. To those who would like to play golf well, Jack Nicklaus said, “Learn the fundamentals of the game and stick to them. Band-Aid remedies never last.” And Lou Holtz, the football coach, gave this good advice, “Build your empire on the firm foundation of the fundamentals.”

But the comment by Lou Holtz suggests an additional thought. As can be seen from the word itself, the “fundamentals” are the “foundation” of an activity. Foundations are always important, but their importance becomes even more obvious with the passage of time. And in that respect, the foundation of a human life is like the foundation of a building. Shortcuts taken in laying the foundation may not be noticeable in the early years, but eventually the faulty foundation begins to crack and the entire structure is in jeopardy. So, my friend, if your life has become shaky, you need to get back to the fundamentals.

The fundamental things apply,
As time goes by.
(Herman Hupfeld)

Gary Henry – WordPoints.com + AreYouaChristian.com

     

“As the essence of courage is to stake one’s life on a possibility, so the essence of faith is to believe that the possibility exists” (William Salter).

BELIEF IS THE WILLINGNESS TO ACCEPT UNSEEN REALITIES, NOT ONLY IN SPIRITUAL MATTERS BUT ALSO IN THOSE THAT ARE MORE MUNDANE. And not only does it accept them in the safety of the library, belief is willing to stake its life on the truth of its convictions — out there on the front lines where the consequences of being wrong are huge. It doesn’t do this blindly or foolishly, but the fact remains, it does it. To believe is (1) to be sure that a particular possibility exists, and (2) to take a real stand, based on that surety.

First of all, let it be said that we do need to be careful in judging the evidence. Richard Whately, who wrote so powerfully on the idea of belief, offered this caution: “As one may bring himself to believe almost anything he is inclined to believe, it makes all the difference whether we begin or end with the inquiry, ‘What is truth?’”

But if some people are too gullible, others are too cynical. In reacting against blind, uncritical belief, let’s not overreact and refuse to believe anything at all. Belief is not a vice but a virtue, a character trait that opens the door to many of the best things this world has to offer. So let’s be people who are willing to believe when belief is called for.

If you’re a person who won’t accept anything without empirical evidence, then you’ve made a choice that will limit you severely before you die. If the only thing real for you is what you can “see,” you won’t have rich relationships and the legacy you leave won’t be worthy. Before you go any further, you’d do well to think about J. F. Clarke’s observation: “All the strength and force of man comes from his faith in things unseen . . . Strong convictions precede great actions.”

For the time being, the truly great realities almost always fall into the realm of “possibilities.” But what shall we do: back away from the evidence, retreat into the cramped cave of what we “know,” and simply wait for the end to come? No, we can be much bolder than that. When there is reason to believe, we can be willing to believe. And acting on the basis of belief, we can move from mere living to real life.

“Be not afraid of life. Believe that life is worth living, and your belief will help create the fact” (William James).

Gary Henry – WordPoints.com + AreYouaChristian.com

     

“The expectations of life depend upon diligence; the workman who would perfect his work must first sharpen his tools” (Confucius).

TOOLS ARE DEVICES THAT AID IN THE ACCOMPLISHMENT OF A TASK. Having the right tools for a particular job not only makes the work much easier, but sometimes a job can’t be done at all without the right tools. Tools are work multipliers. They take advantage of the laws of physics to increase the work that can be done by a given action. You can, for example, pry something apart with a crowbar that you couldn’t pry apart with your hands, simply because the crowbar uses the physical principle of leverage to multiply the force exerted by your hands. Tools help us do more work and better work.

But if physical tools help us, there are some other, intangible tools that help us even more. Knowledge is a tool. Wisdom is a tool. Talent is a tool, and so are experience, enthusiasm, and a host of other human qualities of character and competence. With these, we can do more work and better work than we could without them. And the more important we believe our work to be, the more important it is to acquire the tools that will aid us in doing that work.

All of us have some tools, of course, but the problem is, we don’t have very many. We don’t have as many as we need and rather than put more tools in our toolbox, we often try to make our difficulties fit the tools we already have. “If the only tool you have is a hammer, you tend to see every problem as a nail,” said Abraham Maslow. We need to wake up to the fact that the world presents us with a variety of tasks and challenges. And every time we get the chance, we need to add new and different tools to those that are currently in our toolbox.

But whatever other tools we may have, whether literal or figurative, here is an encouraging thought: if at least we have our hands, we should be grateful. Let us not undervalue our hands because they are so familiar, for they are really quite extraordinary. With nothing but our own hands, a world of good can be done — if we choose to see their value and make full use of them while the opportunity is ours.

“Take a look at those two open hands of yours. They are tools with which to serve, make friends, and reach out for the best in life. Open hands open the way to achievement. Put them to work today” (Wilfred A. Peterson).

Gary Henry – WordPoints.com + AreYouaChristian.com

     

“Intelligence is quickness in seeing things as they are” (George Santayana).

CONTRARY TO WHAT MANY PEOPLE THINK, INTELLIGENCE IS NOT THE EXCLUSIVE PROPERTY OF PEOPLE WITH A HIGH “IQ.” At best, the so-called “IQ tests” measure only one or two kinds of intelligence, and it would do us good to see intelligence as a quality that all of us can enjoy, in one way or another. As Santayana put it, “Intelligence is quickness in seeing things as they are.” To grow in intelligence means that we learn how to separate fact from fiction and how to aspire to excellence in our activities, no matter what those activities may be. Each of us has a unique intelligence that can flourish.

It’s a good thing that educational experts are coming to realize that there are many more kinds of intelligence than we used to recognize. Just because a person is not particularly adept at processing certain kinds of mathematical or verbal data does not mean they lack intelligence. It usually only means that their intelligence lies in other areas. What each of us needs to do is identify our personal intelligences, aptitudes, etc. and develop these to their fullest extent.

But no matter what kind of intelligence we may possess, it’s important to recognize that intelligence alone is not enough. The critical question is what we do with our intelligence once we’ve developed it.

As far as the practical living of life is concerned, educator John Holt made a perceptive comment: “The test of intelligence [is] not how much we know how to do, but how we behave when we don’t know what to do. Similarly, any situation, any activity, that puts before us real problems, that we have to solve for ourselves, problems for which there are no answers in any book, sharpens our intelligence.” Intelligence is given to us as a tool with which to solve problems, and that’s exactly what we need to do with it, for the betterment of others.

If we could be known for only one thing, few of us would want to be known for intellectual ability. But each of us has a mind, and truly, a mind is a terrible thing to waste. Rather than waste it, we ought to expand it gratefully. “A good mind possesses a kingdom” (Seneca).

“Of work comes knowledge, of knowledge comes fruitful work; of the union of knowledge and work comes the development of intelligence” (Vinoba Bhave).

Gary Henry – WordPoints.com + AreYouaChristian.com

     

“There is an optimism which nobly anticipates the eventual triumph of great moral laws, and there is an optimism which cheerfully tolerates unworthiness” (Agnes Repplier).

AN OPTIMISTIC OUTLOOK IS A RESULT OF HAVING CONFIDENCE THAT GOOD IS ULTIMATELY GOING TO TRIUMPH OVER EVIL. It is an attitude that imparts patience in the midst of difficult circumstances, and also patience with less-than-perfect people.

Optimism doesn’t mean we’re naive about the reality of evil in the world or the extent of the damage that evil has done. While it believes that one day everything will be fine, optimism is not so foolish as to think everything is fine already. Clearly, everything is not fine, and genuine optimism looks at the facts with total honesty.

But is there any reason to believe that good will ultimately triumph over evil? I believe there is, even if we limit ourselves to the empirical evidence of human history and our own personal experience. If we consider the evidence, I believe we can’t help but see a pattern: truth tends to outlast falsehood, and rightdoing tends to outlast wrongdoing. The victories of evil in this world may be shocking and justice may be long delayed, but facts are stubborn and truth is resilient. Eventually, good has the last say. Why this is so is another question (one that is very interesting, both philosophically and religiously), but the pattern is undeniably clear. Right is more durable than wrong.

So we can make an intellectual choice to be optimists. In hours of darkness, we can choose to hold on to what we learned while the sun was shining. Maintaining our confidence that good will outlast its enemy, we can stand our ground before the various onslaughts of evil.

Optimism is an important perspective in life not because it makes us feel better but because it strengthens us and gives us courage. Life happens to be full of battles that have to be fought, and as Dwight D. Eisenhower said, “Pessimism never won any battle.” Backbone comes from belief — belief that, despite any number of short-term setbacks, the long-term triumph of good is still sure.

“The essence of optimism is that it takes no account of the present, but it is a source of inspiration, of vitality and hope where others have resigned; it enables a man to hold his head high, to claim the future for himself and not to abandon it to his enemy” (Dietrich Bonhoeffer).

Gary Henry – WordPoints.com + AreYouaChristian.com

     

“I am one who, when Love inspires, attend, and according as he speaks within me, so I express myself” (Dante Alighieri).

ALMOST EVERY DAY, MOST OF US ARE SURROUNDED BY INFLUENCES THAT COULD INSPIRE US TO DO OUR WORK AT A HIGHER LEVEL. When we allow these influences to uplift us and energize us, those around us benefit from that as much as we do. When our work rises above the humdrum to a level of high excellence, the world becomes a better place, even if only in some small way.

While the word “inspiration” often has a religious significance, we are using it here simply to mean “stimulation of the mind or emotions to a high level of feeling or activity” (American Heritage Dictionary). All of us know the experience, at least occasionally. A time comes when, because of the season of the year, a piece of music, a conversation with a friend, or any number of other “inspiring” events, we are moved to accomplish something more excellent than we thought we were capable of. Our emotions are stirred, our thinking is provoked, and our abilities surge to an unexpected strength. To act under the influence of “inspiration” is one of life’s genuine joys, and we ought to be grateful for the people around us who inspire us.

But the more important question is: to what extent are we having an inspirational influence on them? As much as possible, we need to be people whose influence is such that other human beings find it easier to do good work with us than they would without us. Life’s objective is not to be inspired by others but to be inspiring to others.

It would be a mistake to sit down and do nothing until we feel inspired. As Ben Nicholas said, “Most of life is routine — dull and grubby, but routine is the momentum that keeps a man going. If you wait for inspiration you’ll be standing on the corner after the parade is a mile down the street.” Still, it’s a wonderful experience when, now and then, we feel truly inspired to do our best work. There is no shortage of things that can inspire us, and we should open our hearts up and let ourselves be inspired by them. Better yet, we shouldn’t wait for inspiration to find us; we should go out and track it down.

“Don’t loaf and invite inspiration. Light out after it with a club” (Jack London).

Gary Henry – WordPoints.com + AreYouaChristian.com

     

“To lie down in the time of grief, to be quiet under the stroke of adverse fortune, implies a great strength. But I know of something that implies a strength greater still. It is the power to work under stress, to continue under hardship, to have anguish in your spirit and still perform daily tasks” (George Matheson).

IN ITS MOST BASIC SENSE, TO “PERFORM” AN ACTION SIMPLY MEANS TO “DO” IT. But there are some special meanings of the word that we would benefit from thinking about. For instance, to perform can mean not only beginning something but carrying it through to completion (The physician performed surgery). And it can mean accomplishing something that was expected or promised (The contractor performed all aspects of the agreement). Thinking of “performance” in these ways, isn’t it clear how valuable it would be as a character trait?

You may not have thought about performance as having anything to do with your relationships with other people, but it has a lot to do with them. In fact, healthy human relationships are impossible if the parties don’t do, or perform, what is necessary. In the real world, those who can’t be counted on (1) to do what is expected, or (2) to carry things through to completion are usually people with a long list of ex-friends. In the words of Owen Feltham, “Promises may get friends, but it is performance that must nurse and keep them.”

Paul C. Packer wrote, “It is our individual performances, no matter how humble our place in life may be, that will in the long run determine how well ordered the world may become.” If we want to make a difference for good in the world while we live here, the best way to do that is not to aspire to great deeds that will make the evening news but simply to perform — that is, do our duties faithfully, however simple or unimportant they may seem to be at the time.

We ought to be, as the old saying goes, “slow to promise and quick to perform.” Commitments carelessly entered into often go unfulfilled. But if we are careful in saying what we will do, then the performance of what we said is a powerful thing, much more powerful than the boasts and bluster of those who promise but never perform. There is an ancient adage that warns, “Let not him who puts on his armor boast like him who takes it off.” That’s well worth pondering.

“An acre of performance is worth a whole world of promise” (W. D. Howells).

Gary Henry – WordPoints.com + AreYouaChristian.com

     

“The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much” (The Epistle of James).

WHATEVER IT’S RIGHT FOR US TO DO, IT’S HELPFUL IF WE DO IT FERVENTLY. Surely there is already enough halfheartedness in the world — can’t we improve upon the status quo by being wholehearted? And since the word “fervency” comes from the Latin verb “to boil,” can’t we boil a little more often and be a little less lukewarm?

Misguided fervency can, of course, be a dangerous evil, and the uninformed zealot is a well-known source of trouble in any society. Zeal, or fervor, without knowledge is rarely anything but destructive, so we need to inform our fervency with things like accurate information and wisdom. In a perfect world, we would never be “all fired up” about anything except on the basis of truth. As William James suggested, “The union of the mathematician with the poet, fervor with measure, passion with correctness, this is surely the ideal.”

But the dangers of ignorant or unbalanced zeal shouldn’t scare us away from the rightful use of fervency. We don’t solve the problem of blind fanaticism by never being fervent about anything, but by opening our eyes, double- and triple-checking our facts, and always being willing to be corrected. The person who thinks he is just too intelligent and rational to be fervent is being rather foolish. There is no good reason why a person can’t be a mathematician and a poet too.

The fact is, we honor the ideas that we choose to be fervent about. Julia McFolliard, under whom I studied oil painting as a young boy, taught me by her passion to respect the discipline of art. And Robert Winstead, my high school calculus teacher, pulled me into an admiration for numbers by his eagerness for them. Similarly, we all confer honor upon the causes that we devote ourselves to fervently.

But what can make us fervent about things in life? Well, many forces can move a person to be fervent, but none does it better than love. When we come to love a thing that is worthy of being loved, it is no trouble at all to be fervent about it. Healthy, balanced fervor is simply an outgrowth of having come to love a thing in a truthful way.

“A lover flies, runs, rejoices . . . Love often knows no limits but is fervent beyond measure” (Thomas à Kempis).

Gary Henry – WordPoints.com + AreYouaChristian.com