“Economy is half the battle of life; it is not so hard to earn money as to spend it well” (Charles Haddon Spurgeon).

THE MORE RESOURCES WE ARE BLESSED WITH, THE MORE IMPORTANT IT IS TO PRACTICE ECONOMY. There is a sense, of course, in which the opposite is also true: economy is especially critical when resources are limited. But the well known principle of accountability says that to whom much is given, much is expected. The more we have, the more responsibility we have to use our resources wisely, and that is hard. As Spurgeon pointed out, earning money is not as hard as learning to spend it well. Managing our resources (whether they be many or few) so that the maximum amount of good is done, is one of our principal challenges as mature human beings.

Sparing. To be economical, we must be sparing — in a good sense. That is, we must exercise restraint in our expenditures. Economy means knowing how to subordinate our impulses to our principles.

Frugal. There is a time and a place for luxury, obviously, but if we are so attracted to luxury that we know nothing of self-denial, then we’re on a slippery slope. Economy means being able to abstain.

Thrifty. An old Latin proverb says, “No gain is so certain as that which proceeds from the economical use of what you already have.” Economy means increasing our resources by eliminating waste.

Economy is essential if we are to remain free in our thinking and in our living. One of the worst enslavements is bondage to a particular standard of living, the kind of bondage that occurs when we are so tied to what we presently own that we can’t do without it. Most of us these days are fortunate to have much more than we absolutely need, and the truth is, we can do without much of our present abundance. We may think we couldn’t survive having “little,” but it would only take a fire, a hurricane, a tornado, or an earthquake to prove otherwise. If our abundance was suddenly wiped out, we would find that we could survive, if we had to, on much less than we thought we could. So it is a healthy exercise to live economically — spending less than is within our power — just to stay out of slavery to our stuff.

“He will always be a slave who does not know how to live upon a little” (Horace).

Gary Henry – WordPoints.com + AreYouaChristian.com

     

“Hope is wishing for a thing to come true; faith is believing that it will come true” (Norman Vincent Peale).

FOR ALL OUR WHIMS, WE DON’T HAVE MANY REAL WISHES. A wish is more than a transient urge or a passing fancy. It is a real desire or longing for something. It is a strong inclination based on more than a mood. The things we wish for are things that bubble to the surface as our inner character interacts with our outward circumstances. They are things we would really like to see come true. And as Norman Vincent Peale suggests, faith adds the element of expectation. If we have confidence that our wishes are in fact going to come true, then what we have is a combination of hope and faith.

Some people, of course, are nothing more than dreamers. Their wishes never put on any work clothes, and nothing ever comes of their intentions. But as long as we’re willing to back up our wishes with hard work, there is a lot to be said for wishing big wishes. The human heart is vast. Its capacity is almost infinite. And it’s a pity that we so often content ourselves with wishes that are far below our ability. We ought to let ourselves go, at least once in a while. Let’s wish for some things that would stretch us to our limits . . . and even beyond.

While we’re increasing the size of our wishes, however, we also need to give some consideration to their quality. Too often, our biggest wishes have to do with nothing more than our possessions and our lifestyles. But we’ve been endowed with the ability to wish for things that are much more important, things that have to do with our character. So add to your wish list some items that would increase your integrity. If a genie ever gave you three wishes, you wouldn’t want to waste them on toys or entertainments, would you?

The bottom line is, our wishes need to be consistent with our principles. It’s a dangerous game we play when we wish (however privately) for the fulfillment of desires that are inconsistent with our deepest convictions. So we should keep a close watch on our wishes, lest they come true and we regret it. Or maybe we should simply say it this way: we ought not to wish for things we wouldn’t pray for.

“Anything large enough for a wish to light upon is large enough to hang a prayer upon” (George MacDonald).

Gary Henry – WordPoints.com + AreYouaChristian.com

     

“Hope has a thick skin and will endure many a blow; it will put on patience as a vestment, it will wade through a sea of blood, it will endure all things if it be of the right kind, for the joy that is set before it. Hence patience is called ‘patience of hope’, because it is hope that makes the soul exercise patience and longsuffering under the cross, until the time comes to enjoy the crown” (John Bunyan).

IT IS TRUE, AS JOHN BUNYAN SAID, THAT HOPE MAKES US MORE LONGSUFFERING. When our minds and hearts are full of a vision that is exceedingly important to us, and we deeply desire to see that vision realized, we will endure whatever frustrations we may face on the path to our goal. If our hope is sufficiently strong, no interference or injury can break our spirit. Hopeful people know how to hold out.

The word “longsuffering” means the patient endurance of wrongs or difficulties. Literally, it means that a person can suffer a hardship or bear a burden for a long time before giving in to discouragement or vexation. In one sense, it is the opposite of being “short-tempered.” The short-tempered person has a short “fuse” — it doesn’t take much to set him off. In contrast, the longsuffering person can bear up under even the heaviest load for a very long time. When others have given up or gotten angry, the longsuffering person is still holding out. And he does so because he has not given up hope.

It would be to our advantage to spend less time avoiding the hardships of life and more time learning how to endure them. As any sailor knows, it isn’t always possible to avoid a storm, and the storms that can’t be avoided have to be weathered. Just as a sailor has to ride out a storm now and then, human beings have to be longsuffering. Try as we may to find quick fixes, many of life’s most significant problems take a long time to be resolved. In the interim, while they are being resolved, patient endurance is the quality that we need.

Without longsuffering, we won’t grow any stronger than we are right now, either in our character, our conduct, or our competencies. Strength comes from dealing with difficulty, and if we don’t have the longsuffering to hold out while the difficulty is being dealt with, we won’t get the benefit of the hardship. It’s holding out that helps us.

“Strength is born in the deep silence of longsuffering hearts; not amid joy” (Felicia Hemans).

Gary Henry – WordPoints.com + AreYouaChristian.com

     

“An apology is saying the right thing after doing the wrong thing” (Anonymous).

IN A PERFECT WORLD, APOLOGIES WOULD BE UNHEARD OF. But, of course, ours isn’t a perfect world. It’s a world of inadvertence, error, and, all too often, outright evil. Apologies are the statements we make to others when we recognize that we’ve erred, especially when our faults have caused damage or hurt to others. When we apologize, we admit our error and take responsibility for the wrongdoing. To put it in legal terms, we plead guilty to the charge against us.

While an apology often includes an expression of regret for the trouble or hurt that has been caused, a full apology is always more than that. A dentist, for example, may say he is sorry that what he had to do caused you to hurt, but that is merely an expression of sympathy, not an admission of wrongdoing. When we have actually wronged someone, however, our apology needs to do more than express sympathy. It needs to say, “I was wrong, and if I were presented with the very same circumstances again, I would not do to you what I did.”

Some people think that apologies shouldn’t be made. They would agree with the line in the old John Wayne movie when he said, “Never apologize and never explain — it’s a sign of weakness.” It all depends on our value system. If we put a premium on pride, apologies will look weak, no doubt. Yet there are other value systems we might consider.

Like many other good deeds, apologies tend to lose their value when they’re overused. Excessive apologies, therefore, are unhelpful and unappreciated. For example, if we committed the very same wrong against a friend repeatedly, each time making a new apology, at some point the friend might be tempted to say, “Look, I appreciate your apologies, as far as they go, but wouldn’t it be better if you just quit the behavior? That would be the best apology you could offer.” Our friend would have made a point that is well worth pondering.

But wisely considered and honestly offered, apologies are a vital part of any good person’s life. If we’re fully engaged in the living of real life, we’re going to make mistakes on a fairly regular basis. When we make them, it will often be necessary for us to apologize for them. Doing so is not a sign of weakness. It’s a sign of true strength.

“An apology is a good way to have the last word” (Anonymous).

Gary Henry – WordPoints.com + AreYouaChristian.com

     

“He who wishes to fulfill his mission in the world must be a man of one idea, that is, of one great overmastering purpose, overshadowing all his aims, and guiding and controlling his entire life” (William Bate).

NOT EVERYONE HAS GONE THROUGH THE EXERCISE OF WRITING OUT A “MISSION STATEMENT,” BUT EVERYONE HAS A MISSION NEVERTHELESS. Our mission is our main purpose for living. It is the one thing we would most like to accomplish or achieve while we’re alive. All of us have some such goal or reason for living. We may not have thought about it much. In fact, we may not even be honest enough to admit to ourselves what the real motivation is behind our day-to-day actions. But whether it is written or unwritten, and whether it is conscious or unconscious, all of us have a motive and we have a mission. There is always some goal or interest that guides our doings.

It pays, then, to be careful about our mission. Rather than drift through life with a mission that is handed over to us by our surrounding circumstances, we ought to define our mission deliberately and make it as worthy a mission as possible. Out of all the things that we might live our lives for, we ought to decide what we’re going to live for. Our mission ought to be one that we’ve consciously chosen after considering the alternatives before us. Virtually everything else about our lives will be determined by this choice, so we ought to be careful. One reason to think about our mission is that we hurt those around us, especially our loved ones, when we live aimlessly. Having a well-defined and worthy sense of purpose within ourselves is one of the most positive steps we can take to improve our relationships.

But what about achieving our mission? What can we do to help ourselves? Well, most of those who have fulfilled their mission would say that single-mindedness is the key ingredient. We must be in passionate possession “of one idea, that is, of one great overmastering purpose,” as William Bate put it. Rather than dabbling, we must focus ourselves and live with concentrated energy. And that is not likely to happen if we don’t choose for it to happen. So as to your mission, what choices have you made? Are you pleased with your choices?

“Make your life a mission — not an intermission” (Arnold H. Glasow).

Gary Henry – WordPoints.com + AreYouaChristian.com

     

“The real difference between men is energy. A strong will, a settled purpose, an invincible determination, can accomplish almost anything; and in this lies the distinction between great men and little men” (Alfred Carl Fuller).

ENERGY IS CERTAINLY ONE OF THE PRIME DETERMINANTS OF ACHIEVEMENT. Those who are energetic achieve greater deeds than those who aren’t. Alfred Carl Fuller may have overstated the case in ranking energy as the number one difference “between great men and little men,” for one’s principles would surely rank higher than one’s energy, but it can’t be denied that energy is essential to honorable character. Not even the best principles in the world will contribute anything of value if they’re not put into practice with energy.

It is the combination of valid principles and high energy that we should desire. Principles without energy are ineffective, and energy without principles is destructive. Indeed, Augustine of Hippo gave an interesting definition of sin when he said that “sin is energy in the wrong channel.” But think of the power, the uplift, and the benefit that result when principles and energy work together in “synergy.”

One of the truly wonderful things about our nature is that we can increase our energy when we choose to do so. We do that, for the most part, by adjusting our motives and our reasons for doing the things we do. The higher (that is, the more unselfish) our motives, the more energy we have. So if we want to increase our energy, we need to enlarge our desires and elevate our ambitions to a higher plane.

But another thing that influences our energy is the question of for whom we do what we do. For example, try this experiment today and see if it doesn’t give you greater energy: whatever you do, see yourself as doing it not for yourself but as a gift for those whom you love.

There is hardly a greater energy in the world than benevolence, which comes from the Latin bene (“good”) and velle (“to wish or will”). It is not only one of the most powerful forms of energy, but it’s one of the greatest in terms of the good that it accomplishes. Not much can stop us if we’re moved by genuine, old-fashioned goodwill.

“Goodwill is no easy symbol of good wishes. It is an immeasurable and tremendous energy, the atomic energy of the spirit” (Eleanor B. Stock).

Gary Henry – WordPoints.com + AreYouaChristian.com

     

“I sincerely believe that the word ‘relationships’ is the key to the prospect of a decent world. It seems abundantly clear that every problem you will have — in your family, in your business, in your nation, or in this world — is essentially a matter of relationships” (Clarence Francis).

OUR LIVES ARE EITHER BLESSED OR CURSED BY THE QUALITY OF OUR RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHER HUMAN BEINGS. As long as we live in the world, our lives are going to be changed, for better or worse, by the way we interact with those around us. That’s just the way the world is put together, and it doesn’t do much good to wish it were otherwise. To be human is to engage in “relationships.”

But really, we shouldn’t wish it were otherwise, even when our relationships are frustrating. The fact is, we need to be connected to beings like ourselves. “Heaven’s eternal wisdom has decreed that man should ever stand in need of man” (Theocritus). We are communal beings who would find it very, very difficult to live totally alone.

Sometimes we take a rather superficial approach to improving our relationships. We read books, listen to recordings, and attend workshops — all in the hope of finding better relationship “techniques.” But our way of relating to others is a function of our character, and so we improve our relationships by improving our character.

None of us does a perfect job of being a partner in any relationship. The most productive step we can take, therefore, is to accept responsibility for our own actions, and upgrade the quality of our participation in each relationship. We can control only our own behavior.

Ultimately, the manner in which we relate to other people is a product of our worldview and our understanding of the nature of reality. If we say, for example, that we believe we’ve been created by a personal God, that should make a significant difference in the quality of our relationships. But if we mistreat those around us, then it is to be wondered whether we really believe what we say we believe. The kind of relationships we maintain is an indication of our true, practical convictions — not our theoretical ones. So if we want to improve our relationships, we should start by asking ourselves what we really believe about where human beings came from in the first place.

“Our sociology reflects our theology” (Rebecca Manley Pippert).

Gary Henry – WordPoints.com + AreYouaChristian.com

     

“Human vitality is so exuberant that in the sorriest desert it still finds a pretext for glowing and trembling” (José Ortega y Gasset).

IT’S EASY TO ADMIRE THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE GREAT “VITALITY.” It is an attractive quality. Coming from the Latin vita (“life”), vitality is the trait of those who, whether young or old, seem to have more life about them. They bubble with a liveliness that is exciting to watch. We appreciate their spirit and their spunk.

But vitality is not only admirable; it is powerful. Those who have vitality are more productive, obviously, but their work also tends to be of a higher quality. Indeed, it is nothing short of astonishing to think about what has been accomplished by vitality. When they have been truly “alive” to their work, human beings have written breathtaking symphonies and invented life-changing innovations and shown death-defying heroism. Vitality is a potent form of leverage.

But it is especially in our relationships that we need to value vitality. We bestow great honor upon others when we present ourselves to them as individuals who are fresh and full of life. “I love you” comes through loud and clear when we live life fully. “It is our uniqueness that gives freshness and vitality to a relationship” (James C. Dobson).

The work that people do in the world is as varied as the people who do it. But whatever it is that we do, most of us could do it more energetically and with more vitality. In the Book of Ecclesiastes, there is this wise statement: “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might.” We may fail or fall short (and the bigger our goals, the more often that will happen), but we can at least give our best effort.

Each day tests us with questions like these: How much vitality do we possess? How alive are we? How much energy can we put into our projects? Clearly, we need as much vitality as we can muster if we are to do work that is worth doing. But vitality is not a matter of genetic makeup or environmental circumstances; it’s a matter of character. And if it’s a matter of character, then it’s a matter of choice. So let us choose to work with passion and energy. And when we fail or fall short, let us have enough vitality to get up and get going once again.

“Vitality shows not only in the ability to persist but in the ability to start over” (F. Scott Fitzgerald).

Gary Henry – WordPoints.com + AreYouaChristian.com

     

“Few men are of one plain, decided color; most are mixed, shaded, and blended; and vary as much, from different situations, as changeable silks do from different lights” (Lord Chesterfield).

IF YOU’VE EVER WATCHED PEOPLE IN A PUBLIC PLACE FOR HALF AN HOUR OR SO, YOU’VE PROBABLY BEEN STRUCK BY THE VARIETY THERE IS IN THE HUMAN RACE. Physically, no two people are alike; that much is obvious. But there’s an even greater variety in the personalities that people project — and even the personalities the same people project in different situations. All these personalities are produced as individuals take the “nature” they were born with and then use that to interact with the external circumstances that come their way. The results are a “mixed bag,” to put it mildly.

Hardly anybody is entirely pleased with his or her own personality, but even so, there’s a lot of wisdom in learning to accept the personalities we have. We can adjust them and improve them, but we ought not to despise them. Wishing we could exchange our personality for that of somebody else is largely a waste of time.

Rather than wishing we had a different personality, what we ought to do is become more proactive in cultivating and enhancing the ones we’ve got. We do that by getting out there amongst other personalities and getting involved with their uniqueness. Eleanor Roosevelt gave good advice when she said, “If you approach each new person in a spirit of adventure, you will find yourself endlessly fascinated by the new channels of thought and experience and personality that you encounter.” And Carl Jung was also right when he said, “The meeting of two personalities is like the contact of two chemical substances: if there is any reaction, both are transformed.”

Just as our bodies are instruments through which we do our work, the same is true of our personalities. Two people can do the exact same work and end up making a very different contribution to the world. Personality is what makes that possible. Viva la difference!

“If you have anything valuable to contribute to the world it will come through the expression of your own personality — that single spark of divinity that sets you off and makes you different from every other living creature” (Bruce Barton).

Gary Henry – WordPoints.com + AreYouaChristian.com

     

“All men need something to poetize and idealize their life a little — something which they value for more than its use and which is a symbol of their emancipation from the mere materialism and drudgery of daily life” (Theodore E. Parker).

THERE’S A GOOD CHANCE SOME OF THE PEOPLE MOST IMPORTANT TO YOU WOULD APPRECIATE IT IF YOU BECAME A LITTLE MORE POETIC. No, you don’t necessarily need to start writing poetry, and you don’t even need to start reading more poetry (although both of those practices have more to recommend them than you might expect). But it would be good if you started living a life that is more poetic. In literature, as we all know, there is prose (think “information”) and there is poetry (think “music”). Now, comparing the lives that we lead to literature, aren’t there two different parts: the prosaic part of life and the poetic part? Don’t our activities fall into two general categories: business and beauty? The answer is yes. And the point is that we all could do with a little more of the poetic.

One of the definitions of a poet is “one who is gifted in the perception and expression of the beautiful or lyrical.” Christopher Fry said it well: “Poetry is the language in which man explores his own amazement.” Whether we realize it or not, we are being poetic — and we are enjoying poetry — any time we (a) stop to notice that which is beautiful or lyrical, and (b) express our enjoyment in honest ways.

But if there’s a dearth of poetry in your life, don’t excuse it by saying, “I have too much important work to do, and besides, the people around me aren’t very poetic.” Rainer Maria Rilke wrote, “If your daily life seems poor, do not blame it on others; blame yourself, tell yourself that you are not poet enough to call forth its riches.” The world is full of poetry. There is simply no excuse for not enjoying it.

Whoever we are, we tend to become more poetic when we’re under the influence of powerful thoughts and feelings, and what could be more powerful than love? We’ve all been in love, and in love, we’ve all felt at least a slight tug in the direction of the poetic. I happen to believe the tug should be yielded to. There is much to be amazed at, whether it’s love or just the wide world itself. When we’re amazed by beauty or by virtue, we ought to let ourselves “sing” about it.

“At the touch of love, everyone becomes a poet” (Plato).

Gary Henry – WordPoints.com + AreYouaChristian.com