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Some of the things we value most in life—though we might not always realize it—are the most common. It prompted one author to observe, "Genius is recognizing the uniqueness in the unimpressive. It is looking at a homely caterpillar, an ordinary egg and a selfish infant, and seeing a butterfly, an eagle and a saint."1
From the beginning of time, man has debated the issue of faith vs. science—which is right.
Thoreau reminded us that “men were born to succeed, not to fail,”1 but the line between success and failure may be so fine that we scarcely know when we pass it. Often, we throw up our hands at a time when a little more effort, a little more patience, would have achieved success. Persistence can […]
In a very real sense, the world is too much with us. Most of us lay waste our powers here in an endless round of tasks and misdirected goals. With earthly eyes, we learn to regard certain things that do not merit our regard. We begin to yearn for things that do not correspond with our deepest yearnings.
Seeing what love God has bestowed on us, His children, should create in us a sense of obligation, a duty to return in kind the divine and personal affection we receive from our Father in Heaven.
"The only real differences in the world are made by one person—the right person in the right place at the right time." So wrote Sydney Harris. "It is one person," he continued, "who makes the difference everywhere." And he added that these makers of history don't have to be famous or important in the world. "John Wilkes Booth, a fanatical failure, changed history quite as much as Lincoln did."1
Above the entrance to the ancient Greek shrine at Delphi were inscribed these two words: "Know Thyself." The message contained in this short injunction still merits our consideration. For while science has given us the telescope to scan the far reaches of the stellar universe and the microscope to probe the unseen microcosms, the greatest frontier is still the uncharted regions of self.
Once again, in most communities in this country, the learning process is underway in the schools—from kindergarten through college and on into adult education. It is a life-giving source of enrichment, not only in professional preparation, but in the overall enjoyment of life here upon the earth.
All of us make mistakes. Sometimes we fall short of our best intentions. We are occasionally short tempered and irritable when we meant to be calm and kind, stingy when we meant to be generous. In fact, life teaches us that to be human is to blunder, having a marvelous set of ideals in our mind and living somewhere beneath them.
There is a hunger in each of us. It is a hunger of the heart, but it is no less real and compelling than hunger of the stomach. It is the need for appreciation and praise. William James said, "...we have an innate propensity to get ourselves noticed, and noticed favorably, by our kind."1
Future historians might well call our time the age of the unnatural high. At least it seems that the primary motivation of many individuals is to get high, to remain in a constant condition of mental euphoria, a state induced by continuous dependence on mind-altering substances.
If spring is identified with youth and winter with the senior years, then summer must surely be the time of midlife.
A newsmagazine noted that the question most people once evaluated themselves by was, "Am I doing right?" Then that question was replaced by "Am I getting ahead?" But today many of us hear from a slightly tinny inner voice, " Am I having fun?"1
During recent decades, our society has become increasingly sensitive to the various forms of life with whom we share the earth. Laws have been enacted to protect the habitats of numerous types of animal life. Endangered species lists have been established. Here are recorded the names of those animals which face certain extinction unless they are afforded protection and special consideration.
Most of us have either participated in or viewed in the movies the reading of a last will and testament—where anxious relatives and friends await the distribution of money, properties, and other material acquisitions gathered during someone's lifetime.
Wherever did modern man get the idea that more was better? Unhappy is the corporate executive who cannot report that his company grew bigger during the year. Chambers of commerce urge their towns to constant growth. And individually, we hurry to acquire more and more possessions, to cram more and more into each day until our lives become like stuffed suitcases that cannot close and bulge and break with their load.
It's oft been said—and quite truthfully—that freedom is not free; that its price is eternal vigilance; that it must be purchased by each succeeding generation. It is also true that there is a price for patriotism. To love our country and people well, we must learn to serve and sacrifice for them.
Each day, we realize more and more the absolutely essential nature of the family. It is the foundation of nations. And despite rumors to the contrary, surveys indicate the family is stronger than ever. Although individual families are being challenged—and many face stressful situations—society clearly places top priority on the family as an institution.
As America once again celebrates its nationhood, on this anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, our thoughts return to those early patriots, to those brave men and women who saw past the security of the moment, towards the peace of the future.
The faculty of the mind is a marvelous thing. Not only does it receive, interpret and record information on a daily basis; but with the passage of time, this wonder sorts and prioritizes human experience. As it does, so it gives increased worth to the memories and recollections of events which seemed less valuable at an earlier age.
Recent weeks have witnessed the annual pageantry of graduation ceremonies—a time signifying the end of formal education. But the young graduates—and some are not so young—will soon realize that they are, in sense, freshmen again—that the good life is a series of learning experiences.
Most of us believe that there was a time somewhere in the past that was far better than today. It was a time when cares were not so heavy or pressures so intense, a time when colors may have been brighter or love more enchanting. It's the idea we have of that summer or of the Fourth of July years ago, that today's summer or holiday never seems to quite live up to. The details don't matter, but most of us carry a vision just beyond recollection of a sweeter yesterday.
Because of the many religious sects in existence today, it is sometimes difficult to discover truth. Certainly, the sublime and simple teachings of Jesus have undergone a multitude of translations and interpretations which have resulted in the many diverse Christian creeds which abound in our world.
There's an old Babylonian proverb that says, "If a man be lucky, (you can) pitch him into the Euphrates and like as not he will swim out with a pearl in his hand."1 Some modem writers have also suggested that there are those who continually stumble into prosperity, in spite of themselves. And so it seems that some people have all the luck. Success follows them as surely as noon follows morning. They are the ones who rise through the ranks of any group to emerge as the leader; who have full checking accounts; whose dreams don't turn to dust in their hands. Or so it seems.
"Verdant Meadows, stately forest, my heart longing, yearns for thee."1 The text of the song we have just heard focuses on the need to show reverence for the miracle of nature.
Political unrest, wars and rumors of wars, and the continuing upsurge in crime are indications that all is not well in human society. Turmoil and conflict seem to be the earmarks of our age.
The innocence and openness of children's prayers must surely be among the sweetest sounds of heaven or earth.
There is joy in life: the joy of participation, of sharing and involvement. Among the most basic and rewarding joys of life is that of work. To actively use our intellect, brawn and spirit in the achievement of worthwhile tasks is a right as inalienable as liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
Perhaps our deepest dread is the fear of extinction, of being blown out like a candle flame, of ceasing to be. That inescapable fear of the unknown, at times grips each of us. And the more we love life, the more we fear death. That's why Christians everywhere feel a mighty surge of hope on Easter. For millions of people, Easter morning is the most stirring time of the year... a time when we are filled with awe and reverence, with wonder and gratitude.
We do many things in life out of duty. We pay our taxes, follow speed limits when we're late, and come back to work after lunch—all in the line of duty. And many of us classify obeying God as a similar action. It is duty. We worry that He is peeking around some corner waiting to pounce on us if we disobey. So with faces tight as army sheets, we grimly do what we think is right, reading the scriptures when we ache to read the paper, gritting our teeth and paying donations, checking off our list of Christian attributes with fixed determination.