Spoken Word Messages - Page 57

Not long ago a man in the southern part of the United States saw a nurse's hand holding an eyedropper. For most of us the sight would have been barely worth a glance. For him it was spectacular because it was the first thing he had ever seen. After 51 years of life an operation had given him sight.

When compared with the complicated and sometimes wordy writings of many of the world's philosophers, the straight-forward sayings of Jesus are a refreshing reminder that simplicity is one earmark of truth.

Throughout the scriptures the Lord is continually giving reassurance of His love, His support and His availability to us at all times.

It is said that a famous philosopher wanted only two words written on his tombstone "the individual". That may seem strange at first until we think what a remarkable achievement it is to be ourselves in a world that is constantly beckoning us to be somebody else.

Prayer is man's way of communicating with the Lord. He has instructed us in its use, even gave us examples to follow. And through experience we have learned there are many forms of prayer. But the most common—and perhaps the most difficult—is to pray with words.

Among the parts of speech common to the English language is the verb. As we learned in early grammar, the verb is an action word, a word used to express motion or exertion. When we classify any word as a verb, we give it a special meaning: we intend for it to symbolize an act, a deed, something accomplished, something done.

We have heard much in recent years about the moral decay that seems to have weakened our country, of self-indulgent permissiveness, drugs, crime, pornography, the pampering of our youth, and rampant materialism.

Mortals share a secret which they hardly ever confess to one another—or if they do it is with some embarrassment, some hesitation, a feeling that no one else could possibly understand their meaning. And if on some long winter night in intense conversation when barriers are down and formalities are set aside for an instant, the topic is approached, it is as if one has let another into his sanctuary, his personal sacred ground where few have ever trod before.

Ours is an age of communication. Telephone wires hum with millions of voices. Satellites soar through the sky reflecting words and pictures to the waiting radio speakers and television screens. Mailbags bulge with correspondence and the ceaseless drone of human voices fills the air over every city of any size.

There is written a traditional Dutch proverb which states simply: "The Heart Never Lies." Whether we should rely upon the intuition of our inner feelings in every case, as the proverb suggests, is subject for debate. Certainly, intuition must be tempered with reason.  A judgement or decision which is made wholly on the basis of one's own internal response, with a total disregard for the evidence or experience, is generally an unwise judgement.

George Bernard Shaw reportedly said that life is a series of smiles, sniffles and sobs: with the sniffles predominating. Surely none of us will escape the sobs that are part of this life, and hopefully we will enjoy our share of smiles. But what of the sniffles—the gray and humdrum outlook that can dampen our spirits and darken our days—are the sniffles an inescapable part of our existence? They need not be, because it is not our outward condition but the inward set of our minds that determines our world.

The clamor and confusion of the 1980 presidential campaign are now over. And this week, the 4Oth President of the United States will be installed in the highest elective office in this country. In so doing, Ronald Reagan fulfills the divinely inspired requirements of the Constitution, that the executive power of these United States shall […]

Change is as inevitable as the turning of the calendar. And with the New Year comes the new self. As surely as the tides roll upon the shore. . . as surely as the seasons redecorate the landscape, we will change.

To be considered important, of value, and wanted is one of the basic needs of the human soul. Yet, we're so often just a part of the crowd. At a football stadium we join thousands of indistinguishable faces, we hurry down city streets where no one recognizes us, we receive letters addressed to "occupant." It can make us wonder if our life has any distinct meaning to others. In fact, many experts think that many of our social problems stem from this human need gone astray, people searching for a way to say, "I'm important, I count for something, notice me."

Of the four seasons, winter is perhaps the least eulogized. Poets and artists alike have extolled the hope of spring, the vibrancy of summer, and the abundance of fall while depreciating the bleakness and stillness of winter. Indeed, nature herself appears lifeless during this barren season of the year.

As dusk turned to darkness on that silent night long ago, the inns of the day were overcrowded. The small towns teemed with travelers and animals, and people plodded down the dusty roads through Bethlehem. For most of them this day and night would be no cause for celebration. In days to come, if they remembered at all, they would note with distaste that they were forced to travel here to pay their taxes to their Roman overlords. Worldly cares hung heavily upon this people as the quiet night came on.

We have entered one of the most loved seasons of the year—a time when we openly encourage each other to extend ourselves in a spirit of brotherhood—and yet, the world seems filled with tension and increasing stress. There is much hardship and distrust on the earth.

The definition of the word success varies from individual to individual, from culture to culture. For some people, it has to do with the acquisition of wealth. For others, success involves professional titles or social status. And still others define success in terms of the amount of time available for recreation or leisure.

One of the problems with verbal language is its inability to adequately express abstract thoughts or feelings. Take, for instance, the oft-spoken phrase, “I love you.” Three syllables, three short sounds, uttered daily wherever English is spoken; and yet, this simple phrase can represent a wide variety of feelings or thoughts.

Someone once said there are two kinds of people: those who divide the world into two kinds of people, and those who don't. This may or may not be true, but it does seem that there are two kinds of most everything.

In the Bible, praise is given not to the strong man who "taketh a city," but to the stronger man who "ruleth his own spirit."1  The stronger man; it is he who exercises constant control over his thoughts, his speech, and his actions. We call it "self-discipline."

We have heard the Choir sing, "I waited for the Lord."1 Is there anything harder than waiting? We find it difficult enough to wait for a late companion, a late meal or a doctor's appointment. But to wait for the Lord, to wait for that special blessing we're sure we deserve, to wait for comfort in our grieving moments, to wait for relief when our whole heart cries out in the urgency of its need, those are times when patience is a virtue almost beyond reach.

One of the distinguishing features of our way of life is the increasing number of people who are involved in sports or athletic competition. Most young people now participate in some form of organized sports program. And, of course, spectator sports have become a major focus for the use of leisure time in many of our lives.

The Savior said: "Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for such is the kingdom of heaven."1

There is within us all a heavenly homesickness. Whether we describe it as hearing the harps eternal, or with some other metaphor, it is a feeling deeply sensed that we are more than mortal; that there is spiritual as well as earthly matter in us and in the world around.

Critics call our modern world a "me society" in which everyone is trying desperately to please himself. We are taught to see people only in terms of what they can do for us. We look at life in terms of "making it." The unsaid question that lurks behind every activity in this type of society is, "Does this enhance me?" In fact, we've come honestly to believe that if we try hard enough, and long enough and ambitiously enough to please ourselves—we finally will.

One of the great lessons of life is that all areas of endeavor have their fundamentals, their basic principles which stand as the foundation for knowledge and action. In science, we must turn repeatedly to the basic laws of physics and chemistry. In education, there are the rudiments of language and reasoning which must precede all other learning. The free enterprise system operates upon the basic axiom of supply and demand.

Autumn is a season of pure poetry with its brilliant colors and bountiful harvests. It is the fullness of all seasons—triumphantly grown old, rich and fulfilled. It penetrates the inner universe of the soul as we witness its message of mortality . . . as we see the falling red and yellow-gold leaves. . . the trees increasingly bare. . . as we become aware of the fading warble of birds and the absent chirp of crickets.

We do need the Lord every hour, but one of our challenges is to know in what way.

One of the themes running through Shakespeare's work is the conflict of appearance and reality. He was the first to tell us that "All that glitters is not gold,"1 and he also reminded us that "Every cloud engenders not a storm."2 In trying to tell us that things are not always as they seem, the bard said, "Things sweet to taste prove in digestion sour."3