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Think a Minute
Think a minute…In 2007, an amazing woman was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, but then sadly died at the age of 98. Her name was Irena Sendler from Warsaw, Poland.
During World War II Irena worked as a plumbing and sewer specialist in the Jewish ghetto of Warsaw. But her real purpose was to try to save as many Jews as possible from the Nazis who were starting to mass murder thousands, and ultimately six million, Jews in the Holocaust.
Irena smuggled babies out of the ghetto in the bottom of her toolbox. For the larger kids, she had a burlap sack in the back of her truck. By the end of the war Irena had smuggled out and saved approximately 2,500 babies and children! She also helped rescue 500 adults.
When Irena was eventually caught by the Nazis, they broke both her legs and arms. But she wisely kept a record of the names of all the children she had saved in a glass jar which she buried in her backyard. After the war was over, she tried to locate any parents who may have survived to reunite them with their children whom she had rescued. Tragically, most of the parents had been murdered in the Nazi death camps. So, Irena placed these orphan children into foster families who adopted them.
Irena Sendler conquered evil with compassion and courage. Throughout her life she told people: “Keep bringing light to the world…and never stop repairing broken hearts and lives.” There are people all around us—in our workplace, school, neighborhood, village, even in our own family—who are hurting and need our compassion and courage to help them. God has placed you there to be His heart and hands extended to them to help change their life. To fight against injustice, abuse, neglect, rejection, and discouragement with His powerful weapons of love and truth. Nothing can truly heal and change hearts except God’s real love and light which only Jesus Christ can give.
Won’t you ask Him to take charge of your heart, so He can begin filling you with His compassion and courage to comfort and help those you know are suffering? Just think a minute…
Think a minute...After my teenage son learned to drive, he still did not learn how to get where he was going. It took him some time to find the quickest, shortest route to where he wanted to go. He often ended up turning a 15-minute drive into a 45-minute journey. Taking the long way home cost him a lot of wasted time and money for fuel. Yet often in life we take the long and winding road to get where we want to be. Life is short, yet we take so long to learn how to live it well. “Experience may be a good teacher, but it charges us a high price for the lessons we learn.”
Each day we face possibilities to make wrong turns, or to simply go around in circles with our daily routine, never actually moving forward and making progress. “We live and learn, but some of us just live.” We die sometimes having never learned to really live the right, satisfying way. We take many twists and turns trying to find our way through this life of good and bad, right and wrong. We face a lot of choices, including false starts, detours, and dead ends.
Remember, “No one ever got lost on a straight road.” It’s actually quite easy to find the right road in life. For one thing, “If the truth is standing in your way, you know you’re headed in the wrong direction.”It’s like going the wrong way on a one-way street: the person who turns around the soonest is the smartest and safest. There is nothing smart about being too stubborn and proud to admit we’ve made a wrong choice and move.
It makes no sense to ask 2 plus 2 to equal 5. Just like it makes no sense to ask God to change the facts of right and wrong so I can live my own way. And what if God said it was OK for me to do the wrong thing I want to do? Then how would I feel if God let someone else do that wrong thing to me or to someone in my family? He shows us His right ways for our happiness and safety. Jesus declared that He is the only way to true life. Follow Him and He will lead you where you want to go. He knows this land called life. He made it. Trust Him.
Won’t you ask Jesus to forgive you for living your own way? Then ask Him to take charge of your heart and daily way of living, so you can stop taking wrong turns and dead-end streets. He is the only One Who can lead you off the long and winding road to the straight and only way home—where your satisfying, everlasting life is waiting for you. Just think a minute…
Think a minute…Years ago I visited someone in prison. I was deeply saddened as I watched all those people locked up, living their life inside a small room. Although many of us have never been convicted of a crime, tragically we still live our entire lives locked inside a prison. Saddest of all, we are the ones who build the walls that hold us inside. So, we’re not free to live our life to the fullest. We become our own worst enemy through our own wrong thinking about ourselves. Someone said: “When you lose your confidence, you lose the battle.”
In zoos a baby elephant is tied with a strong steel chain to a large post. At first, the young elephant pulls and tries to break free from the chain…but finally it gives up and stops trying. After that, only a thin rope is needed to tie that huge, powerful elephant down and stop it from moving anywhere. For the rest of its life that elephant believes the lie that it is too weak to break that thin little rope, so it never even tries again.
Sadly, in a similar way, if I let myself believe I cannot go any further in life, even though it’s not true, then I won’t. That is the destructive power of believing the lies of my own wrong thinking about myself. The enemy I am fighting is in my own mind.
But it can happen the opposite way too. “Nearly every man wastes part of his life trying to show abilities he does not have to get other people’s approval he cannot keep.” A popular T.V. program in the U.S. is American Idol. It lets ordinary people show their singing talent. The problem is some of them have no singing talent at all! Yet they fool themselves into believing they do! Remember: “You can’t put in what God left out.” Don’t waste your life trying to succeed at something you were not made to do.
There’s a saying: “The best psychologist is the one inside you.” But that is only true if the One living inside you is your Creator. Only He can help you know and become the person He designed and made you to be. Won’t you ask Jesus to help you break out of the prison of your wrong thinking and sinful living? If you ask Him to forgive and free you, He can help you start seeing and being all that He made you to be. Just think a minute…
Think a minute...Watching the Olympics can be both inspiring and heartbreaking. We watch and feel both the “thrill of victory” and the “agony of defeat”. This is especially true when the world’s greatest athletes, who have worked so hard for so long, lose by only a fraction of a second! Even with all their years of daily discipline and tough training, they still must finish well! Almost winning does not count. No one is rewarded and remembered for what they almost did.
In the 2008 Beijing Olympics, both the U.S. men’s and women’s 400-meter relay teams learned this the hard way. Both teams ran well for most of the race, but then near the end they dropped the baton and failed to finish. One of them, Tyson Gay, who was the 2007 world champion in both the 200 and 100-meter dashes, left the Olympics empty-handed with not even a single medal. He can tell you about the agony of not finishing well!
In 2003, after 22 years of exploration, the Space Shuttle Columbia went on its 28th mission, this time with seven astronauts on board. They were on a 16-day journey into space to conduct important experiments. Everything went well and they achieved their goals, so they returned to earth from their successful mission. They were just 16 minutes from landing…when suddenly the Space Shuttle Columbia exploded! Only tiny pieces were left of what was one of history’s most powerful, advanced machines and masterpieces of engineering. But the even greater tragedy was the sudden loss of those seven brave and brilliant astronauts. They came so close, only 16 minutes from home, but they did not make it.
It’s not how you start but how you finish that ultimately determines everything. In the most important matters of life and death, right and wrong, “almost” does not count. You have to finish well. If you let yourself be distracted or detoured, even just a little, it can end up destroying you permanently. Don’t wait another minute. Won’t you ask Jesus to take charge of your heart and daily way of living? He made it crystal clear that if you truly love Him, you will wholeheartedly live His way every day. Only then, with His help and power, can you be sure you will live well and finish well. Just think a minute…
Think a minute…During the Korean War, a South Korean civilian was arrested by the North Koreans and condemned to be executed. But when the young North Korean military leader learned that the prisoner was not a soldier but the head of an orphanage caring for young children, he decided to let him live. However, he ordered that the prisoner’s son be executed in his place. So, the prisoner’s 19-year-old boy was shot and killed in front of his father.
After the war ended, the United Nations captured this young North Korean leader who had ordered such a terrible murder. He was put on trial for his war crimes and condemned to death. But before he was executed, the South Korean father whose innocent son had been brutally killed, asked to show mercy to the man who had ordered his son’s horrible murder. The father said that the North Korean military leader had been young when he ordered his son to be killed and had not fully understood what he was doing. “Give him to me,” said the father, “and I will try to teach him the true, right way to live.”
The United Nations granted this rare, amazing request of the father to take the murderer of his son into his own home and care for him. This father’s love completely changed the heart of that young, murderous North Korean military leader into a kind and compassionate man.
The greatest force for change is real, unconditional love that forgives and shows mercy even to our worst enemies. In fact, it’s the only kind of love that has the power to change our human heart. A wise person said: “The best way to defeat your enemy is to make him your friend.”However, it’s not natural for us humans to forgive like that—it’s supernatural. As the saying goes: “To err is human, but to forgive is divine.”The only way we humans can fully and freely forgive our enemies is if God controls and rules our hearts. This is why that South Korean father, who was a true Christian and follower of Jesus, was able to forgive and love the North Korean leader who had murdered his son.
The power of forgiveness is almost irresistible. Almost! Because we can still refuse to ask and receive forgiveness. But then we pay the highest price for our pride and rejecting God’s forgiveness. Without His forgiveness, we cannot be freed from our guilt and live in a right relationship with our Heavenly Father. Our Creator has already paid the penalty for our wrong heart and sinful living with His own sinless life. We each need to wholeheartedly ask Jesus to forgive us for all our sins and living our own way. Then, He can start changing us from the inside out. He will even empower and free us to forgive others as He has forgiven us. Just think a minute…
Think a minute…It’s been said: ”The human race has improved everything except the human race.” Sadly, many of us humans remain immature and never fully grow up in our character throughout our entire lives. We remain like boys and girls living in adult bodies.
A major mark of maturity is self-control. One of the hardest things for us humans to control is our tongue and words. We have tamed huge wild animals like elephants, whales, and lions, but we still have not tamed that little muscle in our mouth. It can be a deadly weapon that hurts or even destroys relationships and reputations. “Words don’t break bones, just hearts.”The first step is to think first. Stop and think about what you’re going to say: Is it true? Is it kind? Is it necessary?
The second step is to talk less. You have a far less chance of hurting others, and yourself, if your mouth is open less. Sometimes the best statement we can make is our silence. Always remember the rule: “Less is more.” We can actually say more by talking less. Those who have the most to say usually say it with the fewest words.
Another mark of maturity is living controlled by your life’s purpose and priorities, so you don’t waste much of your life on only temporary fun and leisure. Rather, you want to use your abilities, time, and resources to make the lives of your family, friends, and people around you better.
Mature people live for something greater than just themselves. They are givers, not takers. “At the end of our life, we will find that the things we lost were what we tried to keep for ourselves.”Strong, mature people do not always need to have their own way to be happy. They understand that we receive more happiness from making others happy. “We humans grow tired of the happiness we take, but not of the happiness we give.”It’s when we give our life away by helping others that we find real life.
Remember, Jesus shows us the perfect model of maturity, and gives us the power we need to follow His example. He is the only One who can enable you to reach your full potential as the mature human being He created you to be. Jesus said: “I did not come to be served, but to serve and give away my life for others.” Won’t you ask Him to forgive you for your wrong, self-centered living? Then ask Him to take charge of your heart, character, and way of daily living? It’s the only way you can truly grow to become all that He designed you to be. Just think a minute…
Think a minute…A little boy lost a footrace at school, so he came home angry and jealous of the other kids who won ahead of him. His father saw his son’s selfish, bad attitude and said: “Son, anybody can be happy and kind when they win. That’s easy! But when you lose, and you are still happy and kind to the winners, then you’re on your way to becoming a mature human being.”Today and tomorrow, we will look at some marks of maturity.
Self-control of our physical desires and drives is one of the marks of our maturity. “The man who can master himself can master everything else.” A mature person controls his body instead of allowing his body to control him. He is not a slave to his senses. This is true of any physical appetite, whether it’s for pleasure, comfort, food, or even rest. Mature people do not live life ruled by their urges and impulses, since they do not need instant gratification to be happy.
A mature person also has self-control in the area of honesty. Some people only have a good reputation, but they do not have a good character. They give generously in public, but cheat and steal in private. A mature person, however, is controlled by his conscience and what he knows is right, not by the wrong things he can get away with. So even if no one will ever know that he lied, stole, or did something wrong, he still will not do it because he himself will know. He never wants to lose his good character and self-respect. “A mature person disciplines himself so others don’t have to.” His honest character and conscience steer him through every temptation, pressure, and problem, so he does not lose his way, and as a result lose his honor and integrity.
A mature person also has self-control of his emotions. You can tell how strong a man is by how much it takes to make him upset and lose control of his anger. “The more you grow up, the less you blow up.” A mature person masters his moods and understands, “The results of anger are often worse than the cause of it.” Nothing is important enough to become so angry that we deeply hurt and damage our relationships with those we love and care about.
Remember, you only get one life, so why not make yours the best it can be by becoming your best? Ask Jesus to take charge of your heart and character. Only He can give you the power you need each day to become the mature man or woman of self-control He created you to be. Then, you can start reaching your potential and living your life to the fullest. Just think a minute…
Think a minute…A little boy named John was watching his mother bake a cake. She put all the ingredients on the table: flour, butter, sugar, baking powder, eggs, and vanilla. When his mother was not looking, little John sneaked a taste of each ingredient. However, they tasted bad by themselves! Then he watched his mother mix all the ingredients together and put it into the oven to bake. That night after John enjoyed two big pieces of the cake, he said: “Wow! How can mixing all those BAD-tasting things make such a GOOD cake?”His mother smiled and answered: “The magic is in the mix!”
Sooner or later bad things happen to all of us. Maybe you did not get that job or promotion you deserved; or someone in your family suddenly became seriously sick or was terribly injured in an accident. It’s a fact: Life is a series of problems. But quite often, “Trouble can be the first path to truth.” In fact, our problems can give us our most valuable and treasured lessons for life. So, “Don’t give up, simply grow up.”But it takes a truly teachable, humble, and strong person to suffer wisely.
Everybody suffers, but not everybody grows better from it. We need to learn how to profit from our pain, and understand that there is a purpose behind every problem—a kind of magic or “miracle in the mix.”
Each day of our life is a training course on how to become the person you were created to be. If you give God control of your life, you cannot lose. No matter what happens to you, His inner peace and power enables you to grow stronger and wiser from everything life throws at you. So, you actually learn how to “suffer successfully.” We face challenges every day in the classroom of our life, with the greatest Teacher in the world. But usually, “We humans don’t know God is all we need until He’s all we’ve got.” He is the only One who can masterfully mix all of your life’s experiences together, both good and bad, to produce a truly successful, satisfying life. Since you were created an eternal soul and person, you have to live with yourself forever—long after your short life here is over. But you must first put your life in God’s hands every day, before He can start blending together everything in your life for your lasting happiness and good. Won’t you ask Him right now to take charge of your heart and life so He can get started? Just think a minute…
Think a minute…There were two sick men who shared a room in a hospital. The man whose bed was by the window was allowed to sit up for an hour each day to help drain the fluid from his lungs. But the other man had to spend all of his time lying flat on his back.
These two sick men talked for hours every day. They talked about their wives and children, their jobs, and their many life experiences. Each day when the man by the window sat up in his bed for that hour, he told his roommate all the things he could see outside the window, especially the park with its lovely pond and gardens. This made the other man so happy that he eagerly looked forward to that one hour every day as he listened to his roommate talk about the people and beauty of the world outside their hospital window.
One night the man by the window died in his sleep. The other man who shared his room was deeply sad. He greatly missed his roommate who had shared with him about the wonderful world outside their window. The other man asked if his bed could be moved to the window where his friend had been, so he himself could see the beauty outside. But when he turned his head to look out the window, he was shocked to see nothing but a dirty blank wall!
When he told the nurse all the things outside their window that his roommate had described to him, the nurse said to him: “Your friend who sat by the window was blind. He could not see anything. I think he wanted to make your life happier.”
Jesus teaches that we are much more blessed and satisfied when we give to others rather than just receive for ourselves. The only way to be truly and fully happy is to make others happy. The only way to find a life of real meaning and purpose is to give your life away by loving and helping others. “Life makes sense when we make a difference.” This is how our Creator lives. He became a human to make all the difference in our lives. Our Maker loves us so much that He gave His sinless life as a sacrifice to pay the penalty for our sinful, self-centered hearts. That was the only way He could give His forgiveness and abundant life to us. Won’t you ask Jesus to forgive you and start changing you from the inside out? He will give you His power to enjoy living for others the way He created you to. Just think a minute…
Think a minute…This is a true story about a 19-year-old girl who rebelled against her parents and ran away from home. Soon she found out that life was not easy on her own. She could not find a job, and her friends grew tired of her living off of them so they kicked her out. She finally became so desperate that she started making money by working on the street as a prostitute.
Years passed. Her father died. Her mother grew older. All the while the daughter’s life grew even worse. But she still refused to write or go home to see her mother. One day the mother heard that her daughter had been seen in a certain part of town, so she went looking for her. The mother went to every cheap hotel asking to put a picture on their walls. It was a picture of herself, now an old, gray-haired mother. Beside her picture she wrote: “I still love you! Please come home!”
Months went by and nothing happened. Then one day the daughter, who was now extremely skinny and sick, could not believe her eyes when she saw her mother’s picture on the wall of that dirty cheap hotel! As she read her mother’s message to her, she began to cry.
That night she started walking the many miles back to her home. It was early in the morning when she finally arrived at her mother’s house and knocked on the door. To her surprise, the door was open! Afraid that someone had broken into the house, she ran inside and woke up her sleeping mother to tell her she had finally come home. Mother and daughter cried as they hugged each other. The daughter said: “I thought someone had broken the door open!”The mother shook her head and said: “My dear, since the day you left, that door has always been open!”
Never forget, it does not matter what wrong things we have done or how badly we have lived, our Heavenly Father’s door is always open for us to come home. Even though we have sinfully disobeyed Him and chosen not to live His way, the moment you decide to ask His forgiveness, Jesus will forgive and accept you just the way you are. That is when He can help you start a new life, daily living His right and happy way in a loving relationship with Him. Today He wants you to know He’s waiting…and His door is still open. Just think a minute…