88a – Famous Failures
Think a minute…All of us at times feel like we will never achieve the full success in our career that we want. But it helps us to know that nearly every successful person had to overcome hurdles before they reached his or her goal. One such person said: “History has shown that most winners went through heart-breaking obstacles before they triumphed. They won because they refused to become disheartened and deterred by their defeats.”
John Grisholm is a best-selling author of novels, some of which have been made into successful Hollywood movies including The Firm, The Pelican Brief, Runaway Jury, and his first book, A Time to Kill. Yet in the beginning, it was rejected by 29 different publishers! When it was finally printed by a small, unknown publisher, it sold only 5,000 copies. Since then, his books have sold 300 million copies and he has written 28 consecutive number one bestsellers!
Michael Jordan is considered by many to be the greatest basketball player of all time. But in high school he was rejected and cut from his team because the coach said Michael was too short to play.
Thomas Edison, the great inventor, has over 1,000 inventions and patents to his name. He failed 2,000 times in trying to invent the incandescent light bulb. When reporters asked him about his 2,000 failures, he replied: ”I did not fail once. Inventing the light bulb was simply a 2,000-step process.”
In 1954, Elvis Presley sang once for Jimmy Denny, a professional music producer and manager. Afterwards Denny told Elvis: “You ain’t goin’ nowhere…You ought to go back to drivin’ a truck.” Elvis, of course, ignored this “professional” opinion and went on to become the King of Rock n’ Roll and sell more records than almost any other singer in history.
Long before George MacArthur became a famous general in three major wars, he was rejected two times by the West Point military academy. But he did not stop trying and was finally accepted. After graduating, he marched into the history books as one of the greatest army generals ever.
Every human being fails many times. But the ones who become successful, do not allow their failures to stop them from eventually reaching their potential and living their lives to the fullest. If you will ask Jesus, the One Who gave you your abilities and potential, He will help you with His power to become all He created you to be. He will even use your past mistakes to strengthen and teach you how to live His right, successful way for the rest of your life. Just think a minute…
88b – Marks of Maturity (Part 1)
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…
88c – Marks of Maturity (Part 2)
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…
88d – By Its Cover
Think a minute…In the year 1830, Joe moved into a small community in Massachusetts, U.S.A. Even though Joe was a kind, honest, and good citizen, from the day he moved to town he was rejected and ridiculed. Wherever he went, people mocked and laughed at him, and when they saw him walking their direction they would quickly cross to the other side of the street. Even the windows of his house were regularly broken by men throwing rocks during the night.
Joe continued to go his quiet way and ignore the insults. But one day as he was walking down the main street, he heard footsteps behind him. When he turned around to look, a group of men attacked him. Joe fought back, but they overpowered him and dragged him off to jail. These men lied and told the authorities it was Joe who started the fight. But Joe refused to pay any penalty since he knew he had done nothing wrong, so they locked him in jail.
From his jail cell, Joe began to write letters to his family, telling them the truth of how the town was unfairly judging him. His son then sent the letters to a local newspaper, and soon newspapers across the nation were printing Joe’s story of persecution. The pressure from public opinion finally forced the town leaders to set Joe free.
Interestingly, years later Joe lived to see two U.S. presidents and men all over America do the exact same thing for which Joe had been wrongly judged and persecuted. For during that time in America, people believed that all respectable men were clean-shaven; and Joe Palmer had dared to wear a beard!
It’s so true: “You can’t judge a book by its cover.” Unfortunately, some people’s beliefs go only “skin deep”. They just follow what others tell them is right and wrong, instead of thinking for themselves and looking deeper for what is really true and important in life. Joe’s town was a perfect example of “the blind leading the blind.” Fortunately, Joe knew better. He knew that the beard on his face was not the real person he was inside his heart and character.
“Don’t let other people own space in your head.” Never let others rob you of your freedom to think for yourself and to follow what you know is the true way to live. In fact, it’s not just your right, it’s your responsibility. We all are made in God’s likeness with a conscience and mind to think and a will to choose. Won’t you take the time to think through all the evidence of Jesus’ life, teaching, miracles, death and resurrection? If you honestly consider these historical facts, you will clearly see that Christ’s way is the true, best way to live—since it’s your Creator’s way. Just think a minute…
88e – Almost Irresistible
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…