Enjoying the Journey
Posts Tagged ‘attitude’
The Most Important Characteristic of A Staff Member
For nearly two decades I had the joy of serving on the staff of a wonderful church and college. After the first few years I had the responsibility of not only being a staff member but also having staff who answered to me. I told someone recently that I learned more about serving on a staff after having the opportunity of supervising others! I truly tried to be a help to the man I served under but I am sure in my youth I made a host of mistakes. Thank God for patient leaders! Now, as an evangelist, I have the privilege of spending time with staff members in many churches. Just last week I enjoyed a lunch meeting with…
Read MoreThank God for Your Critics!
It is inevitable that critics will come. If you obey God there will be some man who does not understand. And the critics are not always foes – sometimes they are friends and family. Even Jesus said to Peter, “Get thee behind me, Satan.” Sincere people can serve as the enemy’s mouthpiece. It is not your critics who make the difference – it is your attitude toward them. We all want to defend ourselves. To prove them wrong. To be right. But, what if the negative is actually a positive? Criticism is always hurtful, sometimes unfair, and occasionally exactly what we need to hear. Regardless, it helps if you can see the Lord at work in the midst of criticism and…
Read MoreA Lesson From A Student
A few days ago I was talking with a school teacher who has a number of special education children in her class. As we spoke about the importance of this work, she told me that there was one student who had made a tremendous impact on her. This young man shows up every morning with a smile on his face. He is positive all through the day. He always has something nice to say. My teacher friend said that this one young man is like a ray of sunshine every day. One morning she finally asked, “How are you so happy all of the time?” With tears in her eyes she relayed to me his simple and sincere reply. He…
Read MoreA Word for Young People About Parents
Like most children, when I was very young, I memorized the Ten Commandments. The fifth commandment says, “Honour thy father and thy mother.” It is repeated eight times in the Bible. As a boy, if my mother said something once I was supposed to listen. If she said it twice, I was definitely supposed to listen. If she had to say it three times, it was too late to listen! When God repeats something it is always for emphasis. This is God’s word to every young person: “Honour thy father and thy mother.” For many years I quoted it without even knowing what it meant. The word honor means to assign value to something, to treat it as a prize. …
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