Proverbs 8:1-4, 22-31br...
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Proverbs 8:1-4, 22-31
Before he can paint a masterpiece, an artist must first prepare his canvas. Before his trees or mountains, valleys or oceans, before his brush strokes populate his painting with creatures or plants or humans, he needs the correct tools. Before he commits the first color, he must clean his brushes. He must prepare his palette. He must choose the right canvas or paper or whatever it is he is planning to paint. Perhaps he must stretch his own canvas or cut his own sheets. He must set up his easel and perhaps must adjust its height or angle. He must plan his work and decide where the first stroke will go -- all before he paints one tiny star or simple tree.
Leah T.
Proverbs 8:1-4, 22-31
Thomas Alva Edison was an inventor, scientist, and businessman who changed the lives of people around the world with his inventions. He invented over a thousand different products that after generations are still being used. His biographers state that the greatest challenge was the development of a practical incandescent, electric light. After countless experiments and failures he finally switched on the light for the world! But it wasn't just the invention of the light bulb, but according to inventors.about.com he had to actually invent a total of seven system elements that were critical to the practical application of electric lights as an alternative to the gas lights of his day. Those developments included:
The parallel circuit
A durable light bulb
An improved dynamo
The underground conductor network
The devices for maintaining constant voltage
Safety fuses and insulating materials
Light sockets with on-off switches
Every one of those elements had to be invented, through careful trial and error, developed into practical, reproducible components.
Richard Grant said, "The wisest person is not the one who has the fewest failures but the one who turns failures to best account."
Each person will fail many times, but it is how we meet those failures and make them into successes in life that shows wisdom!
Derl K.
Romans 5:1-5
While open persecution of Christians is not prevalent in this part of the world, many Christians experience isolation, humiliation, and even violence and death on account of their faith. I've read and heard story after story of how Christians, young and old alike, have stood strong, enduring rape, beatings, attempts at brainwashing, and even suffering death for their faith in Christ. One pastor in Iran was imprisoned for two years in a cramped cell with no room even to stretch out. He was later reported to have said that all the tortures and torments he suffered worked to his good, and that he only had love and forgiveness for those who made him suffer.
It is in these persecuted brothers and sisters that we see Paul's words personified: "More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope" (vv. 3-4).
Craig K.
Romans 5:1-5
Five years ago Hannah graduated from a private college and stepped out of her comfort zone by accepting a teaching position in an inner-city. She would teach middle school students in a school plagued with the problems of violence, teen pregnancy, and poverty. "I did not realize that this job would challenge, turn upside down, and ultimately change my life," she reflects.
While Hannah wanted her students to break free of problems associated with poverty she did not realize that at the same time she would become a mother, father, counselor, and friend to her students. And she did not realize the impact her students would have on her faith and life. There were times when she felt angry and exhausted. There were times when she was ready to quit, but through it all she continued. She saw her students in a different light; they were children who needed the love and support of adults. While they had much against them she strongly felt that they still had potential.
After five years Hannah says that her students deepened her faith and redefined her definition of success. "I no longer believe that success is the perfect job, the high paying salary, or the biggest house. Rather success is showing God's love to all people, especially those who tend to be ignored or forgotten."
While we may want to avoid unpleasant experiences the apostle Paul teaches that, "suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope." "I may have taught my students lessons in math, science and history," Hannah says, "but they taught me lessons in perseverance that deepened my faith."
Tim S.
John 16:12-15
Before she attended her cousin's college graduation, Layla had never seen a sign language interpreter. She sat mesmerized during the speeches, watching the interpreter's hands fly through the language, the interpreter watching the speaker intently and carefully translating every word. Layla thought about how she would feel as a deaf person: despite the handicap, she would probably feel valued and respected at events that had sign language interpreters. No matter what your difficulty in understanding, you feel valued when someone takes the time to make sure that you, too, can understand. Maybe your interpreter is someone who can sign; maybe it is someone who speaks another language; maybe it is someone who takes the time to tutor you in a class. Sometimes all we really need is someone to give us a little help in order to understand.
Leah T.
Before he can paint a masterpiece, an artist must first prepare his canvas. Before his trees or mountains, valleys or oceans, before his brush strokes populate his painting with creatures or plants or humans, he needs the correct tools. Before he commits the first color, he must clean his brushes. He must prepare his palette. He must choose the right canvas or paper or whatever it is he is planning to paint. Perhaps he must stretch his own canvas or cut his own sheets. He must set up his easel and perhaps must adjust its height or angle. He must plan his work and decide where the first stroke will go -- all before he paints one tiny star or simple tree.
Leah T.
Proverbs 8:1-4, 22-31
Thomas Alva Edison was an inventor, scientist, and businessman who changed the lives of people around the world with his inventions. He invented over a thousand different products that after generations are still being used. His biographers state that the greatest challenge was the development of a practical incandescent, electric light. After countless experiments and failures he finally switched on the light for the world! But it wasn't just the invention of the light bulb, but according to inventors.about.com he had to actually invent a total of seven system elements that were critical to the practical application of electric lights as an alternative to the gas lights of his day. Those developments included:
The parallel circuit
A durable light bulb
An improved dynamo
The underground conductor network
The devices for maintaining constant voltage
Safety fuses and insulating materials
Light sockets with on-off switches
Every one of those elements had to be invented, through careful trial and error, developed into practical, reproducible components.
Richard Grant said, "The wisest person is not the one who has the fewest failures but the one who turns failures to best account."
Each person will fail many times, but it is how we meet those failures and make them into successes in life that shows wisdom!
Derl K.
Romans 5:1-5
While open persecution of Christians is not prevalent in this part of the world, many Christians experience isolation, humiliation, and even violence and death on account of their faith. I've read and heard story after story of how Christians, young and old alike, have stood strong, enduring rape, beatings, attempts at brainwashing, and even suffering death for their faith in Christ. One pastor in Iran was imprisoned for two years in a cramped cell with no room even to stretch out. He was later reported to have said that all the tortures and torments he suffered worked to his good, and that he only had love and forgiveness for those who made him suffer.
It is in these persecuted brothers and sisters that we see Paul's words personified: "More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope" (vv. 3-4).
Craig K.
Romans 5:1-5
Five years ago Hannah graduated from a private college and stepped out of her comfort zone by accepting a teaching position in an inner-city. She would teach middle school students in a school plagued with the problems of violence, teen pregnancy, and poverty. "I did not realize that this job would challenge, turn upside down, and ultimately change my life," she reflects.
While Hannah wanted her students to break free of problems associated with poverty she did not realize that at the same time she would become a mother, father, counselor, and friend to her students. And she did not realize the impact her students would have on her faith and life. There were times when she felt angry and exhausted. There were times when she was ready to quit, but through it all she continued. She saw her students in a different light; they were children who needed the love and support of adults. While they had much against them she strongly felt that they still had potential.
After five years Hannah says that her students deepened her faith and redefined her definition of success. "I no longer believe that success is the perfect job, the high paying salary, or the biggest house. Rather success is showing God's love to all people, especially those who tend to be ignored or forgotten."
While we may want to avoid unpleasant experiences the apostle Paul teaches that, "suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope." "I may have taught my students lessons in math, science and history," Hannah says, "but they taught me lessons in perseverance that deepened my faith."
Tim S.
John 16:12-15
Before she attended her cousin's college graduation, Layla had never seen a sign language interpreter. She sat mesmerized during the speeches, watching the interpreter's hands fly through the language, the interpreter watching the speaker intently and carefully translating every word. Layla thought about how she would feel as a deaf person: despite the handicap, she would probably feel valued and respected at events that had sign language interpreters. No matter what your difficulty in understanding, you feel valued when someone takes the time to make sure that you, too, can understand. Maybe your interpreter is someone who can sign; maybe it is someone who speaks another language; maybe it is someone who takes the time to tutor you in a class. Sometimes all we really need is someone to give us a little help in order to understand.
Leah T.
