Facebook Quote

This morning, as I was wrapping up a few things on the computer, I saw the following quote on a friend's status:

"Before you speak, listen.
Before you write, think.
Before you spend, earn.
Before you invest, investigate.
Before you criticize, wait.
Before you pray, forgive.
Before you quit, try.
Before you retire, save.
Before you die, give."

(By: William A. Ward)

I find this quote immediately dominoes my thoughts into a teaching moment. Too often we "freeze" people, not in the sense of cold, but in the sense of a "fixed point." They do or say something(s), and that something(s) becomes a fixed point of reference for us. Of course, this is wrong of us, but we do it all the time.

I challenge each of us today to be willing to see people as Jesus sees them... a work in progress. If a person behaved badly ten years ago, five years ago, or "just yesterday," that point in time is NOT today. Resist the "fixed point" in the past becoming a state of being in the present. Such a determination to hold fast to the past undercuts what God may have done or is doing in that person's life from "then to now."

One time, my youngest son expressed, "Mom, sometimes I feel like they (my two older children) still see and treat me as I was when I was younger... like seven, but I'm not seven anymore." When my two older children heard this, they were moved to reassess their perspective and their behavior. May we too be moved to reassess our perspective and behavior, giving people the benefit of God's ability toward maturation in their lives.

As I close, I wanted to add a few of my own personal thoughts on Mr. Ward's quote:

"Before you speak, listen.

I used to be quick to speak.... WAY TOO QUICK..... until I learned just how restful listening is. (Oh, and don't misuse Ecc 5:2 to bring you into a state of muteness! This verse has to do with our words TO GOD. Our goal with people should be that when we speak our words are weighty and meaningful, and they will be if we have learned the art of "holding our tongue," as the old expression went. It's about proper balance, and God is more than able to teach the proper balance to any one interested. Seeing that He taught me, I KNOW He can teach you! ;o))

"Before you write, think."

I used to be quick to write.... until I learned how damaging the written word can truly be upon the heart of a soul. As I writer, I have learned to write as if I were the receiver. To be sure it is one of the dearest lessons I have learned.

"Before you spend, earn."

I have never been a fast spender, except perhaps bubble gum as a child. ;o) My mother used to say I spent every dime of my allowance on bubble gum. While I don't recall spending EVERY dime on bubble gum, I will confess I spent a lot of them on it! (Hey, I picked up the lifelong skill of blowing some killer bubbles, so it wasn't all lost! ;o) )

"Before you invest, investigate."

I wholeheartedly believe in wise stewardship (Thank you, mom and dad, for deeply instilling this in me!), so investigating before investing is a natural bent of mine.

"Before you criticize, wait."

Oh, this is huge, dear ones; HUGE! When it comes to being critical, MUCH time waiting should be sown such that God is given place to remove the "emotional baggage" out of the message. The message should not contain knives cloaked in sugar nor fangs dripping with venom.

"Before you pray, forgive."

Forgiveness is the gateway to God's throne. No point in praying to a closed gate!

"Before you quit, try."

To fail, all one has to do is not try.

"Before you retire, save."

Saving not only leads to "retirement," but to the next generation's inheritance. The Word mentions inheritance over two hundred times. I'll let the Word speak for Itself by challenging you to look some of the verses up yourself. ;o) (Hey, what kind of teacher would I be if I did it for you?!)

"Before you die, give."

And lastly: the edification to give before dying. I'll take this a step further: live a giving life. The pulse of your giving heart is not discernible through the stroking of checks to organizations deemed worthy, but whether it is discernible through wisely sowing seeds of generosity into the lives of those who surround us; your spouse, your children, your friends and family, and those in need you both know and know not. A giving life is evident by its visible growth and fruit! Yes, live a giving life! You won't regret it!

So, dear ones:
Resist freezing people in some past state of being....
See them as you and I both are --- works in progress....
And then heed Mr. Ward's wise words.

It's going to be a fine day! Live it well..... live it fully... and most importantly, live it with a thankful heart!

Love to you!
Deborah