Bernard Shaw played the “What If” game shortly before he died. “Mr. Shaw,” asked a reporter, “if you could live your life over and be anybody you’ve known, or any person from history, who would you be?”

“I would choose,” replied Shaw, “to be the man George Bernard Shaw could have been, but never was.”

“Too late” is such a sad statement. Those who profess to be self-made individuals are disappointed at the finished product. Paul was originally a self-made man until he received a “do-over” by the risen Savior. This is how he described it:

Philippians 3:7-8

But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ.

Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ

Will you continue your vain attempt at building a life or turn the project over to the One who put you here?

Think about it.

Gary

You don’t have to be taught to be angry. Go to the nursery and find the sweetest baby girl in there. Take away her bottle, or don’t change her diaper on cue, and you will see anger such as you seldom see elsewhere. You will soon see a red face, contorted with rage. No doubt, you will also hear sounds that penetrate the walls.

The Bible has a lot to say about the subject of anger:

Proverbs 14:29 

Whoever is slow to anger has great understanding, but he who has a hasty temper exalts folly.

Ephesians 4:26 

Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger,

Ecclesiastes 7:9 

Be not quick in your spirit to become angry, for anger lodges in the bosom of fools.

When you give a person a piece of your mind, you lose part of yours.

Lord, help me with my anger issues towards those who delete these devotionals without giving them any thought.

Think about it.

Gary

Once a man who had been slandered by a newspaper came to Edward Everett and asked him what to do about it.

 “Don’t do anything,” Everett advised. “Half the people who bought the paper never saw the article. Half of those who saw it did not read it. Half of those who read it did not understand it. Half of those who understood it did not believe it. And half of those who believed it are of no account anyway.”

 If you are known to be hard-working and successful, you have a target on your back. Others who can’t fit into your shoes will go out of their way to try and bring you down. This has been true since the ink dried on the book of Genesis.

James 3:14 

But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. 

Exodus 20:17 

“You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor’s.”

Proverbs 24:19-20 

Fret not yourself because of evildoers, and be not envious of the wicked, for the evil man has no future; the lamp of the wicked will be put out.

Do your best and use your God-given gifts.  Remember, however, that it will always attract the twins of envy and jealousy.

Give it some thought.

Gary

In one of the “All in the Family” episodes that aired some years ago, Edith and Archie are attending Edith’s high school class reunion. Edith encounters an old classmate by the name of Buck who had now become excessively obese. Edith and Buck have a delightful conversation about old times and the things that they did together, but remarkably, Edith does not seem to notice how extremely heavy Buck has become. Later, when Edith and Archie are talking, she says in her whiny voice, “Archie, ain’t Buck a beautiful person?” Archie looks at her with a disgusted expression and says, “You’re a pip, Edith. You know that? You and I look at the same guy- you see a beautiful person, and I see a blimp.” Edith gets a puzzled expression on her face and says something unknowingly profound, “Yeah, ain’t it too bad?”

The Bible is very clear about not looking on the outward appearance. Case in point is the choice of David for the future king of Israel.

1 Samuel 16:6-7

When they entered, he looked at Eliab and thought, “Surely the Lord’s anointed is before Him.” But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

His picture was included in his obituary and I recalled how many had made fun of him. He was a good person and loved people much more than they loved him. It’s too bad everyone didn’t see what a good person he was.

Think about it.

Gary

According to John MacArthur, some years ago, the Mayo Clinic stated that statistically 80 to 85 percent of their total case load was ill, either in reality or artificially, due directly to mental stress. Also, according to MacArthur, not too long ago, there appeared an article in a leading medical journal entitled, “Is Stress the Cause of All Disease?” in which the author says that at the beginning of the century, bacteria were considered to be the center of attention. Today, however, mental stress has replaced bacteria.

Some hope is found in Scripture for such malady:

Isaiah 26:3

You will keep him in perfect peace,
Whose mind is stayed on You,
Because he trusts in You.

Rom. 8:6

For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

Proverbs 12:25

Anxiety in the heart of man causes depression,
But a good word makes it glad.

Control your head by giving God access to your heart.

Think about it.

Gary

I always wanted to tell jokes, but I had pretty severe social anxiety. So, I wrote the jokes down on pieces of paper and taped the paper to frisbees. Then, I threw the frisbees at passersby so they could read my jokes.

The trouble was, most of them flew right over their heads.

–       Unknown author

Here is a list of verses that revealed how much went over the head of the listener:

Matthew 22:29

But Jesus answered and said to them, “You are mistaken, not understanding the Scriptures nor the power of God.

John 21:23

Therefore this saying went out among the brethren that that disciple would not die; yet Jesus did not say to him that he would not die, but only, “If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you?”

Look up; there might be something important going right over your head.

Think about it.

Gary

A professor asked one of his students by the name of Ralph why he was so considerate of others.

“Oh,” Ralph said, “during the war, I guess.”  Then he told the professor about his tour of duty in Vietnam, about how it was his job to clear mine fields, and how he watched his friends blow up before his eyes, one after another.  “I learned to live between steps,” he said.  “I never knew whether the next one would be my last, so I learned to get everything I could out of the moment between when I picked up my foot and when I put it down again.  Every step I took was a whole new world, and I guess I’ve just been that way ever since.”

The abundance of our lives is not determined by how long we live, but how well we live.  Christ makes abundant life possible if we choose to live it now.

         Barbara Brown Taylor, Clarkesville, Georgia

The Bible is full of information about a world seeded by landmines. They can come in the form of alcohol, drugs, relationships, failures, unbelief, and calamities beyond one’s control. However, here are some thoughts on steps from God’s Word:

Psalm 37:23

The steps of a man are established by the Lord, when he delights in His way;

2 Samuel 22:37

You gave a wide place for my steps under me, and my feet did not slip;

Job 34:21

“For His eyes are on the ways of a man, and He sees all his steps.

Let the Lord in on what you’re doing because your next step could be your last.

Give it some thought.

Gary