Futility Of Ambition

The 19th century Bible scholar G. S. Bowes pointed out the ultimate futility of ambition
that isn't accompanied by dedication to God.

Citing four powerful world rulers of the past, he wrote:
"Alexander the Great was not satisfied, even when he had completely subdued the nations.
He wept because there were no more worlds to conquer, and he died at an early age
in a state of debauchery.

Hannibal, who filled three bushels with the gold rings taken from the knights he had slaughtered,
committed suicide by swallowing poison.
Few noted his passing, and he left this earth completely unmourned.

Julius Caesar, 'staining his garments in the blood of one million of his foes,' conquered 800 cities,
only to be stabbed by his best friends at the scene of his greatest triumph.

Napoleon, the feared conqueror, after being the scourge of Europe, spent his last years in banishment."

Rather Be Right

Famous men of the past have bequeathed us statements that have become mottoes.
History declares that Henry Clay was about to introduce a certain bill
in Congress when a friend said, "If you do, Clay, it will kill your chance for the presidency."

"But is the measure right?" Clay asked, and on being assured it was right
said, "I would rather be right than be president."

Self Respect

And Alfred Whitney Griswold, who was president of Yale University, said:
"Self-respect cannot be hunted.
It cannot be purchased.
It is never for sale.
It cannot be fabricated out of public relations.

It comes to us when we are alone, in quiet moments, in quiet places, when we suddenly realize that,
knowing the good, we have done it; knowing the beautiful, we have served it; knowing the truth,
we have spoken it."

Indifference

We have seen the tragic consequences of indifference and neglect.
 
The late Sen. Adlai Stevenson, the former United States Ambassador to the United Nations,
once remarked, "This is a rich and resourceful country.
But its spirit of adventure and invention may be drying up.
Nations fail, when that happens."

Top Of Page

Words Can Mean

A mother, a hard-working and wise woman, said to her son:
“if you have a weakness, make it work for you as a strength – and if you have a strength,
don’t abuse it into a weakness.”

A person who chooses to call himself or herself frank and candid can very easily find himself
or herself becoming tactless and cruel, while another who  prides himself on being tactful may eventually learn that he or she has become evasive and deceitful.

A person with firm convictionscan become pig-headed, and someone who is inclined to be
temperate and judicious can sometimes turn into a person with weak convictions.

Good habits of health to rigidly followed can make you a hypochondriac.
Hard work unless balancedby relaxation of mind and body, may eventually destroy you.

Loyaltycan lead to fanaticism.
Caution can become timidity.
Freedom can become license.
Confidence can become arrogance.
Humility can become servility.

All these are ways in which strength can become weakness.
But the reverse is just as true.

Destructiveness based on a desire to know what makes something tick
can often be channeled into constructiveness directed at making it tick better.
Gullibility can be turned into understanding and compassion.
Restlessness can become versatility.
Laziness can be turned into contemplation and study.
Extravagance can be converted to generosity.

Think of this!
You can break habits – change patterns – merely to avoid the danger of extremes
and open up new avenues of inner growth.

Top Of Page

“ I Came To Fight!”

An Athenian soldier, who was lame in one foot, was ridiculed by his fellow soldiers.
“What good are you? You can’t even run.” They jeered.
He replied, “I did not come to run. I came to fight.”

Top Of Page

How To Be Miserable

Think about yourself.
Talk about yourself.
Expect to be appreciated.
 
Be suspicious.
Be jealous and envious.
Be sensitive to slights.
 
Never forgive criticism.
Trust nobody but yourself.
 
Demand your way in everything.
Do as little as possible for others.

Be self-centered.

Top Of Page

Some Things We Cannot Do

Sow bad habits and reap good character!
Sow jealousy and hatred and reap love and friendship!
Sow disloyalty and reap loyalty from others!
Sow cruelty and reap kindness!

Top Of Page

Wrong Assumptions

 A traveler, between flights at an airport, went to a lounge and bought a small package of cookies.
  Then she sat down and began reading an newspaper.

  Gradually, she became aware of a rustling noise.
  From behind her paper, she was flabbergasted to see a neatly dressed man helping himself
  to her cookies.
  Not wanting to make a scene, she leaned over and took a cookie herself.

  A minute or two passed, and then came more rustling.
  He was helping himself to another cookie!
  By this time, they had come to the end of the package, but she was so angry she didn't dare
  to allow herself to say anything.

  Then, as if to add insult to injury, the man broke the remaining cookie in two,
  pushed half across to her, and ate the other half and left.

  Still fuming some time later when her flight was announced, the woman opened her handbag
  to get her ticket.
  To her shock and embarrassment, there she found her pack of unopened cookies!

  How wrong our assumptions can be.
  -- Copied

Top of Page

What Really Matters

What do you think really matters in life?

Remember the story about the up-and-coming entrepreneur who was opening the door
of his sleek new Jaguar when a truck roared by, hit it, and ripped it off its hinges.

The police arrived at the scene quickly and found the man jumping up and down in the street.
He was shrieking to anyone who would listen about the horrible damage done to his precious automobile.

"You wheeler-dealers are all so materialistic!" began the investigating officer, shaking his head in bewilderment.
"You make me sick."

"What's your problem?" the driver snapped.

"You're so worried about your precious Jag," said the cop, "that you appear not to have noticed
that your left arm was ripped off!"

"Oh, no!" bellowed the guy as he looked down at the grisly stump where his arm had been a few minutes before.
"Where's my Rolex?"

When someone is told that he or she has cancer and only a few months to live,
that person can tell you what really matters.

You will think about the people who are most important to you.
You will think about what happens after you have taken your last breath.
Where will you spend eternity?
We must major on the things that really matter!

Top of Page