Practice What You Preach!

Years ago I mentioned in a sermon that young people should never take up smoking. I hadn’t planned to say much about it, but we had several smokers in the audience, and when I urged the youth not to take up tobacco one ofthe smokers said a loud “Amen.” I got bold and repeated my point and asked if I could hear some more “Amens.” I pressed the point asking, “Can’t I hear some more ‘Amens’?” That got most of the ones who smoked to say “Amen.” Then I hit the pulpit and demanded, “Why don’t you practice what you preach?”

(David Pharr, Christian Messenger, February 2009, p. 6)

Friday – What Will You Do This Weekend?

Random Acts of Kindness.

• Make a donation to your local animal shelter – treats, food, first aid supplies, toys or even cat litter.
• Give a donation to a charity as a gift for someone who already has everything.
• Write something nice about your waitperson on the back of the bill. Or, leave a larger than usual tip if the service has been exceptionally good.
• Donate blood.
• Send a card to a lonely person.
• Surprise someone in your house with breakfast in bed.
• After loading your groceries in the car, return your cart to the store. Better yet, offer to take a stranger’s cart too.
• Save box tops for education and donate to a local school, even if you don’t have children.
• Prepare treats for neighbors, emergency workers, mail carriers, coworkers or other community members, along with a note of appreciation.
• Bring a treat to share with coworkers.

Thursday – Make a Difference Today!

Random Acts of Kindness

· Flowers and chocolate are wonderful, but a smile is also a gift. Use it today!

· Find yourself at the grocery store and it’s not yet the weekend? Give your place at the checkout line to another person, such as someone in a hurry or a parent with restless little children.

· Send a letter to some former teachers, letting them know the difference they made in your life.

· Send a gift anonymously to a friend.

· Tell your children why you love them.

· Give a hug to a friend.

· Praise the work or attitude of an employees, supervisor or coworker.

· When a coworker needs to talk, meet him or her at lunch and listen with compassion.

· Place some flowers on the desk of each of your coworkers.

· Offer to help out with the not-so-pleasant tasks at work.

Wednesday – Be Helpful and Encouraging Today

Random Acts of Kindness

· Help someone struggling with heavy bags.

· Compliment someone you don’t really know about something they are wearing.

· Hold the door open for someone rushing to catch it.

· Write a kind note to relatives and friends, letting them know why they are special.

· Select some people in your life who you feel need a special life and send them a gift: flowers, tickets to a special event or even dinner for the two of you to share.

· Buy books for a day care or school.

· Write a note to your mother/father and tell them why they are special.

· Say something nice to everyone you meet today.

· Refrain from negative talk; concentrate on the positive.

Tuesday – Smile and Be Happy Today

Random Acts of Kindness

· Smile and say “hello” to someone you don’t know.

· Do not talk behind anyone’s back or spread rumors.

· Include a note or joke in your child’s or spouse’s lunchbox.

· Drive safely and courteously.

· Stop for a person waiting to cross the street.

· Show your appreciation to coworkers through words and notes.

· Call a loved one just to say “I love you” or to tell them what you appreciate about them.

· Leave a bouquet of flowers on a neighbor’s front step or to a co-worker anonymously.

· Pat someone on the back.

· Be a friend to a new coworker.

· Laugh out loud often and share your smile generously.

Monday – No Reason at All Day

Random Acts of Kindness.

· Give someone a compliment today.

· Write a thank you note to a friend, family member or co-worker who went out of his or her way to help you.

· Instead of writing the note, thank him or her in person!

· As you go about your day, pick up trash

· Call or write to someone you haven’t spoken to in a long time, just to say you’re thinking about them.

· Plan lunch with a coworker.

· Send a treat to a school or day-care center.

· Share positive news and quotes with others.

· Help an overworked colleague with some tasks

· No Reason at all Potluck: Why wait for the next birthday, or when a coworker leaves? Schedule a potluck for your group just because.

Apply, Apply, Apply!

Application Is Necessary For Our Lives

Step 1: Pray for insight on how to apply the passage.

Step 2: Meditate on the verse (s) you have chosen to study.

Step 3: Write out an application.

Step 4: Memorize a key verse from your study.

S-P-A-C-E-P-E-T-S – Acrostic.

Is there any…

Sin to confess? Do I need to make any restitution?

Promise to claim? Is it a universal promise? Have I met the condition (s)?

Attitude to change? Am I willing to work on a negative attitude and begin building toward a positive one?

Command to obey? Am I willing to do it no matter how I feel?

Example to follow? Is it a positive example for me to copy, or a negative one to avoid?

Prayer to pray? Is there anything I need to pray back to God?

Error to avoid? Is there any problem that I should be alert to or beware of?

Truth to believe? What new things can I learn about God the Father, Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, or other biblical teachings?

Something to praise God for? Is there something here I can be thankful for?

(Rick Warren’s Bible Study Methods)

Matthew 7:12

“Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.”

What are some advantages of living by the Golden Rule?
1) It forces us to think of others continually, trying to put ourselves in their place.
2) It leads us to study ourselves and our own real needs.
3) It makes us brotherly, placing the lowest man on the same plane of desire with ourselves.
4) It turns us from the past (what men have done to us) and toward the future (what we want men to do for us).
5) Finally, it requires our deepest nature to be the guide of action, identifying us at once with whatever we do, making us real and sincere.

What would be the result if all men obeyed the Golden Rule?
1) Employers would be eager to truly give workmen all they earn.
2) Employees would be zealous to give employers their best.
3) Office-holders would consider the public business a sacred trust.
4) We would all be sincere, yet kindly and courteous in our speech and actions.

A Pitch Pipe

Some time ago I attended a funeral to pay respects to a departed brother in Christ. When I looked into his casket, I noticed that one of his daughters had placed in his hands a little chrome pitch pipe. Her daddy had always loved to sing hymns, to lead singing, and had taught many a young man through the years how to lead singing in the worship assembly. As I thought about it, it seemed rather fitting that he be buried with this item.

But that little pitch pipe also set me to thinking later that day. What if someone put that which seemed most appropriate in our hands after we die? What article would be most suitable…?

Would it be a cigarette?
Maybe a newspaper?
Perhaps a fishing rod and reel, or a golf club?
What about a TV remote control?
A knife and fork?
A computer mouse?
Or would a Bible look appropriate in our hands
(Acts 17:11; Psalm 1:2; 19:14)?
It’s something to think about, isn’t it (Hebrews 11:4).

Mike Benson, Cookeville, Tennessee