Just like collecting marbles as a kid, I have come across several thoughts that I want to keep close to me and keep rolling them around in my hand. The second one, in regards to smoking is super helpful as I never knew how to balance that out in my mind. It makes me so thankful that there are people MUCH smarter/wiser/deliberate in their thinking than I. And when they share their insights a big lightbulb comes on.
However, these thoughts/quotes are not marbles – i liken them more to precious gems.
- A favorite quote from Paul David Tripp:
“We love the gospel but we love our lives as well. When i hold onto my life and my position, I’m missing out…to be a servant to those around you, it will require my death.
My messiah laid down his life; would he ask any less of me?”
- Challies takes on the issue of smoking in his blog, and quotes from John Piper:
“Habitually smoking cigarettes seems to say, ‘Life doesn’t matter as much as my pleasures do.’ And the fact that it is highly addictive should also encourage Christians to keep their distance.” So maybe there is a difference between the person who smokes two packs of cigarettes a day and the person who occasionally enjoys a fine cigar.
Piper writes that in his church they do not focus specifically on smoking; instead, they have a higher standard. “We engage to abstain from all drugs, food, drink, and practices which bring unwarranted harm to the body or jeopardize our own or another’s faith.” Some might argue that this is a lowering of standard, but I’m inclined to believe that it actually raises the standard. It removes the focus from specific pet sins and widens the focus to a wider range of sins that we may be willing to tolerate. We should give thought to everything we do, everything we eat, everything we breathe in.
- Tia’s thoughts on redeeming the time…dwelling on this in more ways than one.
“How will the fearful Christian answer to her Maker when she must give account for the people she feared rather than loved? How will the pleasure-seeking Christian answer to his Maker when he must give account for the opportunities he wasted for the sake of his own pleasure? How will the morbidly introspective Christian answer to her Maker when she must give account for the faculties (and time) she squandered on self-focused thinking? How will the procrastinating Christian answer to his Maker when he must give account for those souls he put off with his “later”s and “next time”s?
- GirlTalk’s series on Friendship: On Making New Friends:
“Remember what it was like to be new or not know anyone? To see other women chatting excitedly and to have no one to talk to? To choose our friends carefully means we must guard against selfishness and laziness. So let’s take a look around us: “Who is one woman I should reach out to?” It can be as simple as introducing ourselves to a visitor at church, or inviting a quiet woman out for coffee, or including someone new at our weekly lunch with friends. May we all commit to helping new friends not feel new for very long.”
- GirlTalk on “Help The Men”:
“But where possible, in your relationships with godly men in the church and in your life, do what you can to encourage them to take the initiative…
Carolyn McCulley suggests pitching your idea to one of the guys in your group of friends Ask him to lead, but then offer your assistance in any way you can. And whenever you observe a godly man step up to lead a group activity, voice your appreciation and display a willingness to follow. Even if their leadership is not perfectly executed (and it probably won’t be!), your encouragement will spur them on fulfill their God-given role. “
