In one of his letters, the well-known English statesman Thomas More said: “A soul must be without peace which is ever fluctuating between elation and disappointment from the opinions of [people].”* In other words, we will never have peace if we are disproportionately tethered to the opinions of other people. The end result is an … Continue reading Well-rooted in a world of opinions
thomas more
Making the best of bad situations
Things are often less than ideal. Even bad. As a result, we encounter imperfect and troubling situations every day—situations which we cannot instantly fix with the wave of a wand. Darkness lurks. Thomas More said: “what you cannot turn to good, at least make as little bad as possible.”* Those words resonate with those of … Continue reading Making the best of bad situations
Great is your reward… in heaven
Jesus said: “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven…” (Matthew 5:11-12). I’d like to share a comforting thought. You might not think it’s very comforting at first, but hear me … Continue reading Great is your reward… in heaven
Writing benefits in sand, injuries in marble
If someone gave you a compliment, and then someone else gave you a criticism, which would you spend more time thinking about? What if you got an A in geography and a D in science? Thomas More said: “We write in the sand the benefits we receive, but injuries upon marble.”* It’s a poetic way … Continue reading Writing benefits in sand, injuries in marble
Virtue standeth
People are motivated by different things. Some people feel motivated to do something if they know they’ll get a nice reward at the end. Others are motivated if they know they are doing something that will make someone feel good. Today I want to appeal to those who (a) are experiencing difficulty, and (b) are … Continue reading Virtue standeth
A great cloud of witnesses
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith” (Hebrews 12:1-2). In 1534 Thomas More … Continue reading A great cloud of witnesses
When you cannot direct the winds
When people go through a tough time in life, they sometimes lash out at the people they care about most. After a hard day, in a period of anxious uncertainty, or during a year of gut-wrenching decision-making, we can blame, shame or yell at the people in our own boat—after all, they’re the ones close … Continue reading When you cannot direct the winds
The Up Devotional 