Theodore Roosevelts quote (below) is my quote of the month. I am amazed at the astuteness and insight into human nature he displays in his assessment of visionaries and their critics. Jesus expended little energy on responding to or dealing with critics. He recognized that His energies and efforts were better served pouring Himself out into the people who were hungry, needy and desperate for a touch from God. If, in the pursuit of your God-breathed dream you have had to contend with undue criticism, judgemental people, slander, and other such unpleasant experiences, then I have good news for you... actually President Roosevelt has good news for you:
It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, and comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat. (Theodore Roosevelt)
Remember that what you do is vital and valuable to the lives of the people you have been called to touch with your life. The voice of the critics should not be the loudest voice you hear. Look around you; observe the lives of the people you have impacted with your life. Their lives and their triumphs should shout louder than any critics voice. Isn't that worth everything that you have had to sacrifice to be where you are?
1 comments:
The Father in Isaiah 58 mentions who He honors. It is the person who is willing to spend himself. We who know Him can all say but there is something I need. The problem is it is so easy to focus on us and putting all our effort into getting us where we need or want to be. I believe there is still room for all of us to improve and there are still things we need to pray for that directly affect us. Real life in Christ however and actually the things we really want are found in spending ourselves on others that are without. The way of the kingdom is different but it is not hard to find. Don't let others say it is about perfection when it is about direction. I can't handle funtioning perfect but I can chose what is important and pursue it. God says it is.....Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:
to loose the chains of injustice
and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free
and break every yoke?
7 Is it not to share your food with the hungry
and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—
when you see the naked, to clothe him,
and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?
8 Then your light will break forth like the dawn,
and your healing will quickly appear;
then your righteousness [a] will go before you,
and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard.
9 Then you will call, and the LORD will answer;
you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I.
"If you do away with the yoke of oppression,
with the pointing finger and malicious talk,
10 and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry
and satisfy the needs of the oppressed,
then your light will rise in the darkness,
and your night will become like the noonday.
11 The LORD will guide you always;
he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land
and will strengthen your frame.
You will be like a well-watered garden,
like a spring whose waters never fail.
12 Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins
and will raise up the age-old foundations;
you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls,
Restorer of Streets with Dwellings.
13 "If you keep your feet from breaking the Sabbath
and from doing as you please on my holy day,
if you call the Sabbath a delight
and the LORD's holy day honorable,
and if you honor it by not going your own way
and not doing as you please or speaking idle words,
14 then you will find your joy in the LORD,
and I will cause you to ride on the heights of the land
and to feast on the inheritance of your father Jacob."
The mouth of the LORD has spoken.
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