Good Morning Everyone,
Our theme for this month: “Living with no excuses”
Our Bible verse for today: “A wise man will listen and increase his learning, and a discerning man will obtain guidance.” Proverbs 1:5 (HCSB)
Our thought for today: “Make a plan, choose an example, and get moving.”
One of my favorite Presidents was Teddy Roosevelt. I’ve read multiple biographies of his life and I love his story. He was a small, weak, sickly and sheltered child. Because of his weak physical condition he was quiet, withdrawn, and bookish. He loved to read stories about great men from history who were brave and strong, and who accomplished meaningful things in life. He wished he could be like that too.
One day some older bigger boys cornered him and made great fun out of picking on him. They bullied him without mercy and there was little that Teddy could do to defend himself. But that was a turning point for him. Teddy decided he wasn’t going to live like that anymore. So he started a training program to transform himself. For one thing, rather than just reading about the great men he admired, he decided to be like the great men he admired. Rather than just reading about and admiring their examples, he decided to take action and to copy their examples.
Action was what made all the difference in his life. When he stopped wishing and started doing, things started to change. If you’re familiar with the rest of his story then you know that through a rigorous regime of exercise and physical activity he went from being a sick and sheltered little boy into a strong, robust, courageous man who lived a life of adventure and who accomplished great things. The key was action. He didn’t just wish things were different but he took action to make things different. One of the ways he did it was by following the good examples of others who had already accomplished the things he wanted for himself.
I’m certainly no Teddy Roosevelt but I did learn two important lessons from his story that have helped to shape my own life. The first lesson I learned and copied from him was the importance and value of learning from others. Find people who have accomplished things that you admire and would like to accomplish as well, and learn from them. That’s one of the reasons I read so many biographies of great men and women, and it’s also why I’m so picky about my friends and associates. I read about and associate with people I admire and can learn from. That’s exactly what Solomon was teaching in Proverbs 1:5 – listen, learn, and copy.
The second important lesson I learned from Teddy Roosevelt’s example was about action. Wishing things were different is a meaningless waste of time if you don’t do something about it.
The New Year is just days away now. Have you set some goals for yourself for 2018? Do you have a plan of action to achieve those goals? Have you considered the examples of others who have gone before you and who have successfully achieved what you want to do? I encourage you to make a plan, choose an example to follow, and then get moving.
God Bless,
Pastor Jim
Oak Hill Baptist Church 