Sufferin' Succotash!

Suffering is the key to living. Suffering tells you who you really are. Suffering enriches the rest of your life. Suffering separates the significant from the unworthy. And suffering is what we will be rewarded for on the final day.

Get into the mind of the person in front of you before you speak your mind.

Before you try to convince anyone of anything, understand their basic moral world first. Ask questions, step on their toes—apologizing afterward. Then, when you think you might understand them, from their perspective speak to them of your perspective. But if you don’t understand someone, don’t be surprised. One out of every hundred or so people are surprisingly complex. For them, you just have to say, “Well, this is what I believe.”

Personal Library

Get as many ideas about different things as you can. Experience the rich and varied world of the human intellect. And be prepared to throw ninety percent of it on the dung heap.

Avoiding Hubris

The most important thing we can do in our lives is to distinguish our ideas from God’s ideas—our ideas from the Truth. Not only does it save us from hubris, but it also is the most important step to keep us from condemning others because they are not like us.

Ministry Is Manipulation...

It's getting people to do what they should do. Just be careful not to manipulate others to your ideals, only God’s.