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    Reflections for a Better Life
    Reflections for a Better Life
    Reflections for a Better Life
    Ebook147 pages1 hour

    Reflections for a Better Life

    By Christopher Perry

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    About this ebook

    Reflections for a Better Life grew out of a desire to answer questions about the relevance of the biblical message to modern life, and particularly, how to live a better life. Although most of them are exhortatory, many are simply meditations on common themes and are meant to be thought- and action-provoking, rather than authoritative pronouncements on faith or morals. Like the Bible itself, they are often meant to call the reader him- or herself into question and to facilitate reflections on ones life and ones relationship to God.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherWestBow Press
    Release dateJul 17, 2013
    ISBN9781490801070
    Reflections for a Better Life
    Author

    Christopher Perry

    Christopher Perry holds a Ph.D. in Philosophy from Vanderbilt University. His longstanding interest in how philosophy and religion can work together to promote a happier and more meaningful life inspired him to pen “Brief Reflections for a Better Life.” The author lives and works in Nashville, Tennessee where he teaches Personal and Professional Development.

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      Book preview

      Reflections for a Better Life - Christopher Perry

      Reflections

      for a Better Life

      Christopher Perry

      westbow.png

      Copyright © 2013 Christopher Perry.

      All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

      WestBow Press books may be ordered through booksellers or by contacting:

      WestBow Press

      A Division of Thomas Nelson

      1663 Liberty Drive

      Bloomington, IN 47403

      www.westbowpress.com

      1-(866) 928-1240

      Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

      Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

      Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

      Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

      Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The NIV and New International Version are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™ All rights reserved.

      Scripture taken from the King James Version of the Bible.

      Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1952 [2nd edition, 1971] by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

      ISBN: 978-1-4908-0106-3 (sc)

      ISBN: 978-1-4908-0108-7 (hc)

      ISBN: 978-1-4908-0107-0 (e)

      Library of Congress Control Number: 2013912135

      WestBow Press rev. date: 07/08/2013

      Contents

      Preface

      A Labor of Love

      Looking Back/Looking Forward

      Envy

      If You Would Be Loved, Love

      God Helps Those Who Help Themselves

      When Loving Others Is Hard

      Everyday Incivilities

      Listening

      Learn a Second Language

      A Simple Prayer

      Don’t Pay the Ferryman until You Get to the Other Side

      What Do You Want?

      Valentine’s Day

      What Would You Tell Someone Contemplating Suicide?

      Mercy, Not Sacrifice

      New Life

      The Best of All Possible Worlds

      When Good Men Do Nothing

      Don’t Be Defensive

      Heavenly Treasures

      A Quiet Mind

      Detachment

      Be Kind to One Another

      Love Unites/Strife Divides

      A Call to Adventure

      If You Can Keep Your Head When All About You Are Losing Theirs

      Being a Friend

      True Forgiveness

      Hatred Cannot Conquer Hatred

      Compassion Is Easy/Responsibility Is Hard

      Are You Made in the Image of God or Is God Made in the Image of You?

      Work Devoutly

      The Cruelest Month

      Know Thyself

      Be Gracious with Humor

      Help Your Enemies

      Beware Your Self-Serving Bias

      Help One Another

      Could You Give Everything Away?

      An Inordinate Fondness for Beetles

      The Imprint of the Creator

      Think Positively

      Turning Values Upside Down

      Tell People What You Think

      Reading and Writing Are Good for You

      Change the Way You Look at Things

      Pray Unceasingly

      You Are an Emanation of God

      Just Kidding

      Sing and Be Happy

      Defining Success

      Think About Your Goals

      Lessons from Our Fathers

      Don’t Be a Fatalist

      Gratitude

      Forgiveness

      Savoring the Present

      Be Satisfied with the Past

      Surprise Someone

      Develop Your Strengths

      Positive Illusions

      Take a News Fast

      Are You a Good Lover?

      Does Your Lifestyle Affect Others?

      Learn Something New

      Staring at Monsters

      Is That a Monster or a Big Friendly Oaf?

      Do Something Every Day to Advance Your Goals

      Give Thanks

      Wonder and the Miracle of Existence

      How Well Do You Listen?

      Take an Interest in Others

      Don’t Fret—God Has Everything Under Control

      You Know the Way—Walk It!

      Adjust Your Attitude or Simplify Your Life

      Don’t Be Bitter

      How to Be a Better Lover

      Spread the Wealth

      Get Thee to a Cave

      The Value of Beauty

      All of Us Are Vulnerable

      The Spring of Life

      Good People Make This a Better World

      Family Values

      Saint Patrick

      There Are Many Stairways to Heaven

      Help Yourself by Helping Others

      Mother’s Day

      The Lost Art of Hospitality

      Useful Fictions

      The Power of Words

      How Much Honesty Can You Handle?

      Do You Respect the Earth?

      Don’t Waste Your Energy with Negativity

      You’re It

      Are You a Good Steward of God’s Gifts?

      It’s a Brand New Day

      Who Is the Least of Your Brothers?

      Repent! The Kingdom of Heaven Is at Hand!

      All Things Are Possible

      Dance and Sing to the Lord!

      Life Is Inexhaustible

      The Value of Close Friends

      October Melancholy

      Love Is Inexhaustible

      Good Examples of Generosity and Stewardship

      How Pro-Life Are You?

      Francis of Assisi

      The Joys of Virtuosity

      To Laugh or Cry

      Small Kindnesses

      Forgiveness and the Heavy Burden of Grudges

      Happiness Is a Habit

      Wrestling with God: Jacob and Job

      Gratefulness

      Some Things Can’t Be Said But Only Shown

      Live Dangerously?

      Irreplaceable Days

      Be Charitable in Your Judgment of Others

      Jars of Clay Carrying DNA

      Love Yourself

      The Dignity of Work

      The Fine Art of Loafing

      The Moral Equivalent of War

      The Law of Karma

      The Problem of Akrasia

      Does the End of the Year Make You SAD?

      End-of-Year Reflections

      About the Author

      Preface

      THESE REFLECTIONS GREW OUT OF a desire to answer questions about the relevance of the biblical message to modern life, and particularly, how to live a better life. Although most of them are exhortatory, many are simply meditations on common themes and are meant to be thought provoking and action provoking rather than authoritative pronouncements on faith or morals. Like the Bible itself, they are often meant to call the reader into question and to facilitate reflections on one’s life and one’s relationship to God. Each meditation is self-contained. They are not presented in any particular order, and thus they can be read in any order desired. The reader will notice that each meditation—with a few exceptions—is followed by a quote from the Bible that is intended to exemplify the preceding meditation and spur further reflection. In some ways, this project has been an attempt to wed the Socratic injunction to know thyself with the biblical counsel that the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart (Hebrews 4:12 ESV). Throughout the text, I have indicated which version of the Bible I am quoting from. I have primarily used the English Standard Version of the Bible (ESV), but have also used the New International Version (NIV), the Revised Standard Version (RSV), and the King James Version (KJV). Most of the other texts which I refer to, such as the Koran and the Dhammapada, are available in a variety of translations, and therefore I cite the chapter and verse of those works.

      A Labor of Love

      IT FEELS GOOD TO WORK hard at something we are skilled at and enjoy doing, whether it is physical or mental work or a combination of the two. On the other hand, some tasks are sheer drudgery or are so difficult that they frustrate us. Ironically, we seem to find ourselves, our own most unique and true selves, while losing ourselves in work we truly enjoy and are good at. It may happen unexpectedly while playing a musical instrument, operating a machine, or writing a poem. It often feels, in these situations, when we are doing what we love, that that is what we are meant to do. And this is with good reason, because God has a plan for all of us, and part of that plan is finding the work or vocation that is uniquely suited to us.

      You will know intuitively when you have found your life’s work. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking, and reflect prayerfully on what your talents are and how you can best put them to use. And remember, you will be happiest when you are doing work that you enjoy and are good at and which benefits others. For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building (1 Corinthians 3:9 ESV).

      Looking Back/Looking Forward

      THE MONTH OF JANUARY IS named after the two-faced god Janus, that far-seeing god who could simultaneously look backward and forward. And indeed January is a month when many of us look back at the year that just ended while looking forward to the year to come. But unlike Janus, we are unable to do this simultaneously, and our memories are as poor as our foresight is blurry. However, we would do well to consider where we have been in the previous year and where we would like to be a year from now. As the saying goes, if you don’t know where you’re going, you’ll probably end up somewhere else.

      Let me suggest that you think hardest about your resolve to be a better, holier, and purer person. Most people resolve to work harder and finally get in shape, both goals that are laudable and yet destined to mean very little in the grand scheme of things. On the other hand, becoming a better, more pious person is likely to have a greater effect on the people we come in contact with, and at the same time, it just might save our souls. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come (John 16:13 NIV).

      Envy

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