Welcome to The Week In Words, where we share quotes from the last week’s reading. If something you read this past week inspired you, caused you to laugh, cry, think, dream, or just resonated with you in some way, please share it with us, attributing it to its source, which can be a book, newspaper, blog, Facebook — anything that you read. More information is here.
Here are a few that spoke to me:
From ivman:
“If all we show people is our high standards, we offer them no hope.” – Drew Conley
Our standards may be a part of our testimony, but if that is all people see, if they don’t see Christ in our lives, as Dr. Conley said, we don’t offer them hope.
This was actually from a few weeks ago, from With the Word by Warren Wiersbe, p. 609, commenting on Haggai 2:1-9:
Beware that golden memories do not rob you of present opportunities.
In that passage in Haggai, the Israelites were rebuilding the temple after their Babylonian captivity, but it seemed “as nothing” compared to Solomon’s temple that some of them remembered. Yet Haggai prophesied that “The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former, saith the LORD of hosts: and in this place will I give peace, saith the LORD of hosts.” The Lord of glory Himself would minister in that temple during His ministry on earth. Memories are wonderful, but we can’t let them obscure the present.
Also quoted in With the Word by Warren Wiersbe, p. 591:
“To fear God is to stand in awe of Him; to be afraid of God is to run away from Him.” ~ Carroll E. Simcox
You can share your family-friendly quotes in the comments below or write a post on your blog and then put the link to that post (not your general blog link) in Mr. Linky below.
I hope you’ll visit the other participants as well and glean some great thoughts to ponder. And I hope you’ll leave a comment here, even if you don’t have any quotes to share.
Stray Thoughts 
That first quote encapsulates my greatest fear in teaching Sunday School–and is one of the driving forces behind my obdurate insistence on being gospel-centered. Because high standards are insufficient. Instead, I want my students to see a standard that no one can keep, a God who kept the standard for them, and an invitation to exchange their filthy rags for His righteousness.
I found this timely quote on a blogger’s post:
“A true friend is someone who thinks that you are a good egg even though he knows that you are slightly cracked.”
I agree with Conley: when I only see people’s successes, it can be discouraging. I need to see the whole person–faults and all–then I can better see the redemption that Jesus can bring to me, too.
That’s an interesting take on that quote, Lisa. I hadn’t thought of that angle, but I agree. I had thought of it more along the lines that when I was working out in the general public, people could see I did or didn’t do certain things, but unless they saw more than my standards of right and wrong, they really wouldn’t be able to tell me from a good Mormon or whatever else unless they actually saw Christ reflected in me.
I had thought more along the lines of Lisa, especially since I’m currently in the process of realizing that sharing my current health struggles (showing weakness) and being more vulnerable creates a wide open door for the gospel. Who knew the fields were ripe for harvest in the Dr’s waiting room, right? But…I really like what you said in response Barbara…especially in light of current elections, etc.
Wow, all three of those really spoke to me.
“Beware that golden memories do not rob you of present opportunities.” So so true. Sometimes, memories have a tendency to look much more romantic and beautiful than the reality at the time.