27/40 LCK – Thinking of Others

 

The 77% Weekly

The 77% Weekly gives you wisdom_biscuits:

something tasty, digestible, and filling — 40/52 weeks-a-year

27/40 From Larry Keene

NOTE: Larry and I have been BFF’s for years. He is an inspiration for me in how to be a buttoned-down, wing-tip shoe-ed, soft-spoken, hugely effective religious freedom fighter. The wisdom-biscuit for today is quite simple: not only consider others, but act selflessly too. -Rb 

Simple Prayer

Thinking About Others  

 

“It was her thinking of others that made you think of her.” Dear Lord, that is what someone once wrote of Elizabeth Barrett Browning.

 

I think all of us would want someone to say something like that about us.  

 

I wish I were more thoughtful.   

is an ROTB board member, a retired minister, a retired sociology professor, and Rabbi Brian’s best-buddy.
His simple prayers
have occurred regularly in The 77% Weekly since 2006.
Replies to his editions of the newsletter go directly to him.

I keep thinking that if I just had more time each day I would be more thoughtful. And yet, I know in my heart that this is simply not true. I know that thoughtfulness is not a matter of having extra time.  

 

I am convinced that thoughtful people really don’t have more free time than anyone else. They just have more heart. They have more concern. They have more compassion.  

 

I know my problem, O God. I spend so much time thinking about myself each day that I have so little time left at the end of it to think about anyone else.  

 

I think good thoughts about others once in awhile, dear Lord, but help me to be more generous in expressing them when and where they will do the most good. I certainly don’t want someone to say about me someday: “It was his thinking of himself that made me want to ignore him!”

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I thank you. -Rb 

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