For The Sake Of Others

“Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory.” – 2 Timothy 2:10

David Brooks, in the book “The Social Animal”, writes the following:

“In 1997, Gary McPherson studied 157 randomly selected children as they picked out and learned a musical instrument. Some went on to become fine musicians, and some faltered.

McPherson searched for the traits that separated those who progressed from those who did not.

IQ was not a good predictor. Neither were aural sensitivity, math skills, income, or a sense of rhythm.

The best single predictor was a question McPherson had asked the students before they had even selected their instruments:

How long do you think you will play?

The students who planned to play for a short time did not become very proficient!

The children who planned to play for a few years had modest success.

But there were some children who said, in effect: “I want to be a musician. I’m going to play my whole life.” Those children soared!

The sense of identity that children brought to the first lesson was the spark that would set off all the improvement that would subsequently happen. It was a vision of their future self.”

“Even when the gospel demands much, even when it leads to an effort which seems to be beyond human ability and to a future which seems dark with every kind of threat, remember that it is good news, and remember that the world is waiting for it.” – William Barclay

“Now I rejoice in what was suffered for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church.” – Colossians 1:24