The Character Of An Honest Leader
“The thief comes only to steal, to kill, and to destroy; I have come that they may have Life, and may have it in greater fulness. I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd lays down his life for his sheep. The hired man who is not a shepherd, and who does not own the sheep, when he sees a wolf coming, leaves them and runs away; then the wolf seizes them, and scatters the flock. He does this because he is only a hired man and does not care about the sheep. I am the Good Shepherd; and I know my sheep, and my sheep know me—just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep besides, which do not belong to this fold; I must lead them also, and they will listen to my voice; and they shall become one flock under ‘one Shepherd.’ This is why the Father loves me, because I lay down my life—to receive it again. No one took it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to receive it again. This is the command which I received from my Father.”
—John.
In some Eastern countries it is customary for one to pause at the front door of a home and remove his shoes, but in all countries it should be the custom never to enter a home with a frown.
The Best Gift
God thought to give the sweetest thing in His almighty power
To earth; and deeply pondering what it should be—one hour
In fondest joy and love of heart outweighing eveiy other,
He moved the gates of Heaven apart and gave to earth—
A Mother!
—G. N. Lovejoy.