Legacy Youth Ministry Resources

Illustration texts

Kind Words Have Impact

Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless. --Mother Teresa

Tongue Worse Than Dagger

The assassin and the slanderer differ only in the weapon they use; with the one it is the dagger, with the other the tongue. The latter is worse than the former, for the first only kills the body, while the other murders the reputation. --Tyron Edwards

David Bowie and Drugs

David Bowie, one of the most famous rock stars of our time, said, ?I'm very shy. That's probably one of the reasons I got so heavily into drugs.? ?I was really picked on when I was quite little about being lefthanded . . . I remember very distinctly kids laughing at me because I would draw and write with my left hand, something like, ?Ooh, you?re the devil.?? - Singer David Bowie quoted from Rolling Stone?s daily e-mail, July 16, 2002 and the August 8, 2002 issue of Rolling Stone, p. 30.

Selling Sugared Water or Changing the World?

In 1982/1983, Steve Jobs of Apple Computer knew he needed a marketing guru to sell the world on Apple Computers. For months, he'd been courting John Sculley, a career Pepsi executive, but Sculley remained unconvinced. Then Jobs threw him the bait that netted him. He asked, "Do you want to spend the rest of your life selling sugared water or do you want a chance to change the world?" Sculley went to Apple. Do you have a purpose in life that's worth your greatest efforts? Are you able to challenge others in ways that motivate them to live for higher purposes? (Written by Steve Miller, copyright Feb., 2003. Source: Stephen Manes and Paul Andrews, Gates: How Microsoft's Mogul Reinvented An Industry - And Made Himself The Richest Man in America, Simon & Schuster, New York, 1994, pp. 238,239)

Sweet-Talking a Pit Bull

Tongue, Gifts "(He) could sweet-talk a pit bull into kissing a cat." (Description of Microsoft's marketing genius Jim Harris, by Stephen Manes and Paul Andrews, Gates: How Microsoft's Mogul Reinvented An Industry - And Made Himself The Richest Man in America, Simon & Schuster, New York, 1994, p. 219)

Fish On the Wall

Fish On the Wall Tongue "You never saw a fish on the wall with its mouth shut."

Copleston's Input Exceeds His Output

Wisdom, Tongue Copleston's Input Exceeds His Output Frederick Copleston wrote the most comprehensive, most respected history of philosophy in existence. Its massive 17 volumes of microscopic print in paperback have been called "one of the enduring intellectual achievements of the twentieth century" - George Weigel Because of his great knowledge, he was asked to lecture in universities around the globe. How did he grow so wise in his area of expertise? From reading his autobiography, I believe he never allowed his output to exceed his input. Instead of hanging out at social events impressing people with his knowledge, he continued to learn in every way that he could. For example, when preparing to lecture in Berlin after World War II, his mind was not consumed with how he could impress the listeners as a great writer and teacher. Instead, he prepared a list of 121 questions that he wanted to find answers to in a wide variety of areas, such as the relationship between Catholic and Evangelical Churches, university life, etc. And he didn't just ask the great officials and professors. He'd learn from taxi drivers or anyone else who might provide a fresh perspective (Written by Steve Miller, copyright May, 2003. Sources: Frederick Copleston, Memoirs of a Philosopher, Sheed and Ward, 1993, Kansas City, MO, p. 112)

Activity on Positive Communications

Teacher Hal Urban says this activity makes quite an impact. In a group discussion, he identifies two categories of interpersonal communications, ?Positive Communications? and ?Negative Communications? (I?d write these on the board or overhead.) Then, he asks students to brainstorm the types of communications that belong in each category. For example, ?Positive Communications? may include praise, encouragement, compliments, honesty, humor, sympathy, etc. ?Negative Communications? might include put-downs, name-calling, laughing at people, complaining, etc. He follows the brainstorm with the question, ?Which do you hear the most frequently?? They always say they hear and say more negatives than positives. In the ensuing discussion, you can ask ?Why?? (Perhaps because we focus on the negative?) and ?How could it change our lives if we began to communicate more in the positive category??

Society Without Manners

Without good manners human society becomes intolerable and impossible. (George Bernard Shaw)

Pascal on Kind Words

Kind words do not cost much ... Yet they accomplish much. (Blaise Pascal)

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