Weekly Thought – January 13, 2026
Fred attempted to capture everything he thought or found of interest in his reading and hearing. His work pattern for most of his life was sleeping, waking up at 2 a.m., working until 5 a.m. and then either going for donuts on his motorcycle, or in later years, going back to sleep. Consequently, there are thousands and thousands of pieces of paper in BWF files.
Oswald and Me
I find no difficulty in naming my most significant book. It is Oswald Chambers’ My Utmost For His Highest.
I have read it since December 1955 when Grant and Orean Howard gave it to Mary Alice and me which started a chain of our gifting it to others. My mentor and friend, Maxey Jarman, wrote “I’ll always be grateful for the introduction that you gave me to Oswald Chambers.” We plant seeds when we give vital books; we see delightful and fruitful harvests from these gifts.
His thought has become part of my reflexive thought. As the mind of Christ transforms us, so do the minds of our favorite authors. They take up residence in us.
Let me give 5 key thoughts that influence my attitude toward life given by Chambers.
1) Sit loose to things. Enjoy them, work for them, use them, but sit loose to them.
2) Lust says I must have it now. Psychiatrists tell us the most common evidence of American immaturity is the inability to delay gratification. Lust is refusing the natural rhythm of life and failing to mature.
3) Scripture is too often abused. Chambers says, “So often we sharpen a verse of Scripture and jab another with it.” I see those who know chapter and verse use it to intimidate the less instructed.
4) If we do not stand in small things, we will fail in the large. It is so easy to think we would be true and courageous in the weighty matters when we are making exceptions to the Christian code in smaller daily routines.
5) Go through the white funeral. The physical death is the black funeral, but the death self is the white funeral. Out of this comes the complete resurrection of life, unhampered by the problems of human ego and self-righteousness.
My Utmost For His Highest is not just entertaining, nor even exciting – it is compelling.
This week think about: 1) What books influence me? 2) Who has molded my thinking? 3) What book have I shared with others?
Words of Wisdom: “As the mind of Christ transforms us, so do the minds of our favorite authors.”
Wisdom from the Word: “Let the wise also hear and gain instruction, and let the discerning acquire guidance!” (Proverbs 1:5 NET Bible)