Character and Conduct – 31 October – Pressing Forward

PLUTARCH records that when Simonides offered to teach Themistocles the art of memory the latter said:  ‘Teach me rather the art of forgetting!’   How much the world needs to learn that art.   Paul spoke of forgetting the things that are behind.   We should forget our mistakes and failures, so far as these cause discouragement.   We should forget our successes if they cause pride or preoccupy the mind.   We should forget the slights that have been put upon us or the insults that have been given us.   To remember these is to be weak and miserable, if not worse.   He who says he can forgive but he cannot forget is deceived by the sound of words.   Forgiveness that is genuine involves forgetfulness of the injury.   True forgiveness means a putting away of the wrong behind the back and remembering it no more.   That is what God does when He forgives and that is what we all must do if we truly forgive.

… IT is wise to forget past errors.   There is a kind of temperament which, when indulged, greatly hinders growth in real godliness.   It is that rueful, repentant, self-accusing temper, which is always looking back, and microscopically observing how that which is done might have been better done.   Something of this we ought to have.   A Christian ought to feel always that he has partially failed, but that ought not to be the only feeling.   Faith ought ever to be a sanguine, cheerful thing; and perhaps in practical life we could not give a better account of faith than by saying, that it is, amidst much failure, having the heart to try again.   Our best deeds are marked by imperfection;  but if they really were our best, ‘forget the things that are behind’ – we shall do better next time.

F. W. ROBERTSON

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These quotes are from ‘Character and Conduct’ A selection of helpful thoughts from various authors arranged for daily reading.

Collected by Constance M Whishaw and first published in 1905 as a follow up to her volume of Daily Readings for members of the Being and Doing Guild who asked for an additional volume

In her preface Whishaw writes:

‘This collection of noble thoughts expressed by men and women of past and present ages who have endeavoured to leave the world a little better than they found it.’

It is my hope in publishing them here readers may be inspired to imitate the example of the authors.