I find this interesting.
| Epictetus: Enchiridion | God |
| “Do not pride yourself on superiority that is not your own. If a horse should say, ‘I am a fine horse,’ that could be tolerated. You however, when you boast, ‘I have a fine horse,’ should realize that you are boasting about the excellence of a horse. What then is your own? Never say about anything that you have ‘lost it,’ but that you have ‘given it back.’” | 1 Cor. 4:7 “What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?” Ps. 24:1 “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it.” |
| “Remember that you are an actor in a drama such as the playwright wishes it to be. If he wants it short, it will be short; if long, long. If he wants you to play a beggar, play even that capably; or a lame man, or a ruler, or a private person. For this is yours, to play the assigned role well. Casting is the business of another.” | Pr. 16:9 “In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps.” Ps. 139 “All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.” Eph. 1 “For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will.” |
| “If someone were to hand over your body to just whomever happened along, you would be outraged. Why aren’t you outraged at the fact that you turn over your own mind to whomever happens along?” | Philip. 4:8 “And now, dear brothers and sisters…fix your thoughts on what is true and honorable and right. Think about things that are pure and lovely and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.” |
| “It is dangerous to get into dirty talk. Whenever anything of this sort begins, if you get the opportunity, you might rebuke the person who starts it; or if not, make it clear by being silent or blushing and scowling that you are displeased by the talk.” | Eph. 4:29 “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” Col. 4:6 “Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.” |
| “Let death and exile and dreadful experiences be before your eyes every day…and you will never deem anything trivial, nor desire anything excessively.” | Ps. 39:4-7 “Show me, O LORD, my life’s end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting is my life. You have made my days a mere handbreadth; the span of my years is as nothing before you. Each man’s life is but a breath. Man is a mere phantom as he goes to and fro: He bustles about, but only in vain; he heaps up wealth, not knowing who will get it. But now, Lord, what do I look for? My hope is in you.” Ps. 90:12 “Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” |