Week 23 Day 3


Be Prudent

The time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith.

2 Timothy 4:6–7

Oh, most delightful hour by man

Experienced here below,

The hour that terminates his span

Of conflict and of woe!

“Make haste—slowly” was one of Lincoln’s favorite proverbs, especially in regard to the war effort. Lincoln reminded his troops to be prudent. Move as quickly as possible, but not so fast as to make a near-sighted mistake. Take the long view, held Lincoln, but do it promptly. The secret in life is to find the balance between making haste and moving too slowly. Lincoln’s point was that we should think before we act, avoiding spur-of-the-moment decisions.