Inspired BY...or Inspired TO...?

There is much to be inspired BY in this world.

Whether it is something you see in nature--a sunset or sunrise, the colours of fall, the intricacy of a snowflake--the list could go on.

Or maybe it's the actions of another:  I love reading about or watching stories from WW2 -- there are so many heroic and inspiring stories!

Today I was thinking about what inspires me in other people and I started jotting things down like:  "great faith, great sacrifice, unusual love, generosity, dedication, perseverance in trial, boldness in the face of adversity, purity in the midst of corruption..."

As I looked at the things I had listed I asked myself -- "I know I am inspired BY those things, but am I willing to DO those things?"

Honestly, the things I listed all take HARD WORK.  It's one things to be inspired BY them...but it's another thing to be inspired TO DO them!

I am too often inspired BY and not inspired TO.

I want to DO the things that inspire me, and perhaps in so doing inspire others--not just to be inspired BY, but to be inspired TO DO likewise.