As part of our ethics course in med-tech school, we learned about “sink testing”. In short, it’s when a technologist dumps the samples down the drain and makes up the results. At the time it was comical to everyone in the class. But the real question was not whether we would do such a thing, it’s what would we do if we saw a highly regarded scientist “sink test” a batch of samples?

“Sink Tests” can happen in any profession. The scientific community has not cornered the market on falsehood, greed, or lying. What will you do when you see it happen? Tell the authorities? Confront the person? Turn a blind eye?

Peer pressure, group think, and herd mentality help us to make all sorts of bad decisions. The key is to make the decision before you are faced with the choice. Train your mind and build your character; so in the heat of the moment, you already know what to do.

Then there came out a spirit, and stood before the Lord, and said, I will entice him. And the Lord said unto him, Wherewith?

2 Chronicles 18:20 KJV

Problems are never unsolvable.
Problems are never insurmountable.

Here are a few things to keep in mind when problem solving.

1. Get acquainted with failure. If you are tackling complicated problems, you will fail. Don’t freak out and throw your hands in the air and walk away. Assess the situation, course correct, and move on.

2. Deconstruct. The old “how to eat an elephant” cliche is true. You can only eat one bite at a time. But the real work is in the transformation from whole to edible bites. Learn to love the deconstruction process. Smaller problems get solved.

3. Reconstruct and Iterate. This ties in a lot with #1. As you break problems into smaller components and solve them, sometimes when you put them back together they don’t create a workable solution as a whole. Lots of times the seemingly obvious solution creates ancillary problems that are worse than the original. If you reconstruct and the solution is no good, have the courage to fail and start again.

4. Learn and Change. I think it was Einstein who said, “We cannot solve today’s problems with the same thinking that created them.” Great problem solvers are willing to learn and change their minds.

We all have elephants to eat.
I hope you’re hungry. 😉

Be ye strong therefore, and let not your hands be weak: for your work shall be rewarded.

2 Chronicles 15:7 KJV

They said it couldn’t be done.
They said it was a terrible idea.
They said you were a bad egg.
They say a lot of things.

Believing what they say is not necessarily the right choice. 

Anything is possible.
Nothing is unbelievable.
Go see for yourself.

Howbeit I believed not their words, until I came, and mine eyes had seen it : and, behold, the one half of the greatness of thy wisdom was not told me: for thou exceedest the fame that I heard.

2 Chronicles 9:6 KJV

Truth builds – Lies destroy
Truth makes us strong – Lies make us weak
Truth makes us free – Lies bind us

A mistake is when we speak error by accident.
A lie is when we speak error with intent.
We don’t always know the truth but we know when we are lying.

For my mouth shall speak truth; and wickedness is an abomination to my lips.

Proverbs 8:7 KJV

Do I want to live right? 

What does “live right” even mean? Follow the rules?…which rules?
Follow the commandments?…which commandments?

When the leaders asked Jesus this question, he replied, there are two. If you get them right, you will be living right. Love God and love others as yourself. 

It’s amazing how the most profound wisdom is simple and clear.

Giving is the glue that holds our relationships together.
Giving is the glue that holds our homes together.
Giving is the glue that holds our communities together.
Giving is the glue that holds our country together.

WHY?
Giving makes us happy. When we are happy we communicate better; we love deeper; we care more; we listen longer; we have more capacity and energy to build relationships. I believe the foundation of everything worth anything is in relationships.

HOW?
When we give, our brain releases a neurotransmitter called serotonin that makes us feel good. The person receiving the gift also has a release of serotonin and they feel good. But the most peculiar thing research has shown is that observers also have a serotonin release and they feel good as well! I first heard this from my dear friend Pastor Mike while listening to an audio recording called The Science of Nice.

Connecting the dots of 1 Chronicles 29:9, great joy follows this path.

1. A Perfect Heart – Intention matters. Truly focus on someone else.

2. Willing Offer – Never give because you have to. Never give to get.

Bottom Line: If you find yourself in a mood or in a bad place emotionally. Sincerely do something kind for someone else. A willing offer with a perfect heart will put you on the road to great joy.

Then the people rejoiced, for that they offered willingly, because with perfect heart they offered willingly to the Lord : and David the king also rejoiced with great joy.

1 Chronicles 29:9 KJV

I could never do that.
Why? I’m just not that smart.

It’s so easy to blame our intelligence for our mistakes or shortcomings but more often than not it’s our ignorance that trips us up. An adult is not going to change their IQ more than a few points but with a little effort anyone can eliminate ignorance. Here is a simple formula from Proverbs 5 that will help you learn almost anything.

Attend – Bow – Regard – Keep

1. SHOW UP. Find what motivates you. Goals and affirmations or pain and scars; whatever it is, find the thing that energizes you and use it to consistently show up. Attendance is a requirement. You cannot learn and improve if you aren’t there.

2. REMOVE PRIDE. Before you can learn anything you must believe you don’t know. A prideful mind is a closed mind. If pride will bow, you can see what you don’t know.

3. LISTEN. Thoughtfully listening and regarding a new idea is magical. When we listen, we shine a light on ignorance and it vanishes away.

4. DO IT. Put your new knowledge to work. Keep it, speak it, and act it out.

My son, attend unto my wisdom, and bow thine ear to my understanding: [2] That thou mayest regard discretion, and that thy lips may keep knowledge.

Proverbs 5:1-2 KJV

Foundations are strength.
Foundations are stability.
Foundations are necessary.
Magnifical things are built on solid foundations.

Did you know foundations are not solo projects? The old cliche “We’re all in this together” is absolutely true. Each of us is gifted with abilities and excess in some areas. Generously help your neighbor patch their foundation and then humbly accept the help fixing yours.

If you are thinking to yourself… I know I have problems, but there is nobody who can fix them. You are wrong. But also know this, you are the catalyst. If you will consistently help those who are struggling you will reach up and find a hand when you are down.

And David said, Solomon my son is young and tender, and the house that is to be builded for the Lord must be exceeding magnifical, of fame and of glory throughout all countries: I will therefore now make preparation for it. So David prepared abundantly before his death.

1 Chronicles 22:5 KJV

Be polite. Say, thank you. NOPE

In the South, we use “thank you” to a fault. It’s actually part of our culture of politeness. Most of the time the words are just habit and don’t express true gratitude to another human being. There is nothing wrong with being polite, but let’s be real too.

When is the last time you were truly thankful before the words “thank you” came out of your mouth. The next time you are about to drop a “thank you” on someone, pause and truly feel thankful before you speak. Thankfulness is a connector, an uplift, and a positive energy this world desperately needs. Deploy it with truth and intention.

O give thanks unto the Lord ; for he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever.

1 Chronicles 16:34 KJV

How do you boil a frog? One degree at a time. If you throw him in a boiling pot, the sudden change will cause him to jump out. But, if you slowly increase the temperature, he does not see the small changes until he is “well done”.

This fable is most commonly used to make us aware of drift in our lives. We better take note of the small changes we make because they will have a compounding effect over time. Even though the story is told from the negative, I believe we have positive drift as well.

What are the things that make you smarter, kinder, better, stronger, healthier, wiser, and sharper? Most likely, the answers involve some kind of relationship. 

Most healthy people have friends who eat right.
Most smart people have friends who study.
Most fit people have friends who workout.
Most leaders have friends who read.
Most wise people have friends who think.

Human beings are hard-wired masters of mirroring. It takes little effort to act like the group. The questions you have to ask yourself are… “Am I in the right group?” and “Who are my friends?” Just as a frog is boiled to death, any area of our lives can be brought to a boil with the right relationships.