Fear is a starting point.
Humility is a starting point.
Attitude is a starting point.
Repentance is a starting point.
If you want to achieve a goal…
If you want to do something great…
There are no shortcuts, only starting points.
The fear of the Lord is the instruction of wisdom; and before honour is humility.
Proverbs 15:33 KJV
Ever stepped in a nice big fresh pile of cow poop?
The first time is not pleasant. Most likely you will be wearing sandals or your favorite pair of sneakers (the ones with super grip soles). Your friends will be laughing and you will be angry. If you were wearing sandals, maybe on the verge of tears. After this initial experience, when entering a pasture, you will either have the proper footwear or you will look for dark piles as if they were landmines.
Ever over-promised and under-delivered?
Ever failed a teammate or family member?
Ever fumbled on the 1 yard line?
Mistakes are coming.
Setbacks are inevitable.
Struggle is necessary.
Cows are going to poop.
Learn not to step in it.
Where no oxen are, the crib is clean: but much increase is by the strength of the ox.
Proverbs 14:4 KJV
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
Humility is worthy of praise.
Humility is a sign of great strength.
Humility will punch you in the mouth if necessary.
Humility is not the same as timid.
Don’t mistake one for the other.
And when he humbled himself, the wrath of the Lord turned from him, that he would not destroy him altogether: and also in Judah things went well.
2 Chronicles 12:12 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
God gave King Solomon a recipe, a simple formula to help Israel stay in His good graces. I believe this IF-THEN equation can help us solve some of our problems as well.
The “IF” side of the equation.
1. Humility – This is always the first step. Not only will this put you on the road to recovery, lack of humility is most likely part of the reason you have a problem.
2. Search – Get down in the weeds. Understand the details and be willing to know. Open yourself to real critique and even criticism.
3. Turn – Humble search will reveal our shortcomings. This is where we have the chance to actually prove to ourselves and the other party our desire for repair. Your heart speaks through action.
The “THEN” side of the equation.
1. Hear – Actions speak in such a way that the offended party will listen.
2. Forgive – Consistent humble actions create a path to forgiveness.
3. Heal – There is usually a scar of remembrance, but the new bond can be stronger than before.
IF {
(Humility → Search → Turn)
} THEN {
(Hear → Forgive → Heal)
}
When you find yourself in conflict, use this formula. Notice that either side of the equation starts with you. 😉
If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
2 Chronicles 7:14 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
Proudly powered by WordPress | Theme: Baskerville 2 by Anders Noren.
