It could be said that one of the most difficult things in the entire world to do could very well be when we evaluate oneself. For those who have worked in Fortune 500 companies, you clearly understand evaluations, goal reviews, goal setting and team talks, or what some might call peer reviews. Individuals who have been in smaller companies may have attended a conference or big team meeting where you heard from executives or what some might call the big shots. Others may have participated in some strategy planning or brain storming sessions, particularly if you have been involved in sales or customer service related tasks or positions. Of course some might just call those positions jobs and skip the professional titles all together.
Evaluation is difficult for us as individuals because we all would like to think we are correct. Our thoughts are the best thoughts anyone could have, and the best ideas we have shared already. Of course some might just think people don’t listen because they are jealous of them and their achieved success. Of course those same “some” would think everyone wants to be where they are, doing what they do, and will at all cost bring them down if given the opportunity. For the sake of pointing out I clearly understand life, I will admit that those “some” do exist. We should learn to master the art of self evaluation anyway, as it will help us in dealing with such individuals when they do show their pretty little faces and begin their schemes.
One of the keys to a good self evaluation is to consider the various points of views or observations points of others. The success of this beginning key is to weigh the value of the view and not those that are stating an opinion. I have learned in life that you can learn from everyone. We can learn what to do as well as those things one should not do. Being open minded to possibilities is always a good thing, yet so many Christians seem to be very closed minded to possibilities, even though they may sing the song, “All things are possible with God.” The one difficult aspect of this possible thinking is that some might so scare others in their way of thinking that normally they get themselves confused with the work of the Holy Spirit and consider themselves His direct representative. Personally, I have learned to get out of the way of the Holy Spirit, He can do His work best without my interference. I need convict no one of sin, a bad position, or way of thinking. Best task for me would be to pursue His call and work in my life, and find new and creative ways to accomplish His plan. Not an easy task, but an honorable pursuit nevertheless.
The other key I will mention is dealing with the let downs in our self evaluations. I have yet to meet someone who enjoys them. Competitive driven individuals easily get caught up in the drama of “I missed it, how could I have done that, what was I thinking.” The easy going folks assume the position of this is normal. “People run over me all the time, I was expecting that.” And knuckle heads consider they were right all along and they are just living to be able to say, “I told you so.”
Admitting mistakes or saying I was wrong is not the normal teaching one receives in school or from our families, but it should be. Learning how to respect others and not necessarily accept others is also a good trait but one that we don’t teach because some would think this would be a sign of weakness, instead of viewing it as a real gift in opening dialog, understanding of others, and one of the keys to establishment of real friendship and relationship. Some would never do this, of course. Reason number one would be their own insecurities and lack of vision, goals and pursuits. It is always easier to stay where you are and watch others then to step out and lead as the front man where all the direct hits take place. Yes, who wants to be on the frontline of evaluation, improvement, and growth? Most say it, but will never step up to do it.
Politics, rejection, would be two big reasons why we refuse to do a self evaluation. We like serving self much better then others, even while some will always say they are taking such steps for others. Leaders need real friends. Real friends are not easy to find and leadership is seldom recognized when it is witnessed because we are so unfamiliar with its signs and characteristic’s.
If you find yourself in the valley or even on the mountain top all alone, consider the option that some will never teach for those lonely days, moments, or situations. However, there is a friend that sticks by closer then a brother—His name is Jesus.
Until then
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Monday, July 21, 2008
Read it for yourself....Best Answer!
What is one to do when you know folks are misquoting the Holy Bible? For the record let me explain a misquote as a missed understanding of truth, and not necessary a literal quoting of a scripture from a particular text like from the King James Version, the American Standard, or the New International Version. A misquote would also be a half quote and not just a bad explanation of scripture.
A good challenge would be to ask someone whom with you work, maybe a family member, a friend who claims to be a Christian, what their favorite scripture is, and then ask a follow up, how many scriptures do you have memorized? These two questions will place most people in a bad spirit because most don’t have a favorite, yet they will attempt to tell you what their favorite verse sounds like, and this is always followed up with why they don’t memorize scripture. Such as a bad memory for starters, followed by an additional explanation about how they have never been good at memorizing. The next test would be to turn on the radio and listen to them sing all the words to all the songs that I can’t even make out what in the world they are saying and singing. But that’s for another column on another day. So what about those misquotes, or clear miss applications of scripture, what is one to do when we hear folks quoting something we know is wrong?
One that I hear all the time or one that seems to be popular to misquote is that we are not suppose to judge. The reference is from Matthew 7:1-2. Always when you hear that scripture, just remember they are only quoting the scripture that meets their personal position. The real application and understanding comes from verse two as the scriptures teach that the standards we judge other by or from, are or shall be the same standards we are judged by, not that we should not judge, but rather that we should be cautious making judgments. After all, there are additional scriptures that would remind each of us that we are all capable of falling were we plan not to fall, and committing that which one might say they would never do.
Another often misquoted come from Romans 8:28. The half of the scripture quoted by Christians and non-Christians is that God works all things out to the good. Folks just love to say that “everything works out”, but that’s not true. And if it all does work out, then I would ask to whom get the benefit of this problem solving? The key to that half truth is that God does work things out, but ONLY to those that are in the center of His will, and called according to His purpose. That full understanding makes everything working out a bit more complicated doesn’t it?
So what is a person to do when he hear folks making the wrong application. In some situations, you might not want to stand up and correct the error publically; it might best be accomplished by gently and with love asking for a clarification of what they said to make sure you understand their position. Might be one needs to study for themselves to allow some learning and growing time to better understanding the others point of view or statement about a particular scripture. I have a great friend that often asks people if they have ever taken the journey? His question is about if they have ever read the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. A discovery in life is that most people have never read the Bible from beginning to end. They are fully comfortable though quoting what they like, or what they have heard most often and have applied that to memory or recollection. There is a great discover in reading the Bible for oneself. I personally am very confident that the Holy Spirit doesn’t need my assistance to explain His word, or to give explanation to His teaching. The Holy Spirit is quite capable and fully dependable to give direction and guidance to anyone that is willing to pick up the book and read for themselves, asking God to make Himself known to them through His word.
The best answers for life and life’s questions are found in the Bible. I am someone that believes in trusted tried and true sources, but even with those great friends, teachers, leaders and mentors, I always like to look at something for myself and see what the spirit inside of me is saying when I read those same words from the Book. Not sure what you have said or what you stand around normally listening to, but I can recommend the Bible itself as your best teaching tool.
Until then
A good challenge would be to ask someone whom with you work, maybe a family member, a friend who claims to be a Christian, what their favorite scripture is, and then ask a follow up, how many scriptures do you have memorized? These two questions will place most people in a bad spirit because most don’t have a favorite, yet they will attempt to tell you what their favorite verse sounds like, and this is always followed up with why they don’t memorize scripture. Such as a bad memory for starters, followed by an additional explanation about how they have never been good at memorizing. The next test would be to turn on the radio and listen to them sing all the words to all the songs that I can’t even make out what in the world they are saying and singing. But that’s for another column on another day. So what about those misquotes, or clear miss applications of scripture, what is one to do when we hear folks quoting something we know is wrong?
One that I hear all the time or one that seems to be popular to misquote is that we are not suppose to judge. The reference is from Matthew 7:1-2. Always when you hear that scripture, just remember they are only quoting the scripture that meets their personal position. The real application and understanding comes from verse two as the scriptures teach that the standards we judge other by or from, are or shall be the same standards we are judged by, not that we should not judge, but rather that we should be cautious making judgments. After all, there are additional scriptures that would remind each of us that we are all capable of falling were we plan not to fall, and committing that which one might say they would never do.
Another often misquoted come from Romans 8:28. The half of the scripture quoted by Christians and non-Christians is that God works all things out to the good. Folks just love to say that “everything works out”, but that’s not true. And if it all does work out, then I would ask to whom get the benefit of this problem solving? The key to that half truth is that God does work things out, but ONLY to those that are in the center of His will, and called according to His purpose. That full understanding makes everything working out a bit more complicated doesn’t it?
So what is a person to do when he hear folks making the wrong application. In some situations, you might not want to stand up and correct the error publically; it might best be accomplished by gently and with love asking for a clarification of what they said to make sure you understand their position. Might be one needs to study for themselves to allow some learning and growing time to better understanding the others point of view or statement about a particular scripture. I have a great friend that often asks people if they have ever taken the journey? His question is about if they have ever read the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. A discovery in life is that most people have never read the Bible from beginning to end. They are fully comfortable though quoting what they like, or what they have heard most often and have applied that to memory or recollection. There is a great discover in reading the Bible for oneself. I personally am very confident that the Holy Spirit doesn’t need my assistance to explain His word, or to give explanation to His teaching. The Holy Spirit is quite capable and fully dependable to give direction and guidance to anyone that is willing to pick up the book and read for themselves, asking God to make Himself known to them through His word.
The best answers for life and life’s questions are found in the Bible. I am someone that believes in trusted tried and true sources, but even with those great friends, teachers, leaders and mentors, I always like to look at something for myself and see what the spirit inside of me is saying when I read those same words from the Book. Not sure what you have said or what you stand around normally listening to, but I can recommend the Bible itself as your best teaching tool.
Until then
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Life Quotes: Hill; Elliott; Fields; Davis; Harmon; West; Hufstedler; Bingham; Smith; Southworth; Ballard; Bryant;
Listening to friends can be a good thing or a bad thing. Now if you have trusted friends that have proven themselves over the years, you have nothing to worry about. Keep asking your questions and keep taking their advice. However, if you’re longest friendship is 6 months or at best a year, then I would suggest you temper all advice from those friends with degrees of great caution and reserve. Real advice comes from a trusted source that has passed the test of time by providing insight and wisdom that is categorized as “what you need to hear” and not what you “want to hear.” Finding these types of resources are never easy and they only develop over long hauls of continual friendship and relationship.
I recently ran across one of my journals of notes where I have written down quotes and statements by friends over the years. Some are new and some are old, nevertheless, I still find them valuable and wanted to share them. These are the random selections of quotes, statements and notes from my friends as trusted sources:
“To save money do three things in construction. 1) Come in under budget on your projects at completion 2) Make sure you complete your projects on time 3) Price them right to start with” – Steven Hill
“Two biggest walls in my life. The one between me and everyone, and the one between me and God”-Scott Bryant
“Sometimes we hold on to something that is good to only lose something that was better”-Greg Bullard, Pastor
“If mules get to go to Heaven, I’m going to ask mine to forgive me-old plugs!”-Rev. William Boyd Bingham Jr. , my great uncle.
“It is never easy, but I will not lie”-Azaiah Southworth
“Deep breath please, answering “why” will probably offer no solace at this time. Maybe a time for redirection and focus is at hand. Also, time to grieve dreams and ideas and people that may have passed on from your life whether your choice or not. They have still passed and need to be grieved. Some people would say, “I don’t want to waste any energy on them.” The energy is not being spent, it is being invested o n yourself! Here’s to a new life and some fond memories, bottoms up!”-David Holt
“I am always glad to listen and hang out”-Trevor Barton, Hawk Creek Baptist Church
“You’re eager; be patient, don’t take the first thing that comes along, sometimes the best thing is at the end”-Shirley Hufstedler, high school civics teacher.
“Watch out for non-moving trains”-Patrick Harmon
“We would still be walking, thank God for the Rangers”-Jordan Davis
“When you swing up the barn door, birds sing and rats run”-Matthew West
“Justification is Jesus telling the guilty they are not guilty”-Steven Smith, FBC-Barbourville
“It might be a mess, but it sure is a big beautiful mess to God, because he knows exactly where we need to be”-Judson Fields
“Live, Love Burn, Die”-Seth Eric Elliott
Advice is something we all seek in life. Steven Smith’s words came from a testimony he was sharing in church during a revival meeting. I found it interesting to here him use the words justification, the guilty and not guilty, especially with his professional background. It was a much more powerful statement about Jesus Christ because he knew what he was talking about and the application was great.
If you are interested in quotes, I would recommend the Book of Proverbs as a great place to being to find your collection of thoughts. It is amazing once one has memorized God’s words, how we use those thoughts and ideas as our own in conversations and advice we give to others. It’s all a good thing, thanks to The Word.
Until then
I recently ran across one of my journals of notes where I have written down quotes and statements by friends over the years. Some are new and some are old, nevertheless, I still find them valuable and wanted to share them. These are the random selections of quotes, statements and notes from my friends as trusted sources:
“To save money do three things in construction. 1) Come in under budget on your projects at completion 2) Make sure you complete your projects on time 3) Price them right to start with” – Steven Hill
“Two biggest walls in my life. The one between me and everyone, and the one between me and God”-Scott Bryant
“Sometimes we hold on to something that is good to only lose something that was better”-Greg Bullard, Pastor
“If mules get to go to Heaven, I’m going to ask mine to forgive me-old plugs!”-Rev. William Boyd Bingham Jr. , my great uncle.
“It is never easy, but I will not lie”-Azaiah Southworth
“Deep breath please, answering “why” will probably offer no solace at this time. Maybe a time for redirection and focus is at hand. Also, time to grieve dreams and ideas and people that may have passed on from your life whether your choice or not. They have still passed and need to be grieved. Some people would say, “I don’t want to waste any energy on them.” The energy is not being spent, it is being invested o n yourself! Here’s to a new life and some fond memories, bottoms up!”-David Holt
“I am always glad to listen and hang out”-Trevor Barton, Hawk Creek Baptist Church
“You’re eager; be patient, don’t take the first thing that comes along, sometimes the best thing is at the end”-Shirley Hufstedler, high school civics teacher.
“Watch out for non-moving trains”-Patrick Harmon
“We would still be walking, thank God for the Rangers”-Jordan Davis
“When you swing up the barn door, birds sing and rats run”-Matthew West
“Justification is Jesus telling the guilty they are not guilty”-Steven Smith, FBC-Barbourville
“It might be a mess, but it sure is a big beautiful mess to God, because he knows exactly where we need to be”-Judson Fields
“Live, Love Burn, Die”-Seth Eric Elliott
Advice is something we all seek in life. Steven Smith’s words came from a testimony he was sharing in church during a revival meeting. I found it interesting to here him use the words justification, the guilty and not guilty, especially with his professional background. It was a much more powerful statement about Jesus Christ because he knew what he was talking about and the application was great.
If you are interested in quotes, I would recommend the Book of Proverbs as a great place to being to find your collection of thoughts. It is amazing once one has memorized God’s words, how we use those thoughts and ideas as our own in conversations and advice we give to others. It’s all a good thing, thanks to The Word.
Until then
Monday, July 7, 2008
Wisdom for my niece, Brittany Elizabeth Baker
Rite of Passage sounds like a good book and maybe even a movie? Actually, I know there is a book on the subject matter for certain, and there must be a movie as well along that thought line. A Rite of Passage is that opportunity to take another step forward in a continual progression of steps that leads you to your journey’s end. You might consider the journey as looking for the end of a Rainbow to discover that pot of gold that we’ve heard in legend over the years.
Rites of Passage could begin almost anywhere, it just depends on your family, individual traditions, and personal milepost created in ones life. Hitting your teen years is a Rite of Passage more then likely the first rite we cannot wait to arrive. Just to hear you’re a teenager makes you feel good, until someone reminds you that “you’re only a teenager”, right? Then you have the passage into legal operation of a motorized apparatus. For some it is an automobile and for others it is a motorcycle, nevertheless, the passage is significant. I wrote legal operation because most everyone in my generation drove before we had the right to legal do so. It could be a short drive to the store, your grandparent’s home, over a dirt road or just around the block, but most I know did that for sure back in the day, it was I guess a little extra special rite of passage granted under best circumstances present.
Other highlighted moments of passage that most would agree with include graduating from high school, receiving your certificate recognizing this mile stone of 12 years of education. The real privilege that comes along with this moment is that you have two choices, continue the educational process toward additional academic studies, career training or advanced specialized institutional instructions in a specific field of interest such as service in one of our country’s branches of the military as an option, that’s choice one or you have choice two which is simply go to work, get a job. That last option, truthfully, is one you will be focusing on for your remaining days here on earth, like it or not.
I believe these are the basic Rites of Passage that each of us has as opportunity, and these develop before us as we grow. There are many privileges that fill ones life and I believe there is a distinction between a Rite of Passage and an advancing opportunity. Some folks may consider that these rites of passage are granted guarantees that “somehow or another we are due”, but I would not consider that to be true at all. Attendance in school is not advancement in school; it is only a part of the requirement to achievement. Age doesn’t mean accepted status of opinion or recommendations, it is, or should be however, an indicator of experience in life and valuable wisdom worthy of consideration. We all know folks that have wasted that cherished gift of time and have lost a level of value because of their choices; such is life and her experiences that we must deal with.
The opportunities of life, once achievements of the basic Rites of Passage have been mastered are endless, and the world is a vast sea with adventure on every breaking wave of life. These seas provide beautiful views and the most gentle of breezes to be enjoyed, yet, there is no more a disturbing moment as fearful as a stormy night at seas as well. One must learn to weather the storms and enjoy the sunshine with caution in each. Standing in the rain is ok, but move in if lightening is around. Enjoy the sun and her rays but remember to put on sun block if you are staying out very long. Interesting isn’t it, just how difficult life and all her choices, opportunities, and our responsibilities are.
This weekend my niece Brittany Elizabeth Baker is embarking on an adventure and one of those responsibility opportunities in life. It is no Rite of Passage, but it is a truly unique decision, the choice to unite in marriage. Selection of a mate, that’s only one part, working out the details of a wedding, time consuming yes, and earth shaking to you at the moment, yes, but this is all just one additional opportunity presently discovered. The additional moments will come, some planned, others unexpected. Greet life honestly, and seek wisdom and counsel from proven sources will aid you in your journey. When I was growing up there was this song often sang at weddings entitled, “We’ve Only Just Begun”, and you have. My prayers – Scott and Brittany.
Until then
Rites of Passage could begin almost anywhere, it just depends on your family, individual traditions, and personal milepost created in ones life. Hitting your teen years is a Rite of Passage more then likely the first rite we cannot wait to arrive. Just to hear you’re a teenager makes you feel good, until someone reminds you that “you’re only a teenager”, right? Then you have the passage into legal operation of a motorized apparatus. For some it is an automobile and for others it is a motorcycle, nevertheless, the passage is significant. I wrote legal operation because most everyone in my generation drove before we had the right to legal do so. It could be a short drive to the store, your grandparent’s home, over a dirt road or just around the block, but most I know did that for sure back in the day, it was I guess a little extra special rite of passage granted under best circumstances present.
Other highlighted moments of passage that most would agree with include graduating from high school, receiving your certificate recognizing this mile stone of 12 years of education. The real privilege that comes along with this moment is that you have two choices, continue the educational process toward additional academic studies, career training or advanced specialized institutional instructions in a specific field of interest such as service in one of our country’s branches of the military as an option, that’s choice one or you have choice two which is simply go to work, get a job. That last option, truthfully, is one you will be focusing on for your remaining days here on earth, like it or not.
I believe these are the basic Rites of Passage that each of us has as opportunity, and these develop before us as we grow. There are many privileges that fill ones life and I believe there is a distinction between a Rite of Passage and an advancing opportunity. Some folks may consider that these rites of passage are granted guarantees that “somehow or another we are due”, but I would not consider that to be true at all. Attendance in school is not advancement in school; it is only a part of the requirement to achievement. Age doesn’t mean accepted status of opinion or recommendations, it is, or should be however, an indicator of experience in life and valuable wisdom worthy of consideration. We all know folks that have wasted that cherished gift of time and have lost a level of value because of their choices; such is life and her experiences that we must deal with.
The opportunities of life, once achievements of the basic Rites of Passage have been mastered are endless, and the world is a vast sea with adventure on every breaking wave of life. These seas provide beautiful views and the most gentle of breezes to be enjoyed, yet, there is no more a disturbing moment as fearful as a stormy night at seas as well. One must learn to weather the storms and enjoy the sunshine with caution in each. Standing in the rain is ok, but move in if lightening is around. Enjoy the sun and her rays but remember to put on sun block if you are staying out very long. Interesting isn’t it, just how difficult life and all her choices, opportunities, and our responsibilities are.
This weekend my niece Brittany Elizabeth Baker is embarking on an adventure and one of those responsibility opportunities in life. It is no Rite of Passage, but it is a truly unique decision, the choice to unite in marriage. Selection of a mate, that’s only one part, working out the details of a wedding, time consuming yes, and earth shaking to you at the moment, yes, but this is all just one additional opportunity presently discovered. The additional moments will come, some planned, others unexpected. Greet life honestly, and seek wisdom and counsel from proven sources will aid you in your journey. When I was growing up there was this song often sang at weddings entitled, “We’ve Only Just Begun”, and you have. My prayers – Scott and Brittany.
Until then
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