A Few Steps Back
Like ships on the ocean or paths in the sea…
“Before we react, though, it might be worth asking “and then what happens,” five times.”
This advice comes from Mr. Godin. He goes on to write, “If any of the (5) steps involve, “and then a miracle happens,” maybe you should take a few moments to reconsider, or as I would phrase it—take a few steps back.
Honestly, I have never had the idea of Then a miracle happens actually come into my mind during any of my episodes, but…
I’d like a couple of dollars for every time in my life I optimistically rushed into something without the five-step agenda and even without the miracle thought, yet still in the end I must have believed in some kind of voila moment—which didn’t happen.
So, here I sit between today and yesterday. If it were possible I would like to go back to bed and sleep all night. I can imagine that—and waking up in the morning feeling rested and ready for a wonderful day. Well, I could imagine that.
If this were in the middle of the day it would be a daydream, but this is night time and this isn’t really a night dream. In the long and short of things, there are too many of these things you can’t explain and don’t make sense. Especially at this time of day/night.
I have several favorite books in the Bible. Ecclesiastes has some of my favorite passages.
“Ecclesiastes 10:
10 If the iron be blunt, and he do not whet the edge, then must he put to more strength: but wisdom is profitable to direct.
11 Surely the serpent will bite without enchantment; and a babbler is no better.
12 The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself.
13 The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness: and the end of his talk is mischievous madness.
14 A fool also is full of words: a man cannot tell what shall be; and what shall be after him, who can tell him?
15 The labour of the foolish wearieth every one of them, because he knoweth not how to go to the city.”
I find all of the above scriptures to be clever in one way or another each one has a point.
So, is “there is a difference between a snake handler and a snake charmer?” This may be true, but why does “A serpent will bite without an enchantment” and a babbler is no better” go together? Babbling isn’t charming I think. I don’t like snakes and wouldn’t want to be either a snake handler or a snake charmer.
Now consider verse fifteen. I mean who would want to come under the curse of not knowing how to go to the city? “He’s so foolish he doesn’t even know how to go to the city…”
If you want to go to the city just follow the path. Lots of people are going to the city. In our day and age there are many who have just wandered into the city. The question now is do they know how to get out of the city? Talk about babbling, I think it has come to that.
Jesus didn’t talk about knowing how to go to the city, but he did talk about following the path.
“Matthew 7:13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.”
And we know that many fools follow the broad way to destruction. “Consider your ways” is a cautionary warning for all of us. Yet too many aren’t willing to take a step back and look at where their path is taking them.
Most of us get up in the morning and follow our day because we’re in a certain groove. That’s our path and that’s what we do. Here’s a bit of Old Hillbilly Wisdom to draw this piece to an end:
𝐎𝐥𝐝 𝐇𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐖𝐢𝐬𝐝𝐨𝐦:
Your fences need to be horse-high, pig-tight and bull-strong.
Keep skunks, bankers, and politicians at a distance.
Life is simpler when you plow around the stump.
A bumble bee is considerably faster than a John Deere tractor.
Words that soak into your ears are whispered, not yelled.
The best sermons are lived, not preached.
If you don’t take the time to do it right, you’ll find the time to do it twice.
Don’t corner something that is meaner than you.
***
“1Thessalonians 5:4 But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.
5 Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. 6 Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.”
