And We’re Still Looking
It’s a hard sell. I’m sure with my record of all the gobsmacked dumb things I’ve done no one would confuse me as a genius but…
Funny challenge: Only people with high IQ can spot…and why do we search so diligently? Are we hoping to prove we are smarter than the average Joe, or just want to prove we aren’t dumb?
It’s a hard sell. I’m sure with my record of all the gobsmacked dumb things I’ve done no one would confuse me as a genius but…
However, when I come across such challenges I stop just to see if maybe there is some redeeming strand in me that might explain why I do such odd things. Maybe my desk is a mess because I’m a genius. Maybe I have difficulty finishing projects because of a high IQ. Maybe…none of it makes any difference.
I still need to clean off my desk and finish my projects and stop making—or looking for excuses. We don’t need excuses. Life is complicated and what can any of us offer? Is it an excuse or a reason?
If for example we are late for an event and the lateness was something out of our control, likely that’s a reason. —On my way to church this morning I was waylaid by an unexplained renegade train. That would be something unexpected and out of our control.
And those things do happen. But we must be careful we don’t end up as the saying goes, ‘Life is hard. It’s even harder when you’re stupid.’ Or the offshoot that goes something like Life is hard, often because you’re stupid. So, first off, we know we aren’t really stupid so don’t do stupid.
As some of my readers know I follow a fellow by the name of Seth Godin. Each day he sends out a short—usually very short—encouragement.
Today’s lead-in was as follows: “So many missed opportunities. Decisions not made, errors in judgment, opportunities lost.” And it carried into the idea of what we focus on in our lives.
This is an odd juxtaposition. Because we do get tied up over the missed opportunities, wrong decisions, etcetera there are too many other things which we should focus on but we miss them. Too often because we are still looking at the mistakes we’ve made.
His point is well taken that we focus on things we can’t change, or things that are minuscule in comparison to what we should focus on. Mr. Godin finishes with: “One is thousands of times more expensive than the other, and the amount of effort in each is the same, but our minds focus on the one where we feel like we had more responsibility. Which causes us to focus even more on the wrong sort of decision in the future.
The roads not seen almost always matter more than the potholes we hit along the way.”
Galatians 6:1 Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.
2 Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
3 For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.
4 But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.
5 For every man shall bear his own burden.
6 Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things.
7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.
9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
10 As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.
