Too Much Thinking, Not Enough Doing

November 19, 2015

When all is said and done, more is said than done.

As an investor in a local coffee shop, I must admit to coffee envy. This week I am attending a trade fair / conference in Chicago’s McCormick Place. A popular coffee chain has a store adjacent to the entrance to the exhibit hall. This is a large show with over 15,000 attendees. That store had a constant queue of at least 20 people from 6:30 am until they closed about 5:00 pm.

This morning I’m staring at the plain red cup of the day’s dark roast coffee thinking about the ridiculous uproar of a certain segment of self-proclaimed Christians who thought that the company was belittling Christmas by removing reindeer and snowflakes from its cups.

So, what do reindeer and snowflakes have to do with honoring Jesus’ birth? Well, nothing.

Then I recalled the old proverb quoted at the top. It goes along with another saying I find myself repeating–we think too much. That is a funny thing for an ENTP to say (if you don’t know what that is, check out the definitions in the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator). But we do.

Think of discussions on points of theology. A favorite one currently concerns the definition of the word translated as “day” in first story of creation. Many people take the English word day and make it a foundation of belief in creation that this means 24-hour days. Just had that discussion. I basically said, “You and I will always disagree on this interpretation. Does that mean that one or the other is not Christian? No. We agree on the foundation of the faith that Jesus lived as a man, was killed, and was resurrected.

Every time I read the gospels, I’m further struck by the words of Jesus. Certainly belief was the foundation, but his commandments always talked about the status of your heart and what you’re doing about it. Love your neighbor, he said. That’s not an emotional, sentimental word. It’s an action verb.

Thinking is OK. But let it not be said about us that when all is said and done, more was said than done.

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Speaking About What We’ve Experienced

November 17, 2015

Coffee lovers have come to the opinion that their drink must be incredibly strong to be good. That is the power of advertising and peer pressure where you go to places that must over-roast their coffees to make up for the variation in the quality of the beans. In process control it’s called compensating for the variables of the input material.

When the quality of the raw material is more carefully controlled which can be the result of the way the coffee is purchased from the farmer, then the roaster is free to bring out the true flavors of the different varieties of the bean. The result is a coffee that is more pleasing to the palate.

We cannot help from speaking about what we have seen and heard. — Peter and John recorded in Acts 4

Christ-followers call it “witnessing.” Originally it meant “speaking about what we have seen and heard.” For us it is speaking from experience.

Sharing an experience is powerful. It is your story. But it is a story that can relate to other people. It is a story pleasing to the palate.

Followers of our faith for centuries have given us a bad name by coming on so strongly like that overpowering cup of coffee. They try to force feed their beliefs–often emphasizing peripheral beliefs ignoring the central belief that we have experienced new life as a Jesus-follower after coming to belief in his resurrection.

I’m thinking about Galatians 5 and Paul’s description of changed lives. And also of the especially powerful first five chapters of Acts.

Think of the growth of the early church and the lives that were changed because they:

  1. Shared what they had experienced
  2. Served others with no thought for themselves or their own well being

And we wonder why we’re not growing and thriving.

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What Happened To The End of Racism?

November 16, 2015

Many people in my all-white home town gave me some grief over my civil rights views in the 1960s. But it was mild, if pointed. And I survived driving through Mississippi a couple of times in 1970 with equal rights decals on my car.

But I thought momentum was building behind the idea of judging a person by their character rather than the color of their skins or other external differences.

There has been progress. Almost all laws in the US are now color-blind (and gender-blind–that was a problem, too). Most police no longer are a serious threat to the well-being, and even lives, of people of color.

The goal remains elusive.

We can change laws (good). Train people (good). Heighten awareness and provide peer pressure (good).

But we can’t change people’s hearts that easily.

Reports from Missouri suggest that the University of Missouri race relations have changed little since 1969. We still have too many incidents.

And now I expect my Facebook “news” stream to fill up with a reaction of hatred and verbal violence toward all people who are followers of Islam and/or of Middle Eastern descent because of the attacks by a few nihilists in Paris. (I quit reading most of that stuff  on Facebook. If you want to reach me in Facebook, you can use Messenger rather than just a post.)

I have some friends and many acquaintances among those groups. They are peace-loving people with a moral code not unlike many Christians (I wonder about the moral code of some).

It all makes me so sad. An entire adult life span, and we have actually progressed so little.

Can we take some time to watch what we say? Pray for those hurting? Pray for justice? Judge people according to character rather than this painting an entire religion and ethnic group with the same brush as brutal terrorists?

Thank you.

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Leaders Working With A Board

November 13, 2015

He had started a ministry to addicted people. It was a vision. He could help people in dire straights turn their lives around and become clean and productive.

The ministry grew and became an organization. He found it necessary to develop new skills. Some influential people in the community had become members of the advisory board. He needed to learn how to manage them for continued effectiveness of the organization.

I worked with him for a while. Here are some ideas I passed along:

  • You have the vision, never stop passing it along
  • Invite individual board members for breakfast and lunch to share the vision and solicit ideas
  • Help the board find new members with specific expertise–fund raising, marketing, finance, contacts
  • Work especially with the board chairman to encourage team work and collaboration

There was a board I was on once where the administrator was a tyrant. It was “agree with me or leave” except that I was elected to the post and he couldn’t remove me. So, he resorted to intimidation. Didn’t work and he eventually lost the confidence of the entire board and was gone.

His replacement was collaborative both with the board and with the staff. Things worked much better.

Recently the local newspaper reported on a board meeting of a local public school. The superintendent pitched a personnel change. Several board members asked questions about the reason and the necessity. “I’ve done this a long time and I know what I’m doing,” came the retort.

Oops, not a collaborative move. The narcissistic ploy just doesn’t make it as a leader. There should have been an open, collaborative discussion before the meeting ever happened. The leader needs to solicit input receiving (and listening to) a variety of views.

When a leader is dysfunctional or when a board is dysfunctional, then the mission and well being of the entire organization suffers.

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Living With Theological Tension

November 12, 2015

“What happens when two groups of people hold opposite views on a subject, yet each can point to Scripture to back them up?”

That question came up Tuesday morning in a small group study session I sometimes attend.

It’s a good question.

One guy in the group is very hard-core. He’ll flip to 1 Corinthians in a flash to show how we should judge people within our church and not be afraid to kick them out.

He has a point. Allowing people in the congregation–which should be like a family–to flagrantly mock the beliefs of the group is akin to a cancer that can grow rapidly. Treatment–remove the cancer.

However, others (like me) point also to Galatians 6. When you confront that situation, do not do so with a spirit of vengeance, almost glee. Do so with a spirit of love. Bearing others burdens.

Jesus had a name for the former. He called them Pharisees. John (the apostle) called them children of the darkness. But we can take that analogy too far. Sometimes they are mere rule followers.

But they do have a point. And so do the others.

Think of other issues. Right now a hot topic is treatment of or acceptance of homosexual people. One side takes a verse from Paul. The other takes a broader look at more Scriptures. How do you handle that?

There is no other way that is beneficial and in keeping with Jesus’ commands to love one another than to live in theological tension. It is not all bad that one side cannot “win” the argument. Sometimes we are asking the wrong question. Then we draw the wrong lines. Our human nature seeks resolution. It’s like ending a song on the Dominant Seventh. That note is tension. We crave to hear the Tonic note. Sometimes it doesn’t come. Sometimes we need to live in that tension long enough to

As I told another guy about the Creation controversy (which I again think we’re arguing the wrong question), “If your faith depends upon God creating the world in six 24-hour days, then far be it from me to try to tear it down. I don’t agree. But in the end, it doesn’t matter.” He and I agree on the resurrection of Jesus and coming into a right relationship with God by accepting His grace through faith. Other issues are merely straw horses meant to divide us. Instead we should just be witnesses to our receiving grace through Jesus. Just keep it simple–we both agreed.

I can live in tension. I sort of like it. Life lived in tension leads to a creative life. If we have resolved all the tensions, then we are in danger of becoming fat, dumb, and lazy as the old country saying puts it.

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Seven Principles Of Thinking Like Da Vinci

November 11, 2015

Michael J. Gelb’s book, How To Think Like Leonardo da Vinci, reminds us of how to elevate our consciousness, creativity, and contribution.

I talked about curiosity as the first principle Monday. Let me quickly summarize the entire seven. Then go pick up the book and dive into the details. The bonus last chapter teaches how to draw like da Vinci–maybe not as good, but builds on his ideas.

(Gelb uses the Italian. Go figure.)

  • Curiosita–Am I asking the right questions?
  • Dimostrazione–How can I improve my ability to learn from my mistakes and experiences? How can I develop my independence of thought?
  • Sensazione–What is my plan for sharpening my senses as I age?
  • Sfumato–How can I strengthen my ability to hold creative tension to embrace the major paradoxes of life?
  • Arte/Scienza–Am I balancing Arte and Scienza at home and at work?
  • Corporalita–How can I nurture the balance of body and mind?
  • Connessione–How do all the above elements fit together? How does everything connect to everything else?

It is about body, mind, and spirit. You can, and probably should, incorporate these into your spiritual practices. Something to think about.

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Grumbling in Their Tents

November 10, 2015

First published September 21, 2015

In Hebrew history there seems to be a recurring theme. As described in the Exodus story and the time in the wilderness carried forward into the Psalms, the people grumbled in their tents.

Americans are great grumblers. Check your Facebook feed. People are always complaining–unless you muted the grumblers. In that way they think they are still your friends, but you have ceased listening to them.

John Ortberg recently talked about quitting complaining. He identified two words used in the Old Testament–grumbling and groaning.

When the Israelites grumbled, the grumbled “in their tents.” They grumbled about God. I’m not getting mine. I’m not satisfied. I want more.

If that sounds familiar, well 3,000 years hasn’t meant much to the spiritual progress of humans.

I stand convicted as I think about the grumbling. I’m not immune. When I catch myself, I’m sorry for the thoughts or words.

Organizations typically are filled with grumbling. The greater the vision that leaders get members to buy into, the lesser the grumbling. When you’re working on a mission, time for grumbling diminishes.

On the other hand, when you are discouraged and wonder if God is with you, you go into a private place and groan to God.

I may be groaning now as I think of this.

Grumbler or Groaner. Which are we? Which do we want to be?

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Curiosity Is The Foundation of Learning

November 9, 2015

How could you draw that smile (on the Mona Lisa)? How do you draw? What do you know how to draw? How do they paint the Eiffel Tower? Do they tie ropes to the guys? Why can’t they make a light bulb that lasts longer? Why can’t they make a better battery? How did they know about waves in the air when they invented them to make a radio?

That wasn’t even the entire conversation with my 8-yr-old grandson. I just asked him about his trip to Paris.

I told him that the world is filled with problems to solve. That’s why we need engineers and scientists.

I’m worried that school will kill some of that curiosity, but that’s another story.

The thing is–he’s always been curious. At 18 months taking a walk down the street could take a long time as we stopped explore all manner of things.

The conference I attended a few weeks ago featured a keynote speaker called Michael Gelb. He wrote a book, “How to Think Like Leonardo Da Vinci.” It is a fascinating book about a fascinating guy.

The first of seven characteristics–Curiosity.

What is that doing in a spiritual discipline blog?

Think of all the curiosity in the New Testament.

All of the original 12 close disciples were curious about Jesus. Who is that guy? Paul at first was opposed, then he too wondered, “Who is that guy?”

Paul also had to answer the question, Now what do we do after we believe? (Hint: Love the Lord and love your neighbor.)

I’m incessantly curious–what is God trying to say to me? What does the Bible say? What should I be doing? Why do people act that way? How can I help? What can I do to serve?

Curiosity can be a powerful spiritual discipline. It keeps us from becoming complacent.

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Mind Maps and Other Collaboration Tools

November 6, 2015

For the Friday Leadership post, I bring to you the idea of collaboration.

There are times when bringing people face-to-face is essential to accomplish something. Unfortunately most meetings are routine, pointless, serve only to bolster the leader’s ego, or serve as an excuse for coffee and doughnuts.

Many applications have appeared to help team members collaborate while being remote and also asynchronously. Consider Wikis, Slack, project management tools, Quip, Google Docs, (maybe) Microsoft Windows 365, Evernote, Nozbe, and many more.

I’ve been reading Think Like Leonardo Da Vinci lately. The author  spoke at the Emerson Exchange and whetted my curiosity (the first of seven traits).

Scholars have discovered some drawings akin to mind maps in Da Vinci’s journals. A mind map is a powerful tool. And, if you use a digital tool (I use Mindjet Manager), you can put it in the cloud and many can collaborate on ideas.

Don’t know what a mind map is? Here is one  I constructed using the computer app rather than just drawing (maybe the preferred way) for a project I’m working on.

IIoT Project

You can take notes on a mind map, doodle ideas, organize a project or a book, think creatively. It is a great tool. I’m about to work on two books while I’m between soccer seasons. I’ll mind map the outline and then just add text.

Mind maps are a tool. Thinking is the skill. Providing a safe environment for collaboration is leadership. Put it all together and accomplish something this year.

 

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Working Hard As Spiritual Discipline

November 5, 2015

When did you discover the value of working hard? Or, did you ever?

For me, it hit me somewhere around age 19. I just coasted through elementary and high school and “earned” from excellent to good grades. Then there was the university. Competition was tough. Classes were tough (and I wasn’t prepared either academically or in maturity for the jump).

Then, duh, I learned to go to class and do the work.

That is a life-long trait. I can relax, but I know the value and benefits of working hard.

Recently I have been listening to Rick Warren. He’s pastor of Saddleback Church in Orange County, CA. He’s been discussing living a blessed life (from the Sermon on the Mount, you know, Blessed are the …). Today he was talking about how God expects us to be people of integrity. And one example of integrity is to work hard. If someone is paying you for a day’s labor, then give that person your undivided attention and focus on the work.

Work becomes a Spiritual Discipline if done with the right attitude and focus.

Hard work also becomes a witness. I heard a story from a business man in a developing country. His example, his hiring practices, and his treatment of employees with the highest ethics served as a witness bringing many people into discipleship with Jesus.

Warren said, “Wouldn’t it be great if you could say I hire Christians because they always work hard and have the highest ethics.”

Bringing our spiritual life into all facets of our life is the most important thing we can do.

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