Posts Tagged ‘confidence’

Why Are We So Offended?

August 18, 2016

Why are we so offended? Constantly, it seems. Do we go out of our way to seek offensive people or  statements?

Many people seem to think that everyone should be just like them. If they aren’t, these people are offended. And they voice it in their little groups. And complain.

Everyone to whom Paul  wrote (actually Peter, John, James, Luke, too) lived in a society where some of the most offensive practices were carried out openly. They wrote to help people live a good life amongst all of that.

I wonder at times whether we are so thin-skinned that any remark sets us off. Are we possessed of so little faith that it can be shaken by a remark? Or an act by someone?

That is why we practice spiritual disciplines. Constantly refreshing our minds with the proper thoughts and centered on God, helps us grow in faith and confidence.

Confidence–there’s a word that Paul frequently uses that is seldom heard. Can we move forward confident of the triumph of Go?

Offended? Maybe by living a life that is so enticing to others, we can show a better way. We turn being offended into an excuse to help someone grow.

That would be cool.

 

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You’re Late

March 5, 2015

Let’s take a look at some personal disciplines that will help you become successful however you define it. And personal disciplines spill over into spiritual disciplines.

Here is a story from a business book I once read. It seems a young man had a promising professional/managerial job. But he seemed to be going nowhere. He wasn’t really motivated. The bosses seemed to forget about him when thinking about people with promotion potential.

Problem was, he was always late. He was late to work. Late to meetings. Late with reports. He was always frazzled, disorganized, fuzzy thinking.

Then one day he faced up to his problem and decided to change. He set the alarm to get up 15 minutes earlier. He got to work early and organized his day. He arrived early at meetings and was prepared for the discussion.

His demeanor grew calmer. He became more organized and confident.

It worked so well that he started getting up an hour earlier so that he could read things that filled his mind spiritually and intellectually.

He began to be the executive that no one would have ever imagined just a few short years before.

It all began when he decided to not be late all the time.

Changing just one bad habit can change your life.

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Why Are Some Of Us So Thin Skinned

September 29, 2014

Where I grew up, if you were quick to take offense or if you were sensitive to critical comments or opposition, you were called “thin skinned.” The idea is that an emotionally healthy person develops a “thick skin” to ward off opponents’ comments.

What puzzles me for most of my life has been the thin-skinned nature of so many American Christians. They are always looking for ways they are being “persecuted” or for signs they are not in the majority (hint: this type of Christian is not in the majority, but living in a rural area, I know many).

They are not really being persecuted. Not like the Christians living in many lands these days. Or even like we persecuted black people, native peoples, Jewish people, Catholics (yes, they were a persecuted minority for a long time in America), and “foreigners” (even unto this day).

It’s almost like an attitude of weakness, not of strength. I remember being 9 or 10 and reading and hearing about the Soviet Communist menace. And how those godless atheists were going to take over the country. And I remember thinking, if our God is that powerful, why do we fear those who have none? Why do we think they will be able to do away with God entirely.

Christians for the first 300 years of the movement lived as a minority in every city in which they existed. They learned to live amongst those whose beliefs were different. That didn’t stop them from worshiping their God through the revelation of Jesus. In fact, the way they lived was so powerful that the very way they lived attracted others to them

When one of the plagues swept Rome and the brave, strong men all fled to the mountains in terror, Christians stayed behind. They came out from their hiding places and helped the sick and dying. Once again, the way they lived even as a minority among pagans attracted many to Christianity. That time became one of the fastest growing in the movement.

I follow a powerful God. If I’m not in the majority as a Jesus-follower, even in America, that just puts me in the company of much of the movement. I wish my fellow followers had such confidence.

Jesus counseled us not to worry. We just go about our business of living correctly in the Spirit. I’d advise reading not only the Bible but also stories of the early church. Take advice from how they lived.

I wish my friends would concern themselves with how they live their lives and not worry about whether everyone around them agrees with everything they believe. Show by your life the power of God.

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Facing Conflict

April 11, 2014

Facing conflict in a positive manner is a skill that many of us fall short of possessing in sufficient amount.

The situation most often arises when you have teenaged children. Work situations are full of situations where conflict can fester and grow. Conflicts within groups in your church or other non-profit volunteer work are often difficult.

Some of us shy away from conflict for fear of making things worse or rupturing a relationship or out of regard for the feelings of others.

Some people, on the other hand, love creating conflict. These are abrasive, pushy, argumentative types.

Thinking about this, both of these types are self-centered approaches. Neither is healthy.

I’m reading in the Gospel of John these days. John builds his story around conflict. Almost every scene shows Jesus in some sort of conflict with the authorities (Jewish, not Roman). What can we learn from John’s description of how Jesus dealt with the constant conflict.

  • Strong resolve that the direction you’re going is right. You must have confidence that you’re doing the right thing and moving the organization ahead in a positive manner.
  • Understand the Other. Aren’t we often guilty of ascribing motives to other people that they, in fact, do not have? We assume facts not in evidence. Some of us are very good at reading people’s motives. Others of us need to ask a few more questions.
  • Understand yourself. Understand your own strengths and weaknesses. Know where you need help–and ask for it.
  • Speak softly, firmly, with confidence. I would say speak clearly, but if we follow Jesus’ example, we’d speak in riddles at times. But for us, clear communication spoken with a firm but quiet voice is most effective.
  • Don’t doubt your own authority. If you have the authority that comes with leadership, then use it. But don’t abuse it.

The world needs good leaders. Be one.

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