I was sitting here today working on a project a church asked me to produce for a teaching class. As I was thinking and writing several thoughts came to my mind that I could not shake. Maybe it is the fact that I am now an old man or maybe because the times are strange but, whatever I thought I would share them with you.
We all have arguments with our loved ones and friends and we say things we know we should not say, but I encourage you all to not let the sun go down on your wrath and anger. You may never speak to that loved one again. Life is precious because it is so short. We are only promised 70 years. Some live to 100 and some to only 1 day. Take time to love those who you love!
It's drilled into our heads all of our lives that we have to speak with certainty and confidence about things, especially if we are an 'expert' in these things, but the truth is that we don't know.
I told my grandson that succeeding gets a lot easier when you realize that everyone who has ever succeeded has doubted that things will work, has failed terribly, and has generally been where the rest of are: worrying and certain that they aren't good enough.
I remember giving a sermon one time and I used the illustration that I was going to preach on PROSTTUTION!
Everyone in the church shouted AMEN brother, preach it!
WHY........Because there were no prostitutes in the room.
Then I said, I am going to preach against MURDERERS!
Again, the whole church shouted AMEN brother, preach it!
WHY.......Because there were no murderers in the room.
Then I said I am going to preach against those who LIE WHEN THEY DO THEIR TAXES!
The whole church sat silent and one deacon said.......Sit down and shut up you young whipper snapper.
WHY........Because they all lied on their taxes.
We must be what we are, DO what God tells us to do and allow Him to put the pieces together.
Just some thoughts!
1. Life is precious.
One of the most popular answers we see in life is that everyone eventually dies, and it could happen at any moment. While we all know we'll die one day, the suddenness with which death could come is something most of us try to forget.We all have arguments with our loved ones and friends and we say things we know we should not say, but I encourage you all to not let the sun go down on your wrath and anger. You may never speak to that loved one again. Life is precious because it is so short. We are only promised 70 years. Some live to 100 and some to only 1 day. Take time to love those who you love!
2. Nobody has any idea what to do.
My grandson told me the other day that he was confused and did not know what he wanted to do. Now this this is a Junior in college. I explained to him that If you are confused about what you want to do with your life, take solace in the knowledge that most, if not all, of us are also still figuring things out.It's drilled into our heads all of our lives that we have to speak with certainty and confidence about things, especially if we are an 'expert' in these things, but the truth is that we don't know.
I told my grandson that succeeding gets a lot easier when you realize that everyone who has ever succeeded has doubted that things will work, has failed terribly, and has generally been where the rest of are: worrying and certain that they aren't good enough.
3. You can't make everyone happy, and if you try, you'll lose yourself.
Stop trying to please, and start respecting your values, principles, and autonomy. Even though I was taught not to worry about what others thought, I still did exactly that. I thought and wanted everyone to like me. After awhile you learn that no matter what you do or say you can not please everyone!I remember giving a sermon one time and I used the illustration that I was going to preach on PROSTTUTION!
Everyone in the church shouted AMEN brother, preach it!
WHY........Because there were no prostitutes in the room.
Then I said, I am going to preach against MURDERERS!
Again, the whole church shouted AMEN brother, preach it!
WHY.......Because there were no murderers in the room.
Then I said I am going to preach against those who LIE WHEN THEY DO THEIR TAXES!
The whole church sat silent and one deacon said.......Sit down and shut up you young whipper snapper.
WHY........Because they all lied on their taxes.
We must be what we are, DO what God tells us to do and allow Him to put the pieces together.
Just some thoughts!
for I know not what I do.
