Posts Tagged: thoughts
“MATURITY: THE ART OF RECOGNIZING THE CONSEQUENCES”
For several years now, I have been taking a word or a short phrase to set the tone for my year. The word for 2022 is “maturity”. I figured that I would start the year a little early. So, here goes!
But first an important question: What is maturity? There are probably many aspects to the understanding and living out of maturity. A friend and I were talking about what maturity is, and he came up with a simply wonderful and wonderfully simple definition: Maturity is recognizing that there are consequences to all our actions, words, and thoughts, good and bad.
Perhaps the opposite of maturity is not immaturity, but insanity. Insanity has been defined as “doing the same thing over and over—and expecting different results.
When I was little, I thought that I could get by with things. I rarely succeeded. I still sometimes fall into that thought. However, it simply isn’t so. Nobody gets by with anything. When I say or do something unkind, there is an immediate wound to another person. There is also an immediate self-inflicted wound on my heart and mind and soul. Even my thinking (which usually precedes my speaking and acting) leaves a wound. The wound may seem small to me, but it is big to the victim. It will not heal quickly. It may get infected and never heal
When I say or do or something kind, good comes into being for others and for myself. There are immediate consequences for good thoughts and words and deeds. These consequences are often even less perceptible than the effect of harmful thoughts and words and deeds. But imperceptible doesn’t mean insignificant.
So, today, I am going to think and speak and act in a mature, consequential manner. Today, I am choosing to be mature. And I am determined to be mature in good ways. Living consequentially beats living inconsequentially every time.
“THE CONTENT OF CHARACTER: CHOICES, THOUGHTS, AND DEEDS”
“The content of your character is your choice. Day by day, what you choose, what you think and what you do is who you become.” (Heraclitus)
I was just about to play some computer word games. The problem is that I am trying to eliminate them for a while. If I could play ten minutes and stop, that might be okay. However, I tend to play ten minutes, and then keep playing.
So, instead, I read some quotes from one of my favorite philosophers: Heraclitus. When I read the above quote, I was so glad that I had chosen not to play any computer games, because I don’t really want to become a computer game.
What do I want to become? I want to become love, humility, kindness, and courage. I want to become more like Jesus Christ.
But here is the important question: Am I in fact making the moment-by-moment decisions about my choices, thoughts and deeds that will help me to become more loving, humble, kind, courageous, and Christ-like?
Wanting is not enough. Choices, thoughts and deeds matter.
In one of my 12-step readings this morning, the author (anonymous as you might expect) pointed out that there are two basic requirements for sobriety: trusting God and doing something for your recovery.
It isn’t a case of either/or. It is a matter of both/and. And I’ve noticed that the more I really trust God, the more I am freed up to do what I need to do to be sober. And the more I do what I need to do to be sober, the more I trust God.
You’ve heard of vicious cycles? Trusting God and doing what I deeply need to do is a virtuous cycle.
DOWN TO EARTH BELIEVER
- “Even a Sliver of Light” April 9, 2024“For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” (2 Corinthians 5:6, English Standard Version) I missed the total eclipse yesterday. There were a number of good reasons for this, but […]
- “The Process in Miracles and the Miracle of Process” March 11, 2024“2 Kings 5:1 Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master and in high favor, because by him the LORD had given victory to Syria. He was a mighty man of valor, but he was a leper. 2 Now the Syrians on one of their raids […]
- “The Power of Encouragement—Even for Old People” March 10, 2024“But encourage each other every day while it is ‘today.’ Help each other so none of you will become hardened because sin has tricked you.” (Hebrews 3:13, New Century Version) Yesterday, I was walking at a nearby park. There was a large group of young people some of whom were running while other young people […]
- “Endurance” March 10, 2024“For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised.” (Hebrews 10:36, English Standard Version) “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us […]
- “The Limits of Non-Judgmentalism” February 24, 2024“Matt. 7:1 “Judge not, that you be not judged. Matt. 7:2 For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you.” (Matthew 7:1-2, English Standard Version) This morning, in my virtual 12-step meeting, we discussed the topic of judgmentalism. There were many wise […]
- “Delighting in Being Told What to Do?!?” February 23, 2024“Psa. 112:1 Praise the LORD! Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who greatly delights in his commandments! 2 His offspring will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed. 3 Wealth and riches are in his house, and his righteousness endures […]
- “Character is the Real Lesson” January 19, 2024I am often confused about what lesson I’m really supposed to be learning. For example, this morning I was trying to knock out several Spanish lessons. My intentions were a lot better than my internet connection. I’ve done three lessons. Or rather, I’ve done two lessons. One of them I did twice because the internet […]
- “The Year of Becoming Un-Planked” January 1, 2024Each year, I try to come up with one word or a short phrase for what I intend to work on in the upcoming year. 2024 is “The Year of Becoming Un-Planked”. What?!! What does that even mean? So glad that you asked! Jesus said to his disciples, “Why do you look at the speck […]
- “Searching for the Noble One” December 26, 2023My wife and I were reading Luke, chapter 2 on Christmas Day. Luke 2 talks about the shepherds being told to look for this very special child—in fact, this King—in a stable. I prefer the word “barn”. I grew up on a farm. I know what a barn is. A stable is entirely too biblical […]
- “That Don’t Impress God Much” December 14, 2023DTEB, “That Don’t Impress God Much” “That Don’t Impress Me Much” (Song by Robert John Lange and Shania Twain) Micah 6:8 (MSG) “But he’s already made it plain how to live, what to do, what God is looking for in men and women. It’s quite simple: Do what is fair and just to your neighbor, be […]
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