I think we (everyone who reads this blog) all know we're supposed to respect those in authority over us. I think we understand it's a scriptural principle that we submit to whoever is above us. And let's be honest, everybody has someone who's above them on the ladder.
First, I think we need to stop viewing that as a bad thing.
(I going to pause for a moment and make sure that everyone understands this blog is my opinion based on my view of how things are. If I say something is the way it is, I don't mean it as a blanket statement - I mean it's how I've seen things in general. Also, I'm not trying to say that you shouldn't seek to better your life or your job.)
It seems that often people complain about their bosses. How they did something stupid, got away with this or that, lost customers because they didn't know what they were talking about, promoted or fired someone for inappropriate reasons, etc. But remember, we're put under our bosses for a reason. Instead of complaining about what's going on, remember that God is in control of it all. Look for the good in it. Find something - it's there. God is good to His children all the time. He's never a bad Father, giving us something we don't need, or taking away something we do.
Respect God's control and sovereignty, and you'll find that you start to properly respect those above you. Your boss, parents, policemen, state and federal legislatures, judges, the President, etc.
I've started doing something that I'm not sure anyone has picked up on. If they have, no one has commented. But I began noticing a while ago that people, in general, don't call the President the President. In fact, most of the time they just call him "Obama." Not even "Mr."
Where I come from, using Mr. and Mrs. are appropriate signs of respect for those a generation older than you (about 20 years, is the idea, I think). People don't even use that much of a title for the LEADER of our NATION. Why? Because we don't like that God put President Obama over us? Because we don't like him? Because we don't think he deserves our respect?
But I think it's even deeper than that because we didn't call President Bush by the proper title all the time either. A lot of the time, he was just "Bush." It's simply a lack of respect for the position of authority over me. It's not anything about whether or not I like him, or dislike him, think he's killing the nation or helping it, whether I think he's right or wrong, whether he's a Christian or a Muslim. No matter what he's doing, or what he is on all those levels, he is my President. And that all by itself should be enough for me to refer to him as such, giving him the proper title.
Honor the king. If you don't, are you really honoring The King?
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Shyness
I've had two questions going around my head recently. What is shyness? And, is it really bad? I've heard a lot of people reference it, but it has seemed to me that many people have differing understandings of what the word means. Perhaps the word means them all? Or are they different connotations? What does it really mean?
According to the dictionary, shy as an adjective = 1. bashful 2. easily frightened away; timid 3. suspicious; distrustful 4. reluctant; wary 5. not at ease in the company of others
1. Being shy is being easily embarrassed. What's the most common reason people get embarrassed? I'd submit that it's because they're afraid of something. Sometimes, they should be afraid. They're ashamed of their sin and the consequences it will bring. But "easily embarrassed" sounds more like, embarrassed because I misspoke in front of people. That's either a lack of humility or an over-abundance of fear of man.
2. Easily frightened away. Not just easily frightened. Frightened so much that you can't keep moving forward. Frightened enough that you turn around and run. Being shy isn't just being afraid. Being shy is needing to get away from whatever is frightening you. It's not fear - it's a lack of courage in the face of fear.
3. Suspicious - inclined to suspect others, especially of evil. Hard to trust others, to take them at face value. Always looking for an angle. (This type of shyness can be cultivated in people by the actions of others. Take a trusting person and subject them to people who trick and then mock, and the trusting person will most likely start suspecting them. They change from being "gullible" to being suspicious.)
4. Gunshy, horseshy, etc. Someone who is afraid of something, and therefore is slow to get close to it or use it. They're afraid of what will happen; they're afraid they might get hurt or they'll hurt someone else. Wary of it, giving it a wide berth. I know someone who is horseshy - she's terrified of horses and will not get near them.
5. Not at ease in the company of others. This sounds to me like either 3 or 4, maybe a mixture. Afraid of getting hurt, afraid of hurting others, suspicious of them, afraid of what might happen.
I hope it's clear that shyness, in general, is not good. It's a fear of man that disables you from existing properly with others. Being constantly suspicious of people doesn't follow the description of love in I Corinthians 13 - "[Charity] believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things." Being easily frightened away certainly doesn't follow the idea of Deuteronomy 31:6 - "Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, He it is that doth go with thee; He will not fail thee, nor forsake thee." The only thing we should be shy of is sin.
I've heard people refer to others as being shy who are reserved or quiet. Because they don't talk as much or don't share their opinions about everything in front of everyone. Because they're not really out-going or don't jump in to new situations. Because they take stock of things first. That's not how the dictionary defines shy. On the contrary, there are a multitude of verses in Proverbs that argue that those things are wise and prudent!
In fact, I don't know how you can ever say for sure that someone else is shy because it's the WHY of what they do that makes it so. If I keep my mouth shut because I'm thinking things through or because I think it's the best thing to do in a situation, there's nothing wrong with that. If, however, I'm not speaking because I'm afraid of others or what they might think of me, that's shy and that's wrong. Fear of men shouldn't come into the picture. But how does anyone but me KNOW why I'm not saying anything? They don't.
In conclusion, we should be careful what labels we place upon people - especially if we don't understand exactly what they mean. Lots of people use "reserved" and "shy" synonymously. They're not the same thing. An open, talkative, bubbly person could be the shyest person in a room full of introverted, reserved, thoughtful people.
According to the dictionary, shy as an adjective =
1. Being shy is being easily embarrassed. What's the most common reason people get embarrassed? I'd submit that it's because they're afraid of something. Sometimes, they should be afraid. They're ashamed of their sin and the consequences it will bring. But "easily embarrassed" sounds more like, embarrassed because I misspoke in front of people. That's either a lack of humility or an over-abundance of fear of man.
2. Easily frightened away. Not just easily frightened. Frightened so much that you can't keep moving forward. Frightened enough that you turn around and run. Being shy isn't just being afraid. Being shy is needing to get away from whatever is frightening you. It's not fear - it's a lack of courage in the face of fear.
3. Suspicious - inclined to suspect others, especially of evil. Hard to trust others, to take them at face value. Always looking for an angle. (This type of shyness can be cultivated in people by the actions of others. Take a trusting person and subject them to people who trick and then mock, and the trusting person will most likely start suspecting them. They change from being "gullible" to being suspicious.)
4. Gunshy, horseshy, etc. Someone who is afraid of something, and therefore is slow to get close to it or use it. They're afraid of what will happen; they're afraid they might get hurt or they'll hurt someone else. Wary of it, giving it a wide berth. I know someone who is horseshy - she's terrified of horses and will not get near them.
5. Not at ease in the company of others. This sounds to me like either 3 or 4, maybe a mixture. Afraid of getting hurt, afraid of hurting others, suspicious of them, afraid of what might happen.
I hope it's clear that shyness, in general, is not good. It's a fear of man that disables you from existing properly with others. Being constantly suspicious of people doesn't follow the description of love in I Corinthians 13 - "[Charity] believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things." Being easily frightened away certainly doesn't follow the idea of Deuteronomy 31:6 - "Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, He it is that doth go with thee; He will not fail thee, nor forsake thee." The only thing we should be shy of is sin.
I've heard people refer to others as being shy who are reserved or quiet. Because they don't talk as much or don't share their opinions about everything in front of everyone. Because they're not really out-going or don't jump in to new situations. Because they take stock of things first. That's not how the dictionary defines shy. On the contrary, there are a multitude of verses in Proverbs that argue that those things are wise and prudent!
In fact, I don't know how you can ever say for sure that someone else is shy because it's the WHY of what they do that makes it so. If I keep my mouth shut because I'm thinking things through or because I think it's the best thing to do in a situation, there's nothing wrong with that. If, however, I'm not speaking because I'm afraid of others or what they might think of me, that's shy and that's wrong. Fear of men shouldn't come into the picture. But how does anyone but me KNOW why I'm not saying anything? They don't.
In conclusion, we should be careful what labels we place upon people - especially if we don't understand exactly what they mean. Lots of people use "reserved" and "shy" synonymously. They're not the same thing. An open, talkative, bubbly person could be the shyest person in a room full of introverted, reserved, thoughtful people.
Saturday, September 4, 2010
Motivation and Prayer
Staying motivated is not easily done. Trying to motivate self is often difficult enough without actually doing what it is you're trying to get yourself to do. (It can also get as convoluted as some of my sentences - especially when one starts arguing with oneself about the whithertos and wherefores. (Whyfors? It's been too long. . . .))
I have a secret weapon for it now though. It's called - Zack. ;) :) Anything I know I should do and I don't want to do, but I really do want to do because I know I should? "Zack, I need you to tell me to..." whatever. Usually, the "whatever" is working out. Pretty soon, he'll text me back and say, "You should do it. Do it for" X reasons. He doesn't ever argue the point - No, "Do you really need to?" - just does what I asked him to. And then I do what he asked me to. Hehe. :) I like our system. Can you tell?
Motivation for other things is harder to come by. Things that you know you should do, and because they're more important you don't want anyone to know that part of you doesn't want to do them. Things where you're sinning if you don't do them. Take prayer, for example. I want to pray. I want all the good things that happen when I pray. I want to do right. But praying is hard, so I also don't want to pray.
Really? I'm going to tell someone that I don't want to pray? It's a pride thing, to be sure. I want to look better than I am. I don't want people to think poorly of me. But that's exactly what family is for - not just blood relatives, but spiritual relatives. They're not their to prey on your faults, and they're not there to hammer home your insecurities about being open about such faults. They're there to understand that we all need help, we all need motivation, and we all need accountability.
So I have trouble praying, and this person has trouble reading the Bible. It's not my place to judge and say, "I can't believe they don't read the Bible every day!" That'd be really loving, right? Totally. (Please note the sarcasm.) Loving is helping them - not in a patronizing, "I'm holier than thou" way. It's my job to try to do something to help them, to keep them motivated. Maybe to talk to them about what I read and what God showed me from it - to get them engaged and excited about it. And maybe they can help me figure out how to be more excited about praying, to view it properly - as a privilege, not a command to be obeyed; as a joy and a treasure, being able to speak to the One I should love most.
Writing is one of my ways of motivating me. I have to think about things, revise what I've written, reword - all the time meditating about whatever I'm writing about. What do you do? Do you have ways to motivate yourself? Do you read about the topic? Do you write? Do you do the dishes and meditate? Are there people you can go to and be open with?
As an aside, the weather here is amazing. :) The temperature on the bank said 51 this morning. It's blustery, cloudy, a little rainy and overall wonderful. I would love it if it stayed like this till winter. I doubt it will though. Predictions? I'm thinking it's going to be a warm fall, probably in November, but I'm not ruling out October. I'm hoping to have snow in December - lots of it. And January, too, of course. =) That IS why I'm getting married in January - for the snow. (Also, it's a good month.)
I'm getting married in January. :) Hehehehehehe. So cool.
I have a secret weapon for it now though. It's called - Zack. ;) :) Anything I know I should do and I don't want to do, but I really do want to do because I know I should? "Zack, I need you to tell me to..." whatever. Usually, the "whatever" is working out. Pretty soon, he'll text me back and say, "You should do it. Do it for" X reasons. He doesn't ever argue the point - No, "Do you really need to?" - just does what I asked him to. And then I do what he asked me to. Hehe. :) I like our system. Can you tell?
Motivation for other things is harder to come by. Things that you know you should do, and because they're more important you don't want anyone to know that part of you doesn't want to do them. Things where you're sinning if you don't do them. Take prayer, for example. I want to pray. I want all the good things that happen when I pray. I want to do right. But praying is hard, so I also don't want to pray.
Really? I'm going to tell someone that I don't want to pray? It's a pride thing, to be sure. I want to look better than I am. I don't want people to think poorly of me. But that's exactly what family is for - not just blood relatives, but spiritual relatives. They're not their to prey on your faults, and they're not there to hammer home your insecurities about being open about such faults. They're there to understand that we all need help, we all need motivation, and we all need accountability.
So I have trouble praying, and this person has trouble reading the Bible. It's not my place to judge and say, "I can't believe they don't read the Bible every day!" That'd be really loving, right? Totally. (Please note the sarcasm.) Loving is helping them - not in a patronizing, "I'm holier than thou" way. It's my job to try to do something to help them, to keep them motivated. Maybe to talk to them about what I read and what God showed me from it - to get them engaged and excited about it. And maybe they can help me figure out how to be more excited about praying, to view it properly - as a privilege, not a command to be obeyed; as a joy and a treasure, being able to speak to the One I should love most.
Writing is one of my ways of motivating me. I have to think about things, revise what I've written, reword - all the time meditating about whatever I'm writing about. What do you do? Do you have ways to motivate yourself? Do you read about the topic? Do you write? Do you do the dishes and meditate? Are there people you can go to and be open with?
As an aside, the weather here is amazing. :) The temperature on the bank said 51 this morning. It's blustery, cloudy, a little rainy and overall wonderful. I would love it if it stayed like this till winter. I doubt it will though. Predictions? I'm thinking it's going to be a warm fall, probably in November, but I'm not ruling out October. I'm hoping to have snow in December - lots of it. And January, too, of course. =) That IS why I'm getting married in January - for the snow. (Also, it's a good month.)
I'm getting married in January. :) Hehehehehehe. So cool.
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