NowTHINK!AboutIt

Money Is Inseparably Both Mundane And Spiritual

November 4, 2013 by EnnisP Leave a Comment

Making And Managing Money
Is Spiritual

Everything is spiritual all the time, even very earthy things, and nothing illustrates that truth as clearly as money, otherwise known as filthy lucre. Let me explain.

When I was a kid my mother always made me wash my hands after handling money. “You never know where it has been” she would say, and over time I learned what she meant. Money is passed from one person to another (clean hands or not), kept in unhygienic places, even falls on the ground and stays in circulation anywhere from 18 months to several years. During that time it never gets washed. I never really understood how filthy money could be, however, till I moved to South Africa and discovered all the places people hid the stuff to keep it away from thieves. I won’t elaborate. You can imagine.

It isn’t difficult to make a spiritual connection here since cleanliness is next to godliness. Right?

But I also learned from an early age that money can be enticing. [Read more…] about Money Is Inseparably Both Mundane And Spiritual

Negative + Positive = Real Change

November 2, 2013 by EnnisP Leave a Comment

“Improved” Is The Goal
Dealing With Negatives
Is The Process

You hear a lot these days about being positive – power of positive thinking and all – and I’m not going to say that’s wrong. Who doesn’t like positive. Good news is always better than bad, but!

A world where only positive things exist is not possible and considering negative things in the right frame of mind actually results in positive outcomes. That means that “negative” doesn’t necessarily equate to “horrible.” Consider the following:

You couldn’t have electricity if you didn’t have both positive and negative charges. Those “+” and “-” signs on every battery means the current will flow. It’s called opposing polarity and without it I couldn’t write this post. My wife couldn’t cook great rye bread. Printers wouldn’t print, cars wouldn’t start, CT scans wouldn’t scan and the lights would go off. Some of you might be able to live without my post but if I can’t write mine you can’t write yours. Negative charges support the freedom of speech and that’s a positive thing.

And the application can be broadened. Good writers become better when they make positive changes based on negative (constructive) comments. Talented athletes become superior performers when they use negative criticism to replace poor technique with better technique.

Negative is bad only:

When it is left unsaid.
When it is the only thing we hear or far outweighs the positive.
When it is expressed in condescending and condemning tones.
When we focus so much on the negative that we fail to formulate a positive action to change it.
When it is perceived as bad but isn’t.

Otherwise negatives are the bumps we climb on, the hard knocks we learn from, the lemons that make lemonade and so on.

By all means be positive but only in an honest realistic way. Make a point of considering your negative traits and finding ways to replace them with positive ones. What could be more positively rewarding than that?

THINK!AboutIt

What Does “Holy” Really Mean

October 25, 2013 by EnnisP 2 Comments

Marriage Is Holy
Ceremony Or Not

I don’t like the word “holy.” Just hearing it gives me the creeps but don’t read too much into that.

I know the word is in the Bible, and I really do appreciate that, but the way it is used doesn’t always agree with how it is represented in the Bible. In common use, the word has a very narrow channel of application. It doesn’t fit with everyday life. Let me explain.

The word “holy” is associated with synonyms like sacred, hallowed, revered, sanctified and consecrated. Another word distantly related is solemn. These are not commonly used words. They are religious terms and not just normal everyday religious terms. They are inner sanctum words. Institutional religion didn’t coin these words but it definitely owns them.

The ominous nature of holy – and the associated synonyms – is compounded by the way it is used. When any ceremony – another threatening word – is referred to as holy or sacred you get the idea that smiling or relaxing or enjoying the occasion is not allowed. These words are spoken only in a serious tone and accompanied only by actions that are performed rigidly, in a scripted, well arranged manner. Robotic might apply.

The following wedding video illustrates the point. Scroll to the 53rd second if you’re in a hurry: [Read more…] about What Does “Holy” Really Mean

7 Proofs Jesus Favored Quiet Evangelism

October 22, 2013 by EnnisP Leave a Comment

Evangelism Should Be Bold
Not Noisy

Jesus epitomized the statement “Actions speak louder than words.”

He did say things, yes, and we hold His words dear but it was His actions that stimulated responses more than His words. It was John who alluded to this truth in the last verse of his Gospel.

And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. John 21:25

Note that John was focused on the actions of Jesus not His words. I’m sure John recorded everything Jesus said that we needed to hear, leaving nothing out but what he couldn’t record, because of the sheer volume, were the countless things Jesus did. John portrayed a “doing” Jesus not a talking head.

It is also interesting to note that much of what Jesus did was done quietly in the background, without commentary. He didn’t do things to draw attention to himself. He was bold not noisy.

Consider the following: [Read more…] about 7 Proofs Jesus Favored Quiet Evangelism

Earn The Right To Win, Tom Coughlin – Chapter 4

September 26, 2013 by EnnisP Leave a Comment

Change Is One Precursor
To Success

In spite of the heading, this chapter is not about communication – its importance or how to do it better.

Yes, Tom starts the chapter with a few remarks about being clear but after getting through the obligatory “say what you mean and mean what you say” platitudes he launches into the real message, change.

Tom has never been accused of not saying what he thought. He admits to being blunt. What he thinks he says. No one stands around wondering what Tom is thinking but they often forget Tom’s message because his thoughts evaporate in the heat of his critical spirit. His brusqueness creates the kind of undertow that sweeps his message away before it takes root.

And Tom, in almost a confessional tone, says he needed to change. His old style approach to leadership made him a “dinosaur” so an update was needed. [Read more…] about Earn The Right To Win, Tom Coughlin – Chapter 4