November 14 The Right Thing…The Wrong Motive

Affirmation: Asking for help is a gift to myself and others.

(This is one way to cultivate self-compassion)

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Ponder, Personalize, Practice: Today continue to personalize Matthew 6:33-34. 

“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”Matthew 6:33-34 NIV

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10 Guideposts for Wholehearted Living, from Dr. Brene’ Brown (Gifts of Imperfection)

Guidepost 6: Cultivating Creativity and Letting Go of Comparison

“There’s no such thing as a “creative person” and a “non-creative person.” There are only people who practice creativity, and those who don’t!”

“All of life is naturally creative. That includes you! But oftentimes we put up barriers that hold us back from expressing this creativity.”

“Comparison with others is one of the biggest culprits here.”

“Little kids are a great example of our natural creativity. They love to play make-believe, draw pictures, make things with legos, etc. And for many years, they express this creativity endlessly, without regard for others.”

“At a certain age, the brain develops in a new way and we become self-conscious. We fear judgment if our creative work isn’t “good enough.” Eventually, this comparison with others squanders our creative habits. And when you don’t flex your creative muscles regularly, you stop seeing yourself as a creative person.”

“But you haven’t lost your ability to be creative. In the same way that a clogged pipe doesn’t lose its capacity to carry water, the creative force within you is still alive. You just need to rid yourself of what obstructs it.”

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Mastering the 7 Decisions, By Andy Andrews

The Responsible Decision 

The Buck Stops Here.

From this moment forward, I will accept responsibility for my past. I understand that the beginning of wisdom is to accept the responsibility for my own problems and that by accepting responsibility for my past, I free myself to move into a bigger, brighter future of my own choosing.

Never again will I blame my parents, my spouse, my boss, or employees for my present situation. Neither my education or lack of one, my genetics, or the circumstantial ebb and flow of everyday life will affect my future in a negative way. If I allow myself to blame these uncontrollable forces for my lack of success, I will be forever caught in a web of the past. I will look forward. I will not let my history control my destiny.

The buck stops here. I accept responsibility for my past. I am responsible father or my success. I am where I am today—mentally, physically, spiritually, emotionally, and financially—because of decisions I have made. My decisions have always been governed by my thinking. Therefore, I am where I am today—mentally, physically, spiritually, emotionally, and financially—because of how I think. Today I will begin the process of changing where I am—mentally, physically, spiritually, emotionally, and financially—by changing the way I think.

My thoughts will be constructive, never destructive. My mind will live in the solutions of the future. It will not dwell in the problems of the past. I will seek the association of those who are working and striving to bring about positive changes in the world. I will never seek comfort by associating with those who have decided to be comfortable.

When faced with the opportunity to make a decision, I will make one. I understand that God did not put in me the ability to always make right decisions. He did, however, put in me the ability to make a decision and then make it right. The rise and fall of my emotional tide will not deter me from my course. When I make a decision, I will stand behind it. My energy will go into making the decision. I will waste none on second thoughts. My life will not be an apology. It will be a statement.

The buck stops here. I control my thoughts. I control my emotions.

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Live in Grace, Walk in Love by Bob Goff

November 14

The Right Thing With The Wrong Motive is the Wrong Thing 

“And everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the law and the profits. Matthew 7:12

When my kids were in junior high and high school, I got flashbacks of what it’s like to be in an environment with an invisible scoreboard always keeping track of who is popular and who is not. Who has a date to prom and who will be at home watching television game shows with their parents. Who has a new pimple or who scored the winning basket. There is no tenure track to be accepted. Kids at those ages are in a game where they are always wondering if they are in or out. 

We might shrug it off when kids do it, chalking it up to immaturity, but we grownups are just as guilty of transactional relationships. People seek out those who are more successful, or attractive and identify with them, because it makes them feel better about their own image. Or we trade shallow, flattery, or professional connections in hopes of advancing our careers. Sometimes people give money simply so their names will show up on a donor list, and they’ll look more generous.

The right thing with the wrong motive is the wrong thing. When Jesus told us to love people, He wanted us to give ourselves away simply because other people are worth it. Jesus befriended people because He valued them, not because He wanted something from them. He gave to them because they were in need, not because He wanted anyone to notice. He knew real love was about lifting other people up, so they could flourish, not so we would look good in the process.

Don’t be tempted by the allure of transactional relationships. God approached us with arms open wide, asking nothing in return, so we could show that same love to the people around us.

Who have you been treating like a transaction recently?