A few weeks ago, I got to write an article about a church that is embracing a new name and renewed mission. It is a great example of why renewal is always possible.
I love writing about these articles because it shows that it is never too early for a restart. Here’s another great example from last year. In each case, because someone had hope, a vision, and the courage to begin again, good things began to happen.
This morning, I am teaching kids about one of the times David spared King Saul’s life in 1 Samuel 24. At the moment, David had the perfect opportunity to do away with the king. And if he followed Saul’s example, David would have done just that.
King Saul was pursuing David. Saul’s anger caused him to abandon the work of governing and pursue his young rival. He wasted time and only became more obsessed with killing David. It reminds me of a quote by Mark Twain.
“Anger is an acid that can do more harm to the vessel in which it is stored than to anything on which it is poured.”
Mark Twain Quotes. BrainyQuote.com, BrainyMedia Inc, 2022. https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/mark_twain_120156, accessed January 16, 2022.
Mark Twain
Saul did not meet his doom in this story. But he eventually did in a war. The story could have been so much different if he didn’t forget his duties and try to kill David. Saul may have been prepared for his final battle. Instead, he focused on a little threat while a much larger one was brewing.
On the other hand, David did the right thing. As a result, he became king without killing his rival. His people considered his reign legitimate because of the way he treated Saul. David showed that refraining from anger is a much better course.
Anger makes us bitter and stupid. We can’t think straight if we don’t manage it. It causes us to do and say things we will later regret. What’s more, it can make us lose focus on more important matters.
“Refrain from anger and turn from wrath;
Psalm 37:8 (NIV)
do not fret—it leads only to evil.”
Let’s be careful about what makes us angry. It can lead to a lot of stupid, evil things.
Can our laguage make a difference when it comes to making a connection with others? Last year, it seemed every other phrase involved the term, “social distancing.” This article at Inc.com by Bill Murphy, Jr. had a good point about the term and he proposed the following:
The less you can emphasize distance—and instead emphasize physical separation but social connection in your language—the better things might be for your employees.
Want to Be Happy? A Top Psychologist Says Stop ‘Social Distancing,’ and Do This Instead
We had to make a lot of adjustments last year. Is it possible we were affected so much by the challenging circumstances that we are unknowingly causing negative emotions to extend beyond a crisis?
Our language makes a difference when it comes to the results we want to see. Positive, encouraging language can influence outcomes. So let’s speak in a way that will do just that. We can influence the mood in a room, or even on a Zoom call by the words we speak.
No matter how you slice it, 2020 was a rough year. We had two promising months in the beginning before we realized we were facing a global crisis. Can anything good come of such a trying year? Yes, it can!
Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.
Isaiah 43:19 (KJV)
This verse reminds me that all is not lost. When it seems there is nothing but wilderness and desert, we can know that things will get better. Good things are coming.
If you are reading this, congratulations! You made it through 2020! A new year means there is potential for a new beginning. It’s fun for me to look back through my posts talking about a new year. Each one sounded hopeful. And yes, we have reasons to be hopeful. We’ve learned some important lessons about perseverance, patience, and about pivoting during trying circumstances. These lessons can be very good for us in the future.
Like you, I am glad to see 2020 in the rearview mirror. But let’s also look forward. We will see a way in the wilderness. We will see rivers form in the desert. This year was not wasted. It can set up for success in 2021.
This article from Inc. Magazine had me thinking about compliments.
We all like to think we’re doing a good job, so why do we downplay them? Like this previous post I wrote suggests, we like to think giving compliments is a sign of generosity and can even boost our likeability and popularity a bit… that is if they’re seen as genuine. Besides, who wouldn’t want a can of tuna?
Compliments can make us uncomfortable for the following reasons:
If a compliment sounds genuine, and it resonates with me, I say accept it. Don’t try to belittle it by playing it down. Let’s all be generous with giving sincere compliments and receiving them.