“The best way to cheer yourself up is to try and cheer somebody else up.”
Mark Twain
We can get so inward-focused, can’t we? If we’re not feeling right, if we get caught up in the world’s drama, we can get find ourselves in a downward spiral of doom and gloom. How do we get out of a deep funk? Cheer someone else up!
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.
Listen first, speak last.
Peter Drucker in The Effective Executive, page xxiii
I did not expect to find “listen first, speak last” in a book on business leadership. But there it was. Peter Drucker elevated it to a rule for executives to follow.
This didn’t play into my stereotype of the brash, bombastic, self-assured, influential executive. Aren’t leaders supposed to be the boss and have people do their bidding? At least that was the excuse I used when I tried to reason why some are leaders and others are followers.
It was great to see nonprofits and volunteers help ease the pain through the coronavirus pandemic. It’s safe to say most people don’t volunteer for the money like our guy in today’s cartoon. But do you volunteer for the right reasons? And does the motivation matter?
Some volunteer projects can be gross. Others have nice perks like donuts. There are projects that put a spotlight on the volunteers while others faithfully serve in the background. As this article shows, Our motivations to volunteer can be quite varied. Do these factors matter?
As long as something good is coming out of volunteering, motives may take a back seat. However, we know of stories where someone appeared to be doing something for altruistic motives and they ended up embezzling or taking advantage of someone or a group of people.
The other day, my wife and I were talking with a friend about recent decisions. My wife was led to step away from a flourishing ministry to make room for the next step in her life. My wife commented on how some decisions require faith. The friend replied, “Or requires being a little crazy!” Hmm… crazy faith? That sounds about right!
I suppose any faith looks crazy to many people. After all, we live in a world that touts Seeing is believing! Yet, if everyone lived by this mantra, we would create nothing new or innovative. Without faith, there is no hope. Without hope, what’s the point of living if the present looks bleak?
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Hebrews 11:1 (KJV)