In real life, I’m an operations guy.
So when I’m not blogging away for The Hungry Beaver, I’m focused on managing / building day to day operations for the 9-5 I work for.
When I’m managing, I’m short sighted.
When I’m building, I’m thinking of the long game.
The managing part of my job is easy...
It’s easy to figure out what the problems are when they’re directly in front of me.
And it’s easy to feel accomplished when my to-dos can get resolved within 24 hours.
The hardest part of my job is the building...
Planning for the unforeseen and staying “2 steps ahead” of whatever trials and tribulations are to come in the next weeks, months, and even years.
This is where wisdom and experience come into play.
There are a lot of parallels between what I just shared and how Christians are called to live their lives.
To do this, we need to be in touch with God’s higher calling for us.
And be intentional in what we pursue and build our lives around.
Here are 3 ways to do just that:
(1) Pruning + Planting seeds
Some activities ought to be nurtured, while others should be stopped / started.
The key is to look for fruit, while staying patient with certain activities that may appear less fruitful in the beginning.
One example of this might be waking up early, where you’re probably not going to see massive results from the first day, but you certainly will over time.
Another example would be reading the Bible.
What activities can you plant in your life that will turn into trees over time?
(2) Know when to confront
There are times to call out hypocrisy and double standards.
There are also times when showing compassion is far more important.
I believe we see examples of this all the time in politics, which shows that a life in pursuit of wisdom is never black and white.
Knowing when to comfort is a process that requires strength, patience, and understanding every single day.
But when done successfully, can build and enhance relationships embedded with loyalty and trust that will last a lifetime.
(3) Respond to criticism intentionally
When criticized, do not reply to those who are merely mocking us.
Do not “insult,” “abuse,” or “hate” in response. Just ignore.
If you do, mockers will hate you even more.
And your response will change nothing.
Now if the criticism comes from a wise person, use that criticism to add to your learning. However difficult that may be.
People who ignore wise criticisms often do not improve. While those who are not threatened by it often become far more effective.
Leaning on God will help you grow through constructive criticism.
If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. James 1:5
What’s missing from my list?
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