I would think it would be safe to understand that practically everyone understands that the earth's complete rotation is a day and its one trip around the sun is a year. Recently, I was teaching my four-year old this concept. I was not using a ball but a stuffed animal and my fist (very primitive but it was a "teachable moment"). He understood it in the moment, but a few days later, he had forgotten.
Days are a constant change. The rotation of the earth causes things to change continually. Whether it is the shadow that is moving as the earth rotates, the temperature that is changing, or the weather patterns. Each day is filled with constant change. We seem to be able to come to terms with this, for there is nothing we cannot do about it. However, it seems that we are not so comfortable with change in other areas. That brings us to this week's quote...
They must often change, who would be constant in happiness or wisdom. ~ Confucius
Change is going to happen. Change in the day. Change in one's life is inevitable. The way we approach change is going to vary.
It is interesting to see in the quote about the point that "change" and referred with happiness and wisdom. Can you imagine living in your current happiness and wisdom? Maybe for a little while, but it will lose its attractiveness. You would likely want to do something to create additional happiness and wisdom. Something like finding a new hobby, working in the yard, or going on a trip. Plus, you would want to find some additional knowledge to increase your wisdom; not just remaining where you are in your wisdom.
Imagine simply stopping where you were at in your happiness or wisdom and never changing. How fun would that be?
It would probably be similar to water that is stagnate, it would be fine for a while, but then it would start to stink.
The next time you are thinking that the world is changing too quickly or that things need to remain the same in some organization you are with, think about this verse and how things simply must change.
Now it's your turn...What changes in your lifetime have really caused you to grimace and dig your heels in (either at first or if it continues)?
At a previous ministry position there was a couple who had been the "gate" for ideas, prior to me coming. People had brought up ideas to them and many were met with something like "That won't work here". It had come to the point that people's fires were quenched. They no longer had drive they lived under duress. They stopped having any ideas. I like to be the "cheerleader" the "let's see if that will work" kind of person. So, when I arrived, people came to me with ideas, and I opened the gate to the new ideas. Some people reopened their mind and started having a vision. They started seeing their faith play out on more than one day (or two) a week. Some, who had lived under that for so long had, unfortunately, lost their vision or still lived in fear of being told "no" as those people still lived there.
There are too numerous of events in the past that have occurred because of someone going out of a limb and trying something. Those types of situations can be risky, but you never know what the outcome will be if you don't try. That brings us to this week's quote...
Progress always involves risks. You can't steal second base and keep your foot on first. ~ Frederick Wilcox
This quote really rings true in many areas. By now, most of you have seen "The Blind Side". Imagine where Michael Oher would be if Mrs. Tuohy wouldn't have had her husband stop to pick him up that winter night. She went through risks.
In the movie "Rudy" what would have been the outcome if Rudy wouldn't have tried to sneak in to the custodian room to sleep? Or if he wouldn't have just kept going?
Are you preventing yourself from taking yourself off of "first base"? Are you thinking 90 feet (distance between bases) is too far to run? Are you thinking "What if I get tagged out?" If so, maybe you could be thinking, "How fast can I get there?"
Try turning the negative questions into positive ones. Try taking the step off of first..see what happens. Maybe you'll make it to second...maybe even third, or home. Or maybe you'll get out. The great thing is, you took the risk. The risk may pay off to teach you how to "steal" better the next time.
Take the risk...take your foot off of first...make that attempt...try something new...talk to someone...launch an idea...the risks are there, but you may never know what the reality is till you pull your foot off. Otherwise, you'll just remain "on first".
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