Happy Friday,
Christ came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the worst.
Paul, I Timothy 1:15
Paul’s words to Timothy were not an objective claim about his sins relative to those of everyone else’s. He was simply modeling spiritual maturity. Those who grow in Christ, do not marvel at their own personal holiness. Though there should be demonstrable growth to that end, what they marvel at is how utterly amazing Jesus is and how deep their own sin nature lies. If you are impressed with your spiritual performance – or more concerned with the sins of others than you are with your own – you are doing something wrong.
One Hour: I’ve spent a lot of time reading time management books. Let me assure you, though many claim otherwise, there are no tricks. You either: 1) Do the same work faster; 2) Get others to do your work for you; or 3) Learn to say “no” to more things. Technology provides some gains in the first category, but they are limited, and hiring someone is a wonderful solution if you can afford it, but few can. This means, the wins come from saying “no” to second best options and focusing on the best ones. I do not mean to be overly negative. You should note that one hour of uninterrupted work-time can make a big difference, and it is within reach for most. All you need to do is turn off the TV. (Oh, and I can save you three hours. Do not bother seeing The Batman.)
Good News: There are reasons to believe that although an angry one percent is lighting up social media, most people are friendly, generous and will help you shovel your snow. LOUD does not equal Large.
The Big Five: A friend is working to pass along five big ideas to his children: 1) An awareness of the need to delay gratification; 2) A commitment to cultivate gratitude; 3) The beauty of humility; 4) A drive to love and serve others; and 5) The habit of finishing what you start.
More than Moore: Moore’s Law refers to Gordon Moore’s 1965 observation that transistors double in power every two years while costing half as much. O’Sullivan’s Law refers to British journalist John O’Sullivan’s claim that organizations that are not avowedly conservative will grow liberal over time. Do you have another?
Leadership Classics: While I’ve never understood John Maxwell’s ability to create “raving fans”, I’ve occasionally appreciated his ability to simplify observations and make them memorable. He does this with his Five Levels of Leadership. If you have not reviewed his thinking recently, you can do so here.
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Password: I’m not in the practice of giving out IT advice, but if your password is: password, 123456, 1111111 – or any of these top twenty bad passwords, you might want to change it before Putin ramps up his cyberattacks. And while I’m out of my lane, let me also note that several who hoped to go to Israel on our upcoming pilgrimage have had to withdraw after discovering that their passports had expired. COVID disrupted our travel routines. Do yourself a favor and check your passport expiration date today.
Without Comment: 1) On an average weeknight in January, just 1% of U.S. adults watched primetime Fox News and only 0.5% tuned into MSNBC; 2) Nearly three times more Americans (56%) donated to charities during the pandemic than typically give money to politicians and parties (21%); 3) In Gallup’s 2021 polling, 29% of Americans identified as Democrats, 27% as Republicans and 42% as Independents; and 4) Farmers and ranchers make up less than two percent of America’s population.
Quotes Worth Requoting: 1) “When you think you know everything, they give you a bachelor’s degree. When you realize you don’t know anything, they give you a master’s degree. When you realize you don’t know anything – and neither does anyone else – they award you a doctorate.” Skye Jethani; 2) “If once upon a time we looked to politics primarily for governance, we now look to it for belonging, righteousness, meaning, and deliverance—in other words all the things for which we used to rely on Religion.” David Zahl
If Only: In last week’s podcast, I reviewed the interesting life and massive impact of Charles Darwin. It’s worth noting the naturalist’s belief that humanity’s morals had progressed through the aeons, from the brutish chaos of the Stone Age, through the Dark Ages, to the ethical flowering of the Enlightenment. In other words, Darwin thought homo sapiens had advanced from “savages to Englishmen.” In his 2017 biography, Charles Darwin: Victorian Mythmaker, A.N. Wilson shares this quote from Darwin’s book, Descent of Man. “The moral nature of man has reached the highest standard as of yet attained, partly through advancement of reasoning power and consequently of just public opinion, but especially through the sympathies being rendered more tender and widely diffused through the effects of habit.” I’m not sure how Dr. Darwin would assess today’s morals, but I’m pretty sure that Chesterton – though an Englishman – would have called Darwin “a chronological snob.”
WotW: This week’s nominations for Word of the Week included both tranche and World War III, but I’m going with flibbertigibbet. I picked up this mouthful after it was tossed into the middle of a six hour planning meeting. While flibbertigibbet is not an onomatopoeia, it leans that way. As you can almost guess, the term describes someone who is “frivolous, flighty, or excessively talkative.” Hmm. I have two thoughts: 1) I know a few; and 2) I do not want to be one. In fact, I want to be the opposite. I want to be the non-anxious, hopeful presence people need. (As an aside, the way to be a flibbertigibbet is to start your day on Twitter. The way to be a non-anxious person of hope and peace is to start your day with Jesus.)
Closing Prayer: O Lord my God, instruct my ignorance and enlighten my darkness. You are my King, take possession of all my powers and abilities and let me be no longer under the dominion of sin. Give me a sincere and heartfelt repentance for all my offenses and strengthen by your grace my resolution to amend my ways. Grant me to live a life of gratitude to thee for thy innumerable benefits. O Lord my God, instruct my ignorance & enlighten my Darkness. Thou art my King. Amen. (Phillis Wheatley Peters, 1753-1784)