|
|
"LET'S BE OAKS" by Clint Calvert A concert pianist was imprisoned during China's Cultural Revolution. He had no access to a musical instrument for seven years. Yet upon release, he returned to the international concert cicuit within three months. How does someone who has no access to a piano remain its master? The answer is "Imagination times Vividness equals Reality". He practiced moving his fingers in his cell as if he were playing the piano running scales and playing his reperatoire. If the mind is this powerful, it would do us good to look inward and see what we are thinking about and the results this will prduce in our lives. Let's ask ourselves *three questions. What am I worth ? A question of self-esteem. According to Jesus, the value of one human soul is greater than all the riches of the world. So you and I, made in God's image are of infinite worth. What can I change? A question of self-efficacy. Can we bounce back after failure and despair? Paul said in scripture, I can do all things through Christ who lives in me! With Jesus' help I can change! What am I telling myself? A question of self-talk. When I was a little boy I drew a picture of the comic hero Batman, his car - the Batmobile, and his base - the Bat Cave. In my child's mind it was a perfect replica. My brother told me it looked like a blob on the page. I listened to him and I told myself, "Clint - you can't draw." Was my brother an expert in art? No! Then why have I told myself all these years that I can't draw. Everything that I "know" about myself to be "true" is really the result of messages from so-called experts or myself reinforcing a negative message. The Bible says, "As a person thinks in their heart...so they are." Maybe its time to pay attention to what we are telling ourselves. Galen Anderson says people are either like a tumbleweed or an oak tree. A tumbleweed blows through life, a transient figure, touching no one, and not being missed when they are gone. An oak tree puts down roots, touches others, makes a difference. When an oak tree is gone, it is missed! Which one are you? Let's be oaks! Pastor Clint *Three questions and some materials taken from Lou Tice's Personal Coaching for Results. |
