Everyone has a fish story! No not just about the largest fish that they have ever caught but about all of their great successes! Let me explain further what I mean by a fish story. This is a story that you have to remember from days, weeks and even years gone by. Of course you are reminded of these stories the moment someone else begins to tell theirs. Its really a story to make us look better and more accomplished. It can even be a story that portrays a life more difficult than others.
The reason why Im writing today is because fish stories are kind of annoying. Not that I dont like the story or that I am not interested in other peoples success, its the timing of the story. The bible teaches us to weep when others weep and to rejoice when others rejoice but I think we missed the point. For example when someone is telling you a sad story or something that has happened to them, their not looking for you to share your previous experience. Another example would be when someone is sharing a success story with you, they are not looking for a competing story that you might have.
We are to weep with them and also rejoice with them about what is happening to that individual and about their situation.
Listen readers, everyone knows that you have had a worse experience than they have! Everyone knows you have caught a bigger fish. The point here is is that we are allowing our pride, yes our pride to diminish someone else's story. Showing compassion is not sharing your similar story. Being excited about someone else's success is not demonstrated by sharing your greater gains!
I hope you understand to this point but I also want to write about fish stories from another angle.
Most people are success driven. They dont want to be seen as a failure. We want people to know that we have accomplishments. With that said let me talk to you from a living day by day view point.
How successful are we if we have to look to the past for a tale to tell? Another question I want you to consider is this, What have those successes done for you and even for others?
Right now I am reaching for the person who hasn't ever caught a record fish, shot a deer worthy to be mounted on a wall, climbed Kilimanjaro or feels they haven't done anything worthy to tell around the camp fire. Your success isn't weighed by your previous accomplishments, success is determined by what you've done today.
I have recently witnessed a fish story that kind of got under my skin. Someone shared a personal best of what they had done and immediately someone else shared that their personal best was better. My rebuttal, which I did not share was this, Person A has done it most recent and your success is only a fish story.
Base your success on what you accomplish today and don't allow a fish story to diminish it!
Saturday, February 10, 2018
Wednesday, January 17, 2018
Is that even true?
Is that even true?
What a great question that doesn't get asked enough! I love listening to my pastor tell old stories from evangelizing and even early years of pastoring. As I sit there listening to the story almost every time somewhere during the story his wife would interrupt him with that question, Is that even true? Either she forgot that it happened, she wasn't privy to it or maybe it wasn't even true. LOL.
What have you heard about others? What do you believe about what they say? What decisions have we made based upon what they said? What relationships have been damaged based upon what you heard from someone else. The real question is, IS THAT EVEN TRUE?
1 Tim 5:19
Against an elder receive not an accusation, but before two or three witnesses.
We should not simply accept what a person says even if we may agree with what is being said! This verse teaches us to give the benefit of the doubt. With that said let me explain the rest of the verse. This doesn't mean that if we can get two or three people to side with us that that makes the accusation true. These witnesses will be people in a neutral position on the matter. These witnesses will be trust worthy and not people looking for gain from the scenario. Probably people held in high regard, have a good rapport with the all involved and have integrity.
I believe that most of the problems that we face when it comes to issues of hearsay can be avoided by asking the question, Is that even true? Then not falling into the trap of believing it until it is substantiated!
Now take a moment and replay the latest accusation in your head that you have recently heard and probably believed, and ask the question. IS THAT EVEN TRUE? Don't answer the question for yourself based on how you feel in the moment or from an emotional angle. Go to the source!
What a great question that doesn't get asked enough! I love listening to my pastor tell old stories from evangelizing and even early years of pastoring. As I sit there listening to the story almost every time somewhere during the story his wife would interrupt him with that question, Is that even true? Either she forgot that it happened, she wasn't privy to it or maybe it wasn't even true. LOL.
What have you heard about others? What do you believe about what they say? What decisions have we made based upon what they said? What relationships have been damaged based upon what you heard from someone else. The real question is, IS THAT EVEN TRUE?
1 Tim 5:19
Against an elder receive not an accusation, but before two or three witnesses.
We should not simply accept what a person says even if we may agree with what is being said! This verse teaches us to give the benefit of the doubt. With that said let me explain the rest of the verse. This doesn't mean that if we can get two or three people to side with us that that makes the accusation true. These witnesses will be people in a neutral position on the matter. These witnesses will be trust worthy and not people looking for gain from the scenario. Probably people held in high regard, have a good rapport with the all involved and have integrity.
I believe that most of the problems that we face when it comes to issues of hearsay can be avoided by asking the question, Is that even true? Then not falling into the trap of believing it until it is substantiated!
Now take a moment and replay the latest accusation in your head that you have recently heard and probably believed, and ask the question. IS THAT EVEN TRUE? Don't answer the question for yourself based on how you feel in the moment or from an emotional angle. Go to the source!
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