Pulling a hat out of a rabbit -

Pulling a hat out of a rabbit - 

What a back word statement this is and yet there is something profound within it.  It is tempting to dismiss new ideas and ways of doing things as crazy and so far outside of the box when they do not fit our logic or thinking. When we are challenged to do something that we have not done before we succumb to the temptation to do what has been done before, only dressed up a bit different. It is easy to grab onto or buy into something familiar with the belief that if you do it, it will be better or more popular, because you're the one doing it. In actuality, though, that is highly unlikely. But, you say I will care more, that will make the difference. The news is this - if you have an elephant and dress it up as a clown instead of the ringmaster, you still have an elephant with different clothes. What do you do?

As followers of Jesus, the Anointed One, we should consider the alternative, which is choosing to turn the question upside down, to do it backwards, sideways, or in a significantly more generous and risky way. Like pulling a hat out of a rabbit. Jesus did this throughout his ministry. He turned the world on its head. He challenged people to leave their religious ways for an open relationship with him as the Messiah. To boldly be open before God. The works and the lives he touched in his earthly ministry were transformed. That is what pulling a hat out of a rabbit looks like and is about - the process of transformation, not becoming or conforming to the religious expectations, but to be saturated and transformed by Jesus, the Christ.

If we want Jesus to do something remarkable with our lives it will be through a remarkable transformation he bring to and in our lives.

A remarkable life starts with the problem you set out to solve and the way you choose to solve it is Jesus.

Dr. Doug

New Decisions are called for in New Times.

New Decisions are called for in New Times.

Personally, I find one of the most objectionable questions an interviewer might ask is: “Knowing what you know now would you have done things different or would you have made another choice?” Please, just take a moment to think about the question, hopefully you understand my angst.

In the past you made critical choices, they were based on what you knew about the world as it was. You had the best information available at the time. You made a choice and now you are living with it, the good or the bad, the ugly or outright repugnant results.

But now, you know more and the world is different. You’re more informed, but still there are things unknown to you.

So why should we spend so much time defending those choices or trying to force the present onto the past. What is in the past can’t be changed, it is. Acceptance or regret we must always be learning from our experiences as we move into creating a better future.

We don't get the opportunities to re-decide, there are no redoes, which means that most of our time is spent in the act of doing, not choosing. And if the world isn't changing (if you're not changing) that doing makes a lot of sense.

                                                                                                                          

The problem comes from falling in love with your status quo. When we are in love with our status quo then we live in fear of change and making another choice, a choice that might or might not work.

You might have been right then, but now is not then, it is now.

If the world isn't different, you have no need to make a new decision.

The only question, then, "is the world different now?"

The answer is “yes.”

Change is inevitable.

Dr. Douglas