February 2, 2010
Tex’s Thought Provokers 013
Do No Wrong ?
Over the years I have been accused of being very analytical. There have been those that have come right out and said that I analyse things to death. So after reflecting on these revelations from a host of individuals, I will have to admit that this is indeed one of my traits.
Now that I have admitted this, I will endeavour to explain. This trait comes from my 25 years of law enforcement adventures. Always trying to assess the who, what, why, where, when, and how, of hundreds of different situations. Always trying to see the unseen, always trying to get to the truth has a tendency to make you a bit analytical.
But it did not stop with my pursuit of absconders from the law. It goes a bit deeper with me, into the world of fire. Some of you may have heard that a large part of my life is fire. Part of the many things that I am responsible for on wildland fires, being a wildland fire behaviour specialist, is to try and ascertain what the fire will do before it does it.
I end up analysing the fire’s behaviour as it reacts to it’s environment. This is a life long learning experience. I have heard it said that fire is fire, it burns stuff, and all fires are the same. Nothing could be further from the truth. Although all uncontrolled fire tends to be destructive, the similarities between fires, especially wildland fires, ends at destruction. A wildland fire reacts to what we call the fire behaviour triangle. There are three sides to a triangle, and there are three things that influence how a wildland fire burns. Fuel, Weather, and Topography are the three things, thus the three legs of the triangle are these three things.
If we could find a person that has seen a fire burn in every fuel type in every type of weather on every slope with every percent slope steepness covered, I would consider them an expert. I don’t know anyone like that. And believe me; I know a lot of people that have spent a life time studying this field. Most of these people have titles behind their names such as PhD and the like, and they will be the first to tell you that they do not know anyone like that either. Most of these people who I am fortunate to call friends, have forgotten more about how wildland fire behaves than I will ever know.
I think that I have made it clear as to how I became a bit on the analytical side.
Now then, lately I have been pondering a certain subject. And at the risk of sounding analytical, I have some thoughts I would like to share on the subject.
We all know people in our lives that think they are a lot better than other folks. The question that I have been pondering is why do they feel this way?
What makes these people think they are indeed better than other people? Do some of them even realize they are conveying this type of attitude? Do these people do this to hurt others?
I think there are a lot of reasons why. Let me share with you some of them.
Remember that I keep saying “what you live with you learn” well, some people have been told by their parents and others so many times that they are the elite, the cream of the crop, the best in every way, that it is all they know. I think this is one reason. I further think that a lot of these folks fall into the category of those that do not know they are acting like this.
We humans are very competitive. We are surrounded by a need to win all our life. We are encouraged from every angle to be the very best we can be at everything, especially sports. This causes a type of blindness to everything but winning. “I’m number one…or we’re number one.” And when we say “we’re”…there are those amongst the group that think if it were not for their individual performance, the rest would be nothing. They are told so many times after winning, they are the best, they get swelled head syndrome. This I think happens and it carries over into their every day life and they ultimately think they are better than others.
Great wealth I think also gets people used to the so called finer things in life. Ewwww….hamburger for lunch…don’t be absurd. After a while this attitude shows through in all that they say and do. So, Sally’s your cousin, there you have it, they become better than every one.
Great genius is but another path that leads to the feeling of superiority over others. When we mention genius, a lot of us think of Einstein. But here are a few things that Einstein said.
“The true measure of a man is how he treats someone who can do him absolutely no good.”
“Every man for himself and God for us all.”
“It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has exceeded our humanity.”
“It is harder to crack a prejudice than an atom.”
“The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and science.”
“My religion consists of a humble admiration of the illimitable superior spirit who reveals himself in the slight details we are able to perceive with our frail and feeble mind.”
“No, this trick won't work... How on earth are you ever going to explain in terms of chemistry and physics so important a biological phenomenon as first love?”
“The world is a dangerous place to live; not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don't do anything about it.”
“Only a life lived for others is a life worthwhile.”
“Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds.” (One of my favorites!)
“Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind.”
“Try not to become a man of success, but rather try to become a man of value.”
“There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.”
“Few are those who see with their own eyes and feel with their own hearts.”
“I have no particular talent. I am merely inquisitive.”
“It's not that I'm so smart; it's just that I stay with problems longer.”
“Everyone should be respected as an individual, but no one idolized.”
“We still do not know one thousandth of one percent of what nature has revealed to us.”
“The value of a man should be seen in what he gives and not in what he is able to receive.”
These are but a few of the famous quotes from one of the worlds most brilliant minds. When people think of Einstein, generally the first thing that comes to their mind is the theory of relativity or splitting the atom. However, there was much more to this man than these complex discoveries to which he is accredited. The philosophical side of the man offers much to the world.
If we consider the above quotes, we get no indication that the man considered himself superior to others. In fact, one would think that he was indeed a humble man.
The reason that I have spent so much time on Einstein, is because it proves a point that I feel very important.
Another of our human traits is to make statements that generalize. You see, by saying that all genius’s think they are better than others is a generalization. It is the same thing when we say that all people with money think they are superior.
This is yet another thing that I am guilty of; I tend to generalize way too much. Now that I have had this epiphany, I am trying to work at depleting it from my make up all together.
Now then, I wonder, even though there are some that indeed do think they are superior to others, could it be that we sometimes imagine that someone is better than ourselves?
Perhaps, just perhaps, we sometimes think that another person thinks they are somehow better than others. In truth, it is sometimes all in our mind. Shakespeare once said, “There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so" This from “Hamlet” Act II, Scene II.
The mind is capable of many strange and wonderful things. So I submit that it is very likely that we can convince ourselves of anything, including thinking that another thinks they are superior to the entire world, when in fact, if the truth be known, nothing could be further from the truth.
We sometimes believe something so much that we search for misconceived facts to prove ourselves correct. We see a certain gesture, or a look from another, and we are convinced that the person is showing signs of snobbery. When in fact the unaware person had to sneeze and couldn’t. Go figure!
All this being said, there are unfortunately some who really do think they are supreme beings of some sort. And really, it has been my experience that when you come across such an individual, there is little room for doubt.
When I used to be out searching for night hunters, in my younger days, after sitting in the dark for long periods of time, my mind would wonder. And suddenly I had convinced myself that I had seen a light. When I would report this to my fellow officers, they would be quite startled when they learned that there was no light at all. An old Ranger once told me, “Ahhhhaa…yah…ya just think yer seein a light…but its all in that mind a yours. Ya won’t have no trouble telling the real thing when ya see it.”
And this did not just happen to me, it happened to all of us at one time or another. And yes, the old Ranger was right, when a light would come into view, there was no doubt what so ever.
I think it is a lot the same for trying to detect snootiness. When the real thing shows up, you won’t have any trouble making up your mind as to the intent of the person.
Jesus said:
35 Those who are good have good things saved in their hearts. That’s why they say good things. But those who are evil have hearts full of evil, and that’s why they say things that are evil. 36 I tell you that everyone will have to answer for all the careless things they have said. This will happen on the day of judgment.
Matthew 12:35 -36
45 Good people have good things saved in their hearts. That’s why they say good things. But those who are evil have hearts full of evil, and that’s why they say things that are evil. What people say with their mouths comes from what fills their hearts. Luke 6:45
15 Jesus said to them, “You make yourselves look good in front of people. But God knows what is really in your hearts. What people think is important is worth nothing to God. Luke 16:15
34 You snakes! You are so evil. How can you say anything good? What people say with their mouths comes from what fills their hearts.
Matthew 12:34
God knows what is in our hearts. We can not hide this from Him. When we feel jealousy, bitterness, anger, superiority, lust, vengefulness, hate, we are guilty of sin, as guilty as if we actually went out and committed a sin for all to see.
There is no one without sin. All we can do is to ask forgiveness and mercy from our Lord.
For this reason alone, there is none better, nor none worse than each of us. The Lord wants us to be real. He wants us to be what He intended for us to be. Sometimes it is hard to understand, but that is not for us to judge. The Lord even knows the number of hairs on our heads. We can not hide our thoughts from the Lord.
With these things said, I feel that where there is none better or worse than me, I will try my best not to concern myself with what I think others should or shouldn’t do. For it does not matter what any of us think about another person, what matters is what the Lord thinks.
Now then I believe that when a person is born again, Christ lives within their heart. We belong to Him.
22 God makes people right through their faith in Jesus Christ. He does this for all who believe in Christ. Everyone is the same. 23All have sinned and are not good enough to share God’s divine greatness. 24 They are made right with God by his grace. This is a free gift. They are made right with God by being made free from sin through Jesus Christ.
Romans 3:22-24
3 Did you forget that all of us became part of Christ Jesus when we were baptized? In our baptism we shared in his death. 4 So when we were baptized, we were buried with Christ and took part in his death. And just as Christ was raised from death by the wonderful power of the Father, so we can now live a new life. Romans 6:3-4
4 In the same way, my brothers and sisters, your old selves died and you became free from the law through the body of Christ. Now you belong to someone else. You belong to the one who was raised from death. We belong to Christ so that we can be used in service to God.
Romans 7:4
14 But be like the Lord Jesus Christ, so that when people see what you do, they will see Christ. Don’t think about how to satisfy the desires of your sinful self.
Romans 14:14
12Christ gave these gifts to prepare God’s holy people for the work of serving, to make the body of Christ stronger. 13This work must continue until we are all joined together in what we believe and in what we know about the Son of God. Our goal is to become like a full-grown man—to look just like Christ and have all his perfection.
Ephesians 4:12-13
15No, we will speak the truth with love. We will grow to be like Christ in every way. He is the head, 16and the whole body depends on him. All the parts of the body are joined and held together, with each part doing its own work. This causes the whole body to grow and to be stronger in love.
Ephesians 4:15-16
21This is what you were chosen to do. Christ gave you an example to follow. He suffered for you. So you should do the same as he did: 22 “He never sinned, and he never told a lie.” Isaiah 53:9 23People insulted him, but he did not insult them back. He suffered, but he did not threaten anyone. No, he let God take care of him. God is the one who judges rightly. 24Christ carried our sins in his body on the cross. He did this so that we would stop living for sin and live for what is right. By his wounds you were healed. 25You were like sheep that went the wrong way. But now you have come back to the Shepherd and Protector of your lives.
1Peter 2:21-25
3He is pure, and everyone who has this hope in him keeps themselves pure like Christ.
1 John 3:3
6So whoever lives in Christ does not continue to sin. If they continue to sin, they have never really understood Christ and have never known him. 7Dear children, don’t let anyone lead you into the wrong way. Christ always did what was right. So to be good like Christ, you must do what is right.
1 John 3:6-7
48 What I am saying is that you must be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.
Matthew 5:48
14With one sacrifice Christ made his people perfect forever. They are the ones who are being made holy.
Hebrews 10:14
We all know that the Lord Jesus was and is perfect. For me there is no doubt what so ever. In fact He is the only one that ever walked the face of the earth without sin.
In some of the above verses we see that the word perfect is used a lot. Also we see that we are told to be like Jesus.
I believe there is a danger in this. I will explain:
To me Jesus came to earth to be a servant. He was without sin yes, but he also was the humblest of the humble.
Unfortunately, there are those that think and say they are better Christians than others. To me this is the ultimate snobbery. I think what happens is very simple. They read and heed. It says to be like Jesus. And we all know that Jesus was perfect without sin. So some forget about the serving part, and the ultimate act of grace, death on a cross, for us undeserving people. They just see with their eyes and not their hearts. They see that if they are to live like Jesus they must be perfect.
Again, there is none on earth that is without sin. Therefore, there is no perfect person outside of Jesus.
But in the minds of some, they live like Jesus, so they get to feeling like they are better, or perfect if you will.
Being like Jesus is not all about being perfect. He knows above all that we can not be perfect. It is the serving part that we need to get a handle on. We need to put Jesus first; others second, and ourselves last. We need to be ourselves and real. We need to look at the human side of Christ.
Love the Lord with all your heart mind and soul. And love others the same as you would have them love you.
Reference: Matthew 22:37-40
It really is all about the love.
Until next time go with the Lord first in all you do. And let love guide your life.
In Christ Tex
Do No Wrong ?
Over the years I have been accused of being very analytical. There have been those that have come right out and said that I analyse things to death. So after reflecting on these revelations from a host of individuals, I will have to admit that this is indeed one of my traits.
Now that I have admitted this, I will endeavour to explain. This trait comes from my 25 years of law enforcement adventures. Always trying to assess the who, what, why, where, when, and how, of hundreds of different situations. Always trying to see the unseen, always trying to get to the truth has a tendency to make you a bit analytical.
But it did not stop with my pursuit of absconders from the law. It goes a bit deeper with me, into the world of fire. Some of you may have heard that a large part of my life is fire. Part of the many things that I am responsible for on wildland fires, being a wildland fire behaviour specialist, is to try and ascertain what the fire will do before it does it.
I end up analysing the fire’s behaviour as it reacts to it’s environment. This is a life long learning experience. I have heard it said that fire is fire, it burns stuff, and all fires are the same. Nothing could be further from the truth. Although all uncontrolled fire tends to be destructive, the similarities between fires, especially wildland fires, ends at destruction. A wildland fire reacts to what we call the fire behaviour triangle. There are three sides to a triangle, and there are three things that influence how a wildland fire burns. Fuel, Weather, and Topography are the three things, thus the three legs of the triangle are these three things.
If we could find a person that has seen a fire burn in every fuel type in every type of weather on every slope with every percent slope steepness covered, I would consider them an expert. I don’t know anyone like that. And believe me; I know a lot of people that have spent a life time studying this field. Most of these people have titles behind their names such as PhD and the like, and they will be the first to tell you that they do not know anyone like that either. Most of these people who I am fortunate to call friends, have forgotten more about how wildland fire behaves than I will ever know.
I think that I have made it clear as to how I became a bit on the analytical side.
Now then, lately I have been pondering a certain subject. And at the risk of sounding analytical, I have some thoughts I would like to share on the subject.
We all know people in our lives that think they are a lot better than other folks. The question that I have been pondering is why do they feel this way?
What makes these people think they are indeed better than other people? Do some of them even realize they are conveying this type of attitude? Do these people do this to hurt others?
I think there are a lot of reasons why. Let me share with you some of them.
Remember that I keep saying “what you live with you learn” well, some people have been told by their parents and others so many times that they are the elite, the cream of the crop, the best in every way, that it is all they know. I think this is one reason. I further think that a lot of these folks fall into the category of those that do not know they are acting like this.
We humans are very competitive. We are surrounded by a need to win all our life. We are encouraged from every angle to be the very best we can be at everything, especially sports. This causes a type of blindness to everything but winning. “I’m number one…or we’re number one.” And when we say “we’re”…there are those amongst the group that think if it were not for their individual performance, the rest would be nothing. They are told so many times after winning, they are the best, they get swelled head syndrome. This I think happens and it carries over into their every day life and they ultimately think they are better than others.
Great wealth I think also gets people used to the so called finer things in life. Ewwww….hamburger for lunch…don’t be absurd. After a while this attitude shows through in all that they say and do. So, Sally’s your cousin, there you have it, they become better than every one.
Great genius is but another path that leads to the feeling of superiority over others. When we mention genius, a lot of us think of Einstein. But here are a few things that Einstein said.
“The true measure of a man is how he treats someone who can do him absolutely no good.”
“Every man for himself and God for us all.”
“It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has exceeded our humanity.”
“It is harder to crack a prejudice than an atom.”
“The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and science.”
“My religion consists of a humble admiration of the illimitable superior spirit who reveals himself in the slight details we are able to perceive with our frail and feeble mind.”
“No, this trick won't work... How on earth are you ever going to explain in terms of chemistry and physics so important a biological phenomenon as first love?”
“The world is a dangerous place to live; not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don't do anything about it.”
“Only a life lived for others is a life worthwhile.”
“Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds.” (One of my favorites!)
“Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind.”
“Try not to become a man of success, but rather try to become a man of value.”
“There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.”
“Few are those who see with their own eyes and feel with their own hearts.”
“I have no particular talent. I am merely inquisitive.”
“It's not that I'm so smart; it's just that I stay with problems longer.”
“Everyone should be respected as an individual, but no one idolized.”
“We still do not know one thousandth of one percent of what nature has revealed to us.”
“The value of a man should be seen in what he gives and not in what he is able to receive.”
These are but a few of the famous quotes from one of the worlds most brilliant minds. When people think of Einstein, generally the first thing that comes to their mind is the theory of relativity or splitting the atom. However, there was much more to this man than these complex discoveries to which he is accredited. The philosophical side of the man offers much to the world.
If we consider the above quotes, we get no indication that the man considered himself superior to others. In fact, one would think that he was indeed a humble man.
The reason that I have spent so much time on Einstein, is because it proves a point that I feel very important.
Another of our human traits is to make statements that generalize. You see, by saying that all genius’s think they are better than others is a generalization. It is the same thing when we say that all people with money think they are superior.
This is yet another thing that I am guilty of; I tend to generalize way too much. Now that I have had this epiphany, I am trying to work at depleting it from my make up all together.
Now then, I wonder, even though there are some that indeed do think they are superior to others, could it be that we sometimes imagine that someone is better than ourselves?
Perhaps, just perhaps, we sometimes think that another person thinks they are somehow better than others. In truth, it is sometimes all in our mind. Shakespeare once said, “There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so" This from “Hamlet” Act II, Scene II.
The mind is capable of many strange and wonderful things. So I submit that it is very likely that we can convince ourselves of anything, including thinking that another thinks they are superior to the entire world, when in fact, if the truth be known, nothing could be further from the truth.
We sometimes believe something so much that we search for misconceived facts to prove ourselves correct. We see a certain gesture, or a look from another, and we are convinced that the person is showing signs of snobbery. When in fact the unaware person had to sneeze and couldn’t. Go figure!
All this being said, there are unfortunately some who really do think they are supreme beings of some sort. And really, it has been my experience that when you come across such an individual, there is little room for doubt.
When I used to be out searching for night hunters, in my younger days, after sitting in the dark for long periods of time, my mind would wonder. And suddenly I had convinced myself that I had seen a light. When I would report this to my fellow officers, they would be quite startled when they learned that there was no light at all. An old Ranger once told me, “Ahhhhaa…yah…ya just think yer seein a light…but its all in that mind a yours. Ya won’t have no trouble telling the real thing when ya see it.”
And this did not just happen to me, it happened to all of us at one time or another. And yes, the old Ranger was right, when a light would come into view, there was no doubt what so ever.
I think it is a lot the same for trying to detect snootiness. When the real thing shows up, you won’t have any trouble making up your mind as to the intent of the person.
Jesus said:
35 Those who are good have good things saved in their hearts. That’s why they say good things. But those who are evil have hearts full of evil, and that’s why they say things that are evil. 36 I tell you that everyone will have to answer for all the careless things they have said. This will happen on the day of judgment.
Matthew 12:35 -36
45 Good people have good things saved in their hearts. That’s why they say good things. But those who are evil have hearts full of evil, and that’s why they say things that are evil. What people say with their mouths comes from what fills their hearts. Luke 6:45
15 Jesus said to them, “You make yourselves look good in front of people. But God knows what is really in your hearts. What people think is important is worth nothing to God. Luke 16:15
34 You snakes! You are so evil. How can you say anything good? What people say with their mouths comes from what fills their hearts.
Matthew 12:34
God knows what is in our hearts. We can not hide this from Him. When we feel jealousy, bitterness, anger, superiority, lust, vengefulness, hate, we are guilty of sin, as guilty as if we actually went out and committed a sin for all to see.
There is no one without sin. All we can do is to ask forgiveness and mercy from our Lord.
For this reason alone, there is none better, nor none worse than each of us. The Lord wants us to be real. He wants us to be what He intended for us to be. Sometimes it is hard to understand, but that is not for us to judge. The Lord even knows the number of hairs on our heads. We can not hide our thoughts from the Lord.
With these things said, I feel that where there is none better or worse than me, I will try my best not to concern myself with what I think others should or shouldn’t do. For it does not matter what any of us think about another person, what matters is what the Lord thinks.
Now then I believe that when a person is born again, Christ lives within their heart. We belong to Him.
22 God makes people right through their faith in Jesus Christ. He does this for all who believe in Christ. Everyone is the same. 23All have sinned and are not good enough to share God’s divine greatness. 24 They are made right with God by his grace. This is a free gift. They are made right with God by being made free from sin through Jesus Christ.
Romans 3:22-24
3 Did you forget that all of us became part of Christ Jesus when we were baptized? In our baptism we shared in his death. 4 So when we were baptized, we were buried with Christ and took part in his death. And just as Christ was raised from death by the wonderful power of the Father, so we can now live a new life. Romans 6:3-4
4 In the same way, my brothers and sisters, your old selves died and you became free from the law through the body of Christ. Now you belong to someone else. You belong to the one who was raised from death. We belong to Christ so that we can be used in service to God.
Romans 7:4
14 But be like the Lord Jesus Christ, so that when people see what you do, they will see Christ. Don’t think about how to satisfy the desires of your sinful self.
Romans 14:14
12Christ gave these gifts to prepare God’s holy people for the work of serving, to make the body of Christ stronger. 13This work must continue until we are all joined together in what we believe and in what we know about the Son of God. Our goal is to become like a full-grown man—to look just like Christ and have all his perfection.
Ephesians 4:12-13
15No, we will speak the truth with love. We will grow to be like Christ in every way. He is the head, 16and the whole body depends on him. All the parts of the body are joined and held together, with each part doing its own work. This causes the whole body to grow and to be stronger in love.
Ephesians 4:15-16
21This is what you were chosen to do. Christ gave you an example to follow. He suffered for you. So you should do the same as he did: 22 “He never sinned, and he never told a lie.” Isaiah 53:9 23People insulted him, but he did not insult them back. He suffered, but he did not threaten anyone. No, he let God take care of him. God is the one who judges rightly. 24Christ carried our sins in his body on the cross. He did this so that we would stop living for sin and live for what is right. By his wounds you were healed. 25You were like sheep that went the wrong way. But now you have come back to the Shepherd and Protector of your lives.
1Peter 2:21-25
3He is pure, and everyone who has this hope in him keeps themselves pure like Christ.
1 John 3:3
6So whoever lives in Christ does not continue to sin. If they continue to sin, they have never really understood Christ and have never known him. 7Dear children, don’t let anyone lead you into the wrong way. Christ always did what was right. So to be good like Christ, you must do what is right.
1 John 3:6-7
48 What I am saying is that you must be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.
Matthew 5:48
14With one sacrifice Christ made his people perfect forever. They are the ones who are being made holy.
Hebrews 10:14
We all know that the Lord Jesus was and is perfect. For me there is no doubt what so ever. In fact He is the only one that ever walked the face of the earth without sin.
In some of the above verses we see that the word perfect is used a lot. Also we see that we are told to be like Jesus.
I believe there is a danger in this. I will explain:
To me Jesus came to earth to be a servant. He was without sin yes, but he also was the humblest of the humble.
Unfortunately, there are those that think and say they are better Christians than others. To me this is the ultimate snobbery. I think what happens is very simple. They read and heed. It says to be like Jesus. And we all know that Jesus was perfect without sin. So some forget about the serving part, and the ultimate act of grace, death on a cross, for us undeserving people. They just see with their eyes and not their hearts. They see that if they are to live like Jesus they must be perfect.
Again, there is none on earth that is without sin. Therefore, there is no perfect person outside of Jesus.
But in the minds of some, they live like Jesus, so they get to feeling like they are better, or perfect if you will.
Being like Jesus is not all about being perfect. He knows above all that we can not be perfect. It is the serving part that we need to get a handle on. We need to put Jesus first; others second, and ourselves last. We need to be ourselves and real. We need to look at the human side of Christ.
Love the Lord with all your heart mind and soul. And love others the same as you would have them love you.
Reference: Matthew 22:37-40
It really is all about the love.
Until next time go with the Lord first in all you do. And let love guide your life.
In Christ Tex
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