Poetic Wisdom

There is a lot of talk these days of “change” It is especially true in the U.S.A. political arena. I think change is good but I also believe that there is such a thing as tried and true wisdom. One must examine from time to time why we want change. Most often we desire change just because we perceive something to be “broken”. This may or may not be the case and each situation will be different for each person. One thing for sure however, age old wisdom suggest that ones stability is a process of “changing us” self policing as it were, remaining on course in those things which are stable and tested.

All to often our tendency is to run away from difficult situations rather than embrace the hardship and learn from it. Life is wrought with one type of trouble or another. I have observed that the issue(s)in many a circumstance which, when faced with the pressure, ones true character and lack of integrity come to the surface. Many like to point out another’s leadership as somehow being flawed because the results were not to their liking while never examining their role in the problem. This is often the case in the American political process and sadly, all to common a problem in the church as well. This is classic blame shifting.

Let me encourage all of us to apply the tested timeless wisdom of Rudyard Kipling…imagine what the world could be…what the CHURCH could be… were everyone to live like this… what “if” I wonder.
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Rudyard Kipling

If

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or, being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or, being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise;

If you can dream - and not make dreams your master;
If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with triumph and disaster
And treat those two imposters just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with worn out tools;

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breath a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on";

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings - nor lose the common touch;
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run -
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And - which is more - you'll be a Man my son!

Want to make an IMPACT in the Portland Metro area?
Contact Pastor Tim at... impactinglives4jc@gmail.com