Speak, Think, Act

I spend a lot of time reading, researching, thinking, and hopefully, it influences how I speak, think, and act. If my focus is narrowed to a source then I respond from the foundation of that perspective. On the other hand, if I gather from far afield I still dissect what I acquire to use appropriately.

Before we go further, think about it like this. Do you ever remember a teacher telling the students to “put on their thinking caps”… It was probably related to having to learn something new, or to think something through, or getting ready to share thoughts.

Where do you bury your data that you’ve learned?

A lot of my research is buried into various note files that come to light when I spend time digging. It’s almost encyclopedic! I have file drawers full of information I seldom reference any longer but find it’s not worthy of recycling. These days, most of my storage is digital and thus faster to research.

Still. Having a lot of information does not mean I know much. In fact, I’ve recently analyzed these thoughts to see if I need to think about it deeper.

Can I discuss something without a basic understanding!???
I often feel like I know a little about a lot of things,
but a lot about a few things.
This puts me at a severe disadvantage.
I do not like coming off clueless…
Unless it’s something I care nothing about,
Which includes, but is far from my limits…
Things that matter not one iota to my world!

Handling It All

With all the world events happening, and every stage of life impacted, it’s impossible and improbable to keep up with it all. In this digital age, it’s easier to file information away until such time it surfaces in my world to think or discuss.

I imagine some of our forerunners, sitting in their parlor, or even around a campfire, thinking about their little corner of the globe. There was nothing available to them from afar unless a traveler or slip of paper entered their world. Yet, in my study of their views, they seemed to have a great handle on far-flung events.

Yet. We struggle with keeping up with what’s happening in our little personal corner of the world.

You see, I’ve been alive for so much of the explosion of the Information Age. We’ve left card catalog’s, the Dewey Decimal system, and hard bound books to the past. Printed newspapers? Only when traveling. Magazines? Waisted.

Now we determine how to utilize a constant flow of data. Can we narrow the funnel to force feed our need, or do we simply soak all of it up and hope the right stuff sticks?

Thoughts are useless until they produce something, but most creative acts begin with thoughts. Thus, this quote lays the foundation for the best any of us can be when we learn to control our thoughts.

“Watch your thoughts. They become words.
Watch your words. They become deeds.
Watch your deeds. They become habits.
Watch your habits. They become character.
Character is everything.” ~Frank Outlaw

This Morning

Someone shared a deep thought that brings me to my morning rumination.

You shouldn’t talk about Jesus, until you talk to Jesus.

Think about how simpler our conversation would be about God, if we first talked to Him. Instead of about him. To say we “know” God but seldom spend time talking to him, or learning his ways, then how can we share God to others?

This was one of the examples Jesus gave us. You often find him isolated from his followers and those clamoring for his attention. Doing what? Praying. God robed in flesh, instructed our humanity to spend quality time in prayer. In fact, he teaches his disciple “how to pray” in what we call the Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6). But then, in John 17, we find him praying and it’s a masterful approach to how prayer works.

Paul tells us to “pray without ceasing”. (1 Thessalonians 5:17) Keep on with your prayers, says one translation. It’s in prayer that we put our thoughts to work, expressing the words we need to speak, and then taking action.

If ever there was a time for us to Talk to God before we Talk about God, this is the time.

In times past I wrote about prayers as the very exhalation of every breath we release. Do it with a prayer. Breath Prayers This tags in with Paul’s message, and the actions of most of those great Bible Characters we enjoy studying. Daniel. Three times a day, and then as needed throughout the day. Abraham. David. Most of the prophets. Disciples. An endless list.

Maybe then, this is the key before we act. Think it through. Pray it through. These should be foundational. Before doing, think. Before doing, pray. Then do as you learn from thinking and praying.