Faulty Reasoning Skills

“I ‘yam what I ‘yam”, says Popeye the Sailor Man. And lest you think he’s talking about a vegetable, he’s talking about who he is and knowing himself quite well. We understand instinctively who we are, so why don’t we define ourselves and know what the results are? Lest you have faulty reasoning skills you should be happy to know yourself.

You may not be content with the product, but at least it gives you a foundation to know how to change.

We are each a product of our genetic makeup, past, present and who knows what the future portends. We view the world from our own perspective, or, as says an older quote,

“We see the world as we are.”

This calls into question our skills to reason out the world from some. historical point of time. The world constantly changes, but God is famous for saying, “I change not.” (Malachai 3:6) This tells me I need a foundation that does not change even while the world evolves.

If you think you should constantly change to accept the fluctuating landscape,
it could be you have faulty reasoning skills.

You know this. It’s part and parcel of the personality that helps you to see the world from your perspective. Is your perspective the same as God’s perspective? To me, that’s the only perspective that matters.

How Are We Shaping the Next Generation?

If all you have is a hammer, then everything is seen as a nail! (Abraham Maslow) Go ahead. Check this out. It’s called the “Law of the Instrument.” What does your personality say about your perspective on the world? Flip it. What does your perspective say about your personality?

I watched a video of the marchers supporting Black Lives Matter. It’s a worthy undertaking because we have been too long waiting for true equality So, not taking it out of context, I watched toddlers and children holding signs that curse the police with the vilest of language, and use other gestures that are shaping them into the next generation of voters and leaders. Parents want their darlings to not be influenced by the past, yet by their actions, they are creating a past for their children to use in a decade or two as they make the decisions on how we will live.

Someone told me that we should have a special church for our children so they are not exposed to adult-themed preaching that is beyond their comprehension. Yet, we show our darling the seamier side of a negative world and think, “They gotta learn it sometime!“

Remember. We reason from our position and outlook. Call it perspective, focus, or even insight. Our foundation of reason comes from what we’ve put into our minds, hearts, and spirits. Our past story, along with the current events. Genetics. Culture. You name it, we are shaped by what the past poured into us. We are shaping the next generation by our actions.

As we build our lives through the present, and into the future, we wade through the morass of options, pick the ones that make sense to us, and chose the path we find ourselves on. Just because your past is painted with one shade, it doesn’t mean you need to stay that way.

You Can Change!

Throughout scripture, we find many who changed from their questionable past and became glowing examples of Godly people. The Apostle Paul went through a major change thinking he was doing right, his life was blinded before he recognized who Jesus was. (Acts 9) Peter? Through a dream and visitation, he realized God is not a respecter of persons (Acts 10) as he sees the revival of the Gentiles open up through Cornelius. James and John were known as “Sons of Thunder”, yet we hear little about them later in life. (Mark 3) Yes… They have a back story, and with their personality still useful, they become future difference makers!

Take a short view of Jonah. His change came (answered the call) and went (fled), came back (in the belly of the whale and he preached to Nineveh), and went away again (wept because Nineveh repented!)… Roller Coaster!

Sometimes, maybe most times, it takes something major to help us change! You can change a rudder 1 degree and see change much later down the sea lane, but let disaster flare and suddenly you are pushing the rudder hard to effect immediate change.

How Willing Are you?

I remember the testimony of a man who was searching for answers. He was looking for God. “Where are you?” He went from port to port, church to church, asking if this was where he could find God. In desperation, he nearly took his own life out at sea, and just as he was about to let go of the safety of the ship, a voice called to him by name and led him to become who I’ve followed and admired to this day.

You must simply know where you are is not necessarily where you should be. Equally, you should know where you want to go is attainable and right.

Ready for change? How willing are you to adjust your reasoning skills to get from here, to there? It’s doable!