As we talked, the conversation moved to better ways of doing things. It is a subject close to my heart. My body tensed.
“It is interesting that you talk about change. I am often passionate about the subject. I believe it is central to delivering the best.”
“Do you have any ideas that you have put into action?”
I responded without hesitation. Two stories flowed. The points were crisp. The settings were easy to understand. There was a clear link to his work.
“That sounds nice. We have something just like that.”
‘Really, I am impressed. What do you call it? How does it work?”
His story told me that he had no idea what I was talking about. I wanted to rub my head and figure out what I had left out of my story. Instead I mumbled that his solution sounded interesting but seemed to miss the client side of the problem.
I found myself in a second conversation with the same individual a week later. As we drifted to another subject, he launched into a detail description of how things worked within his company. I had no idea what he was trying to convey given the jargon in his stories. I found myself tempted to adopt his model. I would look smart even though I had no clue.
“I am not sure how this relates to our approach. Can you tell the story again?”
God invites us to use our heads in every situation. Even though I looked smart in the story above, there are many examples in my life where I am running the bluff.
A wisdom writer suggests that “by using your heads, you know perfectly well that the Spirit of God would never prompt anyone to say ‘Jesus be damned!’ Nor would anyone be inclined to say ‘Jesus is Master!’ without the insight of the Holy Spirit.” (1 Corinthians 12.3) The story then and now is the same. Be smart, use your heads. Be careful, use your heads. Be in community, reach for God, and above all, use your heads.
