As I listened to a presentation on progress we were making I was struck by the inherent irony in it all. There was no direct connection between the various presenters and the individuals that took the actions that made the progress real other than the subject. From a positive viewpoint, great ideas do not recognize boundaries. Anyone is free to adopt and make them her/his own. Looking with a bit of skepticism leads one to conclude that it is the idea that has force, not the people behind it. Great ideas are often looking to be discovered. Once found, one realizes that they have always been nearby. What follows is the natural outcome when an idea makes a connection with an individual open for more.
On reflection, one can see how great ideas continue to live across generations and cultures. They may go dormant for a time, but they never completely go away. They may look dated, yet they seem to fit each moment in time. They may seem out of fashion. When seen through the lives of the person reaching for more, yesterday’s norm can appear as today’s new revelation.
I find this in business trends. New words describe old ideas. Different pictures and illustrations remind me of programs we thought we were pioneering a decade ago. Each is a variation on an idea that has timelessly survived across the ages.
I also see the way great ideas go beyond the walls of spiritual traditions. Each seems to call truth as its own. When I look at the lives of people making a difference, my view changes because of the shared values that continue to show themselves. To each I openly acknowledge, “God’s Spirit and God’s power did it, which made it clear that your life of faith is a response to God’s power, not to some fancy mental or emotional footwork by me or anyone else.” (1 Corinthians 2.5).
As a new day begins, great ideas are all around me. Will I use them? If I do, I will experience something that never dies.
