When I was young, my father used to have me guess when different people graduated from high school. The telltale was usually the way the person cut their hair. Other clues included dress, favorite clich?s, and what values they held close to their hearts. The exercise was fun and automatically created a lot of conversation about what we were going to do and look like in the future.
I wonder how others see me now. Am I growing as a person or have I buried myself in one moment of time and space? Do I go looking for change or do I focus my energies on trying to preserve the past? Am I dated material justifying my existence?
The past is still in plain sight. I can learn from it, however the process is frightening. I can see it, but I want to see the details through my own colors and shapes. Good and things are occurring now; am I willing to be accountable for the full picture?
“God gives out Wisdom free, is plainspoken in Knowledge and Understanding.” (Proverbs 2.6)
The fact that everything is on the table does not mean I can or will learn from it and change the future. However, today I took a critical step. Two colleagues were looking to share their feedback on how things were and are going. I listened and we dialogued. The outcome is that I am wiser and carry with me more knowledge. Yes, the process carried with it the risk that I would (and did) hear things that I would find difficult to accept. Yes, the negatives were tough, however, there were positives as well. The benefit is now I can do something about it!
God offers you and I clear, unambiguous feedback. I want to hear it! I want to learn from it. Yes, I know the process can and will be painful. Learning from the reality of day-to-day actions carries that risk. The upside potential is unlimited! You and I have a gift in plain sight; now is the time to accept!
