Monday, July 14, 2014

Rethink Your Position

I’ve been doing some thinking over the weekend and I’ve stumbled upon this blatantly obvious conclusion: in life we always have a choice. Once I heard someone say, “what is each day, but a series of conflicts between the right way, and the easy way”. This statement in itself, couldn’t hold more truth. Every single day we're faced with the choice to do things the right way, or the easy way. It’s easy to push the snooze button and catch up on some sleep, however you're neglecting the responsibilities of your day when you do this. Remember, you set your alarm for a reason, not just because you wanted your new favorite song or ringtone to jolt you awake. Now this is a situation where it isn’t a moral wrong, and it isn’t even necessarily a big deal. The point I’m making is every decision we make has consequences. I want to challenge you today, I want to challenge you to “Rethink Your Position”. Now this is a little challenge I’ve come up with on my own, so needless to say, I’ll be on this journey right along with you. 

Over the weekend I told my friends on Facebook about a person who was in a grocery store just mad at everyone in there. He was embarrassing himself with his foolishness, but when I asked him to "rethink his position"...he did, he apologized, and he left. But God was apparently talking to me on the ride home, telling me to do some rethinking of my own position as well. The very next day I came face to face with my ex wife, not LaShaun...my last ex. Ok God, what are you up to here? When we divorced, we both were angry people. Back then, the further I was away from her, the better off I felt. That was my position (the easy way, not the right way), and I had no problem with embracing that decision. God however, has a much better way of working for my better good, even when I personally couldn't see it. I can be transparent here and admit that back then, I really couldn't see it. As I stood face to face with her, God says again to "rethink your position" and I am. Growing up is necessary if you want personal movement, and I want to grow. We exchanged pleasantries, even talked for a moment, and we both came away wanting what's best for each other...clearly because we both had to rethink our position.

The goal in this challenge is simple: be better, do better, and simply rethink things. You want to improve your body? Workout smarter and harder and make wise choices with what you choose to nourish your body with. You want to improve your intellect? Awesome, have at it! Challenge yourself with ideas and theories, ponder on anything you’re confused about, and read from those smarter and wiser than you. The possibilities are endless, and they should be because after you've finished “rethinking” one area of your life, you can move on to another. I mentioned fitness, and intellect, but that is just the tip of the iceberg. This can be very effective in your relationships, both present and past. Cultivate tact, improve your etiquette, develop humility, increase your empathy, and stop being so mad. The list goes on and on, and that is okay, because we can and should always find a way to work on ourselves.

The relationship lesson today is clear: the only thing standing between where you are and where you want to be, are the choices you’re making. If you think you can’t do something, you’ve already failed, because your attitude will determine your altitude. So not only am I challenging you today, I’m asking you, why settle for less than you can be? Why stay mad at your ex when you can rethink your position and move on? I’m daring you to strive for more, because you are capable of more. You are a wonderfully created human being in the image of God himself, don’t ever forget that. Don’t stand with the crowd when the crowd isn’t going anywhere. If you try to blend in with society, you will get lost in the shuffle of drugs, alcohol, constant swearing, being angry at your ex, and be involved in a culture where “hooking-up” is acceptable. If society isn’t doing what is right, then don’t do what society is doing. Rethink your position and be different! I’m not trying to sound cliché when I say this, but together, we can honestly change the world, but it takes a choice...either the right one or the easy one. It takes you making that one decision to say you don’t want to be like everyone else, you don’t want to blend in because you know you were born to stand out. It takes you choosing to rethink your position, and in turn helping those around you do the same. All it takes is you choosing to make one decision...

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