yRight from the word go, they have never brought us any good. But we hardly learn our lessons. We get caught up in the cloud and will always tilt towards them. Why is it so?
"They are just natural" may be an apt reply. Does that mean we are really helpless in the face of them? Do we have any sort of control over them? "Oh my heavens, yes!". Do lies and exaggerations, cheating and callousness...have a firm grip on us? ''Hell no!"
Our propensities represent those tendencies for particular kinds of behaviour. They are never so powerful in themselves. They rapidly take up space within us and grow-the space we allow them to. The more space they fill up, the more they make us feel helpless.
What of our proclivities? Every tendency and feeling that makes us want to do something-usually something bad make for our proclivities. A proclivity for sex, or criminality will thus be in place.
Any connections? Well, they both seem to flow freely from our inside. "Aha!" you may say now. But hold on. It's more than that.
Really, think about the chaos that will be in place if every one responded to their natural inclinations freely without recourse to second thoughts. We are not animals. Never. We represent the highest form of beings and can do well to remain there.
I know sometimes (or as we may erroneously think, most times) lies keep us from harm. But for how long can we keep the pendulum swinging only in the direction of the lies. Don't miss this: we have total control over our actions. We tend to find reasons and excuses for cover up. Whatever reasons- cogent or not-they will remain excuses.
What's wrong with having sex all the time? Moderation should be the key in every action. Can you keep eating all day and not have adverse effects?
We can set ourselves free from every propensity and proclivity that we have given in to. Don't take a mad dash into the crowd. Life is a marathon, so go slow... and steady. Don't get caught up in the rush-to be part of the clique or group, or class. If you do, that's one sure way to set your propensities and proclivities on the go.
What's more? Set ideal goals for yourself. If you can't go the whole hog, say so. Don't give impressions that you've 'got-it-going-on' when 'it-has-got-you-going-on'. It will save you from embarassments that our propensities and proclivities thrive on.
Sometimes, it's good to be laughed at. Enjoy those times. And look forward to times you can be laughed with. Really, vengeance does no good. It can only eat you hollow. And vengeance provides a good breeding ground too.
There is so much more. Any thing that easily sways us into doing the things we will regret, does not mean good for us. And our propensities and proclivities will always bring along plenty regrets.
We can always do without half-truths, because in their best forms, they are simply lies. Live within your means. This in no way negates higher aspirations. It's the contentment and joy you stand to gain that is the focus here. And contentment and joy present great anti-dotes to our propensities and proclivities. Just as a pervading peace and understanding of life can do.
Last word: our propensities and proclivities can only set us against ourselves. Let's get rid of them anyhow. It may take a while and you may stumble now and then. And even get trampled upon by the very prospensities and proclivities. But keep keeping on. Don't stop on the tracks, you've got to fight to the end. And set yourselve loose.
Showing posts with label sincere. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sincere. Show all posts
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Don't Thrash Difficult People
It started out as a normal church talk. But it finished as a saving grace.
How many times have we wished that some difficult people will just disappear from our lives? An annoying colleague, an overbearing aunty, a grit-edged father and an ‘iron-lady’ for a mother... when will they just go from us? Maybe that’s putting it really hard. Consider this: why will your colleague in the office always be on the opposition? How come Aunt Sally has no love for you? What on earth makes your father so insensitive? I mean what profit does your mother get by always being on your neck? Why can’t Uncle Fred be (even for once) different from the cruel person you have always perceived him to be?
On another hand why will your brother never get his hands to do some domestic work? Why do you have to be the person to always do the dishes? I could go on. But the real question is why won’t God just make difficult people disappear from our lives? Why does he even make such people emanate from your backyard? Why does he make them the ones we can’t easily denounce and reject?
The truth is God is always preparing us. That’s putting it mildly. He is always fine-tuning us. That should be the reason. I mean why has your aches and pains from these difficult folks not gotten God’s attention all these years? He wants your rough edges to smoothen out. What is he doing by allowing these folks get to you? He is simply removing the brass, sandpapering you and chiselling the flakes that dot your side.
Before you switch off and say “Enough! Don’t tell me that”, think about all those times. How come you had not poisoned them to death? And also have found you doing stuff over and over again with same folks, day -in and day-out?
Hey! Don’t bother. Running away will do you no good. The battles we fight and run from today, are just around the bend tomorrow. They will show up anyhow, unannounced or otherwise.
The trick: Ask God to give you the grace to understand their purposes in your life. Besides who said that every person will be nice to you? Even Jesus Christ, had enemies and people who sought to take him to the grave on a daily basis, from within and without. Any reason why you should be spared?
Another trick: Change your attitude towards them. Be friendlier. Smile more. Get worked up no more. Don’t fume. Stop complaining. Lend a hand of friendship. Keep them close. And love unconditionally.
What if this brings no change? Try it out first. Leave the rest. You will be shocked how you will pass this life test with flying colours. Don’t rehearse it. Reverse it.
How many times have we wished that some difficult people will just disappear from our lives? An annoying colleague, an overbearing aunty, a grit-edged father and an ‘iron-lady’ for a mother... when will they just go from us? Maybe that’s putting it really hard. Consider this: why will your colleague in the office always be on the opposition? How come Aunt Sally has no love for you? What on earth makes your father so insensitive? I mean what profit does your mother get by always being on your neck? Why can’t Uncle Fred be (even for once) different from the cruel person you have always perceived him to be?
On another hand why will your brother never get his hands to do some domestic work? Why do you have to be the person to always do the dishes? I could go on. But the real question is why won’t God just make difficult people disappear from our lives? Why does he even make such people emanate from your backyard? Why does he make them the ones we can’t easily denounce and reject?
The truth is God is always preparing us. That’s putting it mildly. He is always fine-tuning us. That should be the reason. I mean why has your aches and pains from these difficult folks not gotten God’s attention all these years? He wants your rough edges to smoothen out. What is he doing by allowing these folks get to you? He is simply removing the brass, sandpapering you and chiselling the flakes that dot your side.
Before you switch off and say “Enough! Don’t tell me that”, think about all those times. How come you had not poisoned them to death? And also have found you doing stuff over and over again with same folks, day -in and day-out?
Hey! Don’t bother. Running away will do you no good. The battles we fight and run from today, are just around the bend tomorrow. They will show up anyhow, unannounced or otherwise.
The trick: Ask God to give you the grace to understand their purposes in your life. Besides who said that every person will be nice to you? Even Jesus Christ, had enemies and people who sought to take him to the grave on a daily basis, from within and without. Any reason why you should be spared?
Another trick: Change your attitude towards them. Be friendlier. Smile more. Get worked up no more. Don’t fume. Stop complaining. Lend a hand of friendship. Keep them close. And love unconditionally.
What if this brings no change? Try it out first. Leave the rest. You will be shocked how you will pass this life test with flying colours. Don’t rehearse it. Reverse it.
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