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| Oswald Chambers |
My brother offered me a great book called "Baffled To Fight Better" by Oswald Chambers. Written during WWI, Chambers reflected on the suffering of man-kind prevalent during his era and did a comparison by considering the life of a really good guy recorded in biblical history. He was very wealthy, had a great family and was a holistic thinker and leader. You can read about him in the book of "Job."
Job was considered an upright person. An extremely Godly and religious man yet he suffered unspeakable heartache, tragic death of family members along with personal physical and financial ruin. Chambers book is not an easy read, but one that will cause deep reflection and careful thought for those who find themselves suffering and begin to ask the never ending question, WHY?
I believe in positive thinking but some people take it to the extreme and become delusional. When a person becomes pollyannaish it does not allow for reality or the importance of grief. Chambers argues that the basis of human life is tragic, not rational.
Over the years, I've encountered a huge number of people who are much smarter than I am in a variety of professional disciplines e.g. chemistry, engineering, medicine, finance, business, etc. But when it comes to consideration of life and death issues they become lazy intellectually. Many of them are a mile wide and an inch deep on matters that are difficult to think about. Actually, they won't think about it because it does not make them happy to do so. They will often surrender their brains to institutions, organizations or the opinions of "feel good" people e.g. pastors or talk show folks. (Oprah, Dr. Phil, Joel Osteen, etc.)
This book is full of thought provoking statements, but the one that has caught my attention today is the catalyst for this blog post. Chambers says "It is not what a man does that is of final importance, but what he is in what he does. The atmosphere produced by a man, much more than his activities, has the lasting influence."
In our western society, the emphasis is on "what I have done" i.e. a self centered focus on accomplishments."Look at me" with little regard to the long lasting influential impact on people, organizations or society. Here are some examples.
> Listen to your favorite political leader. It's all about him/her and what they've done. Examine the narcissism of Barack Obama and Donald Trump who are perfect examples of what I'm talking about. What kind of an atmosphere have they created in the midst of their accomplishments? What have they produced for lasting influence?
> Consider your job interview or job performance review or look at your resume. Do people discuss your influence or character? Probably it's not even mentioned, but rather "tell me of your accomplishments."
> How are CEO's down to first line supervisors judged in business large and small? Take a guess.
> When proud parents are talking about their kids, what attributes do they tout? When you read the bumper sticker on their mini-van proclaiming Honor Roll Recipient, the reality never mentioned is that some of these kids are selfish, self absorbed brats and therefore such attributes are never included in the headlines.
> Even in churches, it seems that the only thing that is important is what kind of activities and programs can they implement to draw a crowd and increase the number of attendees.
As a professional businessman, as a father and husband I know I've fallen short in being a positive influence in many ways. But reading this book has caused me to consider several thoughts in all aspects of my life. What were my accomplishments and how did that square with any influence I may have made. Does the ends justify the means, Bill Lewis, or did I leave a lasting atmosphere in my circle of influence? I'm going to share some of my questions with you and possibly you might want to consider the same for yourself.
> How do I truly want to be remembered and for what?
> Where was my greatest emphasis, results or influence?
> Was my influence net negative or positive?
> Was I willing to swallow my pride and admit when I was wrong and apologize for wrongs done to others?
> What percentage of the battles I was engaged in was I willing to "lose" for the good of the whole? Or did I, unyielding, insist it had to be done the way I thought it should be done?
> Was I uncompromising in what I know as truth or did I cave my principles of right and wrong in an effort to "go along to get along."
> Have I brought honor or dishonor to my family? More importantly have I brought honor to the God who has given me life itself. And, have I sufficiently told others of His abiding love?
> Have I gently and compassionately engaged people I truly care about to speak truth into their life on eternal questions? Here is an example of what I'm describing.
Occasionally I've had people express their opinion of how "they" think life and the after life will probably look. Because most people are so self absorbed they kind of make up the rules as they see it. Their basic argument is "If there is a God, and if He's a good God, then he will reward people for trying to do their best. And, since I'm a nice person and generally a good person, I think I'll be ok in the end. I think I'm the kind of person God would like over all, or at least I hope so."
As I consider problems of life, suffering and influence I should be asking these important questions. I think you should too.
Sadly the theme for many people in the world today would be in concert with Frank Sinatra's "I Did It My Way" lyrics which glorifies a false and arrogant perception of a persons self worth who journeys through life with great bravado thumbing their noses at God and fellow man in this life which carry's them into eternity.
In contrast to Frank Sinatra, lets look at another guy named Solomon. He was the wisest man who ever lived and a guy who had money, women, prestige, title and unlimited power and who was continually seeking happiness and meaning.
Solomon said, "Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind. For God will bring every deed into judgement, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil."
As I reflect on these things during my problems and suffering I need to be holistic in my thought process and views and not compartmentalize my life. Rather than do it my way, I'll go with Solomon's approach as I strive to "Finish Well."
