Action
I have a tendency to keep things locked away in my head. By things, I mean everything. Conversations, wants, dreams are all safely locked away in my noggin never to see the light of day.
In some ways this is good. Thoughts I shouldn't speak aloud remain unsaid. Actions I shouldn't do remain undone. Embarrassing misunderstandings didn't happen because I decided not to take a chance.
On the flip side I wonder what would have happened if I did make those mistakes. What would people think if I actually had a conversation with them instead of trying to play it out inside my head.
There's an interesting dichotomy between thought and action.
One of the pieces of scripture that's most frightening to me comes from James 4:17 . Which says "Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins." If anyone is guilty of inaction, it's me.
Over the winter break, my dad and I were hanging out in Barnes and Noble looking for a gift for someone who had done a lot recently for our family. We stopped over by the section for Leo Tolstoy, which led my dad to start discussing War and Peace.
In the book there's a character who sees himself as very moral. He's always thinking about what is moral. Unfortunately he ends up overanalyzing everything and ends up doing nothing.
The foil to this character is someone who doesn't think at all. He just takes action. He's not philosophical. He doesn't think very much about morality, however he ends up doing more good deeds than the guy who's always thinking about morality.
This may at first seem counterintuitive, but makes sense when you think about it. The longer someone thinks about something the longer it's going to take for action to take place.
It's better to donate $30 dollars now than it is to ponder how much of your paycheck you'll be giving to charities when you're raking in six figures.
Go take chances, make mistakes. Just make sure your heart's in the right place.
February 19th, 2009 - 16:32
Will be looking forward to reading your Short story Landon and hearing more about your thoughts about life. I enjoyed this first post and can’t help think that is what God’s grace is all about, is covering us when we step out in those right motives with wrong results:) I am going to add you to my Blog list so I will know when you update
February 27th, 2009 - 08:38
Hey, Landan,
I didn’t know about your blog till today! What a blessing to see you open your heart.
I like what I see very much.
I also like it that I made an impact on you about War and Peace. I remember the conversation, but I don’t remember having an agenda to teach you a lesson. I was just sharing how my life was impacted by that novel.
And that thought has taught me something else: It is better to “BE” a Christian that to “ACT” Christian.
We get a lot of sermons about producing fruits. but what we forget that an apple tree doesn’t think about making fruit or put any effort into making fruit. fruit comes because that is what naturally happens when your an apple tree.
There was another great scene in the novel where Pierre decided that he HAD to do something to help the soldiers out in the filed fighting Napolean. So he get’s in his carriage and heads to the front lines to see how he can help out.
It is hard to do the scene justice, but try to picture those quintessential British nobleman with their top-hats and tuxes driving to Iraq to see how he could help out.
It was hilarious! He got out there and there was all of this chaos and he had no idea what to do. The soldiers were all distracted with this strange man walking around the blood bathwith his nobleman’s clothes.
Finally, somebody asked him to please leave because he was in the way and putting the troops at risk.
The reason I liked War and Peace so much is becauese I Identify so much with Count Pierre. I only wish I could go back in time and tell myself to keep my thougthts to myself. There are so much damage that I did trying to win fruit-bearing competitions.
The last ten years or so, I’ve gotten past the doing and have focused on being.
Wan’t to know what is ironic. Ten years ago, I had NO friends who were not very active Christians.
NOW, most of my friends are non-believers. I don’t know how it happened that way.
But I feel totally comfortable talking about my faith with these guys. I feel accepted by them and I don’t have to worry about worry about offending them if I talk about some rated R movie or something.
The one I talk about faith the most to is my friend Ruben — you’ve met him a few times. He is a militant athiest. My goal isn’t to convert him, but to love him. and I have been rewarded with some of the most stimulating conversations on Faith than from any bible classes I attended.
Please don’t worry about what you SHOULD be and focus on being what you are.
When you were in first grade, we were at the HS school football game.
You noticed an older lady sitting by herself a few rows back and got up and went and sat by her and talked to her.
After the game, she expressed so much appreciation to your mom and me for you.
You made a huge difference in that Lady’s life by being yourself, and I wouldn’t be surprised if you even remember the incident.