Developing Yourself To Help Develop Others.

Out of all the definitions for the word “develop” I think I like this one the best.  It’s from Webster’s Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary and it reads, “To move from the original position to one providing more opportunity for effective use”. 

 

Over the last year, I’ve been trying to become "better" so I could be of better service to others.  I’ve read different studies and blogs by well known leaders and authors, all in an attempt at becoming “better”.  Why?  I'll tell you.

 

First of all, I want to be better person.  I thought,  if I become better, I can be a better teacher, a better leader and just an all around better guy.  Secondly, I want to help others.  The way I see it, the way I accomplish that is to better myself.  George Bernard Shaw said, "Those that cannot change their minds cannot change anything".  So if I want to help others change I must first change myself. 

 

How do you become better?  One way is to ask questions.  Without questions you’ll never get answers.  However, with some answers come the potential for more questions.  Dan Rockwell, author of the blog Leadership Freak, says, “If you can’t ask questions your people development skills are weak”.  That’s true.  If you can’t ask questions you won’t develop the skills needed to help others. 

 

J.D. Stroube said, “Life is filled with unanswered questions, but it is the courage to seek those answers that continues to give meaning to life".  What questions do you have?  Ask them!  The answer you get may be the answer you’ll need to help someone else. 

 

Another way of developing your self is to read.  According to Bruno Bettelheim, “The ability to read becomes devalued when what one has learned to read adds nothing of importance to one's life.”  

 

Dr. Seuss says, “The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go.”  

 

If we want to become a better person, pick up a book and learn from others experiences.  Learn how they developed plans and set goals, overcame obstacles that got in the way and achieved success.    

 

Lastly, don’t be afraid to fail.  Remember, you’re human.  You’re going to make mistakes.  Learn from those mistakes and keep going.  Don’t let it keep you from achieving your goal of getting better.  Rather, let it become a lesson on how not to do something or a reminder of what route you should or shouldn’t take. 

I like what Richelle E. Goodrich said about failure.  She said, "Many times what we perceive as an error or failure is actually a gift. And eventually we find that lessons learned from that discouraging experience prove to be of great worth.”   By learning from your mistakes you’re able to instruct others on what NOT to do.  Remember, the goal is to become a better you so in return, you’re able to help someone else.  That "failure" you had may turn out to be someone else's gift. 

It's time to make that step and be a better you.  In Stephen Richards book Think Your way to Success: Let Your Dreams Run Free, he says, “You are essentially who you create yourself to be and all that occurs in your life is the result of your own making.”   So, the question is...when do you start?
Let's Geaux!
 

You Just Have To Make It

This past Sunday morning our Pastor was teaching and mentioned a very common scripture.  Psalms 100:1 “Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all you lands.”  In his lesson, he said that the word “make” has a very distinctive meaning: to create.  I looked it up and the word is defined as a verb, to form something by putting parts together or combining substance; construct: create.  A second definition of make is, to cause something to exist or come about: bring about. 

That word, make, got me thinking.  What are we doing to form, put together, construct or create, to bring about a noise of joy for our God? 

In my research I found that there are many scriptures that include the words “make a joyful noise”.  However, not one of those scriptures includes having or being in a circumstance of joy prior to making said noise.  They all say make or create a joyful noise, and to me that would mean in spite of our circumstances or situations. 

Sometimes we let our dysfunctional circumstances get in the way of approaching God and actually receiving a great blessing, a blessing that could bring about change to our circumstance or situation, and in the long run, a change to our attitude and ways of thinking. 

We’re human and we’re going to have bad days, but we can’t allow those bad days to get in the way of the blessings God has for us. 

Have you ever heard the expression, “Praise your way through”?  That’s exactly what making a joyful noise is; it’s praise to our God. 

Stop and think about it.  As I’ve already mentioned.  Not one of the scriptures says that we must be in a joyous environment.  However, each one mentions making a “joyful noise”.  So what is a joyful noise?

Joyful defined means feeling, expressing, or causing great pleasure and happiness.  So when we make the noise, we’re not making just any noise, but one that has a tone of happiness, delight, cheerful and exuberant. 

Noise is defined as a sound, especially one that is loud or unpleasant or that causes disturbance. It’s also defined as a series or combination of loud, confused sounds. 

So how do we make a joyful?   I think we’ve got to go back and remember all the great things God has done for us.  Remembering what He’s already brought us through and delivered us from can bring about enough excitement that we’ll want to give him honor.  We’ll want to create, construct, form and bring about a sound of expression, feelings of great pleasure and happiness so loud and unpleasant that it disturbs God so much that He takes time to come see what we’re doing. 

Creating a noise is easy.  We can cry out, scream, beat pots and pans together, stomp our feet, get forks out of the drawer and bang them on the counter top, use wooden spoons and beat on the pots and pans we used earlier to clang together.  We can bang on the piano or strum the guitar, we can blow our trumpets and clarinets with such force that our cheeks hurt, or we can just talk. 

Talk?!  Yes, talk. Remember, you’re doing this FOR God.  Not yourself.  Make a joyful noise UNTO the Lord. 

When I looked up the word noise, one of the definitions used was to talk about or make known publicly.  Sometimes all we need to do in our approach to God is just talk to Him. 

This morning, I did just that.  I talked to God and reminded Him of all the blessings He’d given to me and my family.  I reminded Him of His promises and thanked Him for bringing us out of all of our bondage and sin and delivering us from so much junk that life had thrown our way.  I took the time to create, form, bring about sounds and expressing my feelings of appreciation and love of a God who has yet to fail me, and in the process of making my “noise” unto God, it disturbed Him enough that he came to where I was and comforted my soul.  My noise disturbed Him so much that He blessed me for making it. 

In the process of creating, forming, building sounds of expressions and feelings of appreciation, I received a blessing.  I wasn’t looking for one.  It just happened.  I wasn’t expecting one.  It was just provided. I was just doing what the scriptures says do and giving honor to a God that deserves honor. 

I don’t know where you guys are in life or what life has thrown at you.  I don’t know what kind of situation you’re involved or what circumstances you find yourself.  I do know, however, that the word of God is true, it’s without reproach and every promise mentioned in it is ours.  I do know that if we follow the word and do what it tells us to do; we can find our self more peace and joy.  We may not find our self in a more peaceful or joyous situation or circumstance; however, we will find a more peaceful and joyous attitude and mindset to help us endure whatever the situation or circumstance may be. 

Do you want more of the presence of God in your life?  Then today, right now, stop what you’re doing and do exactly what Psalms 100:1 tells us to do.  Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands.  You ready?  Let’s geaux!

Just my thoughts on a page….