Weekly Thought – June 4, 2019
Fred enjoyed people who were interested in him, but not curious about him. His questions are a way of expressing that without being invasive. Many of the questions he asks in the mentoring section of the leadership library are helpful for personal evaluation. Here are several with Fred’s casual responses which give you insight into his thinking. He sat down as we threw the questions to him and responded from his deep well of experience and thinking.
June is a month for our schools to begin summer schedules. Join with us on the prayer network as we lift them up before the Lord.
Probing Questions
1) Question: What irritates me? Fred: Small talk and wasted time are two major irritants. And to be frank, I probably have an ego irritation when I feel I have been under-appreciated. This is wrong, but it is true. There is always the irritation of incompatible associates. In my experience, love solves the rub of these irritants.
2) Q: What situations make me feel insecure? Fred: Fortunately (and thankfully) my belief in the gifts I have been given enhances my confidence. When I was young I had no social or educational advantages, but I knew God had given me the ability to think, to communicate, and to network (even before I had any idea what that meant). An evangelist believed in me and said, “Fred, take the gift God has given you, and use it, and you will stand before great men.” That was his paraphrase of Proverbs 18:16. As long as I stay within my gifts I have confidence. I am sure if I wandered randomly outside those areas, I would experience insecurity. Another key: when I feel small with God, I feel confident. When I feel large without Him, I am insecure.
3) Q: What do I do to be liked? Fred: I had much rather be respected than merely liked. When I am respected I can be a leader while just being liked makes me pleasant to be around, but doesn’t really qualify me for leadership. I am eager for certain people in my life (special friends, family) to like me, but I am fortunate to have little or no need to be liked by a great number. I defined myself to myself and that has supported me through periods of favor and disfavor. I found liking myself in key areas of my life and respecting the way I am growing is important – much more than the opinions of those who may not really know me. Self-respect is critical to my health. One additional thing: When I die I want my family (especially my children) to love me, not need me. I want the relationship to be one of mutual respect, not their dependence on me.
This week think about: 1) How would I answer any of these questions if asked? 2) Which question triggers some self-evaluation? 3) How am developing my ability to ask questions?
Words of Wisdom: “When I feel small with God, I feel confident. When I feel large without Him, I am insecure.”
Wisdom from the Word: “When the queen of Sheba heard about Solomon, she came to challenge him with difficult questions.” (1 Kings 10:1 NET Bible)