day 607: Staying Grounded

"This regular reading will prevent him from becoming proud and acting as he is above his fellow citizens"

We all have to have something that keeps us grounded. We live in an age where business leaders can become rock stars. With a few successes we see leaders on the front page of magazines, newspapers and featured on TV shows. We are all human and it is hard to stay grounded when the acclaim and accolades come our way. This can happen even when we are just getting recognized by our boss or peers. We have to work to ensure that we don't let it go to our head and begin to think that we are above the rest of the people in the office. I have noticed over the years that the most humble of leaders will usually have a poster or sign in their offices reminding them they are like everyone else or reinforcing teamwork, etc. This visual statement of humility is not just for others, it is a marker for them to never forget who they are really are or where they came from. We are to be humble in our successes and not let ourselves think that we are above others or taken too seriously, especially by ourselves. We are given a great example of how to stay grounded in the book of Deuteronomy when we read the guidelines for a king in Chapter 17. Kings are told to keep the laws in front of themselves and with them on the throne to stay grounded.

As believers, to stay grounded, we can keep God's laws and God's Word with us at all times. And for this to work, we are told that "regular reading" is required. When it begins to feel like you might be taking it all too seriously or that you have allowed your actions and words to not be in touch with those who helped you get to where you are, then you are overdue to get back into God's Word. Preventive reading never hurts either. Let today be a great step forward in staying grounded.

Reference: Deuteronomy 17:20 (New Living Testament)

day 596: Just Who Do You Think You Are?

Arrogance, pride and hubris. The triple threat of career killers. I was at a presentation last week where the presenter was trying to be funny by putting down other people. The problem was that the arrogance he exuded was too true to his form and too real for the people in the crowd to think it humorous. There were few laughs. A title in our work life means much but it can also mean too much if we are not careful. Because we have letters before or after our names does not make us who we are. Those letters can define what we do, but should not define who we are. When let those get mixed up then our ego takes over and we are on the way to becoming someone we won't want to be. In the business world, these things catch up with us. We may be able to think more highly of ourselves than others for awhile but when the results falter, or we stumble, or we make the inevitable mistake, then we will find that those who we thought were below us, step aside and will not catch us. So, we have to constantly check our ego and check it at the door when we think we are getting too big for our britches. Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians, "I don't want anyone to think more highly of me than what they can actually see in my life and my message." How poignant and applicable to all of us. Let's take today and do a little checking to see where we are letting our egos run away on us, pull it back and be sure that we really know who we are.

Reference: 2 Corinthians 12:6 (New Living Testament)

day 27: Know It Alls

The last two days have been about creating harmony at work and what our responsibility is in making that happen. One way we can create disharmony is when we get on the wrong side of others because we think we know better, or worse yet, because we think we "know it all". Work is funny that way because most of the reward mechanisms are geared to always be ready to have an answer and if you don't know it all then there must be a problem. It is a hard thing at work to say, "I don't know". But, as we all know a "know it all" person gets pretty hard to deal with over time. Before long, there is no debate to be had with them and the "know it all" turns into the "always right". "Know it alls" also come across as having lots of ego and priding themselves over others. Romans 12:16 completes itself with Paul saying, "...And don't think you know it all". Paul understood that people who try and prove that know everything there is about anything and try to act intellectually superior will not be the people that others admire, look up to, or want to follow. This would not be a good way to be as an example of a follower of Jesus. If we are live in harmony as Paul has challenged us to do, then we need to check our egos and smarts at the door and recognize that others may have the answer too and that if we listen to them we will learn things we don't already truly know. Today, there will likely be a circumstance where you can either listen and let others express their position and thoughts or you can butt in and be the "know it all". When that challenge comes, see if you can hold back and then see if things don't feel more harmonious around you. You just might be surprised how it feels different.


Reference: Romans 12:16 (New Living Testament)