day 1302: What Is The Understanding?

 "Joyful is the person who finds wisdom, the one who gains understanding."

To understand something, you have to work at it. Sure, sometimes it comes easy and we will understand immediately, but in other cases to really understand all that there is, we have to dig to comprehend the whole subject and most importantly, the downstream ramifications of what may or may not happen from what is in front of us. I am amazed with people who can grasp something quickly and then apply that new found understanding to what they have in front of them now and for the future. To really understand a topic, a problem, a challenge or an issue, I think it takes the ability to look at something like you are looking through a prism. What goes in as white light ends up on the wall as many different colors. This is why to understand fully we have to be willing to take the time, energy and effort to listen intently, not judge on face value and to be self-aware that our own filters don't impeded or taint what is really going on. It feels like that we get this opportunity all day long, every day at our jobs. I worked on a project right that required the filtering of lots of different people's points of view to get to the heart of the matter, or to get to true understanding of the issues and the challenge. A casual observation would certainly yield a different result than what comes from digging in and giving extra time and attention. We should always seek to find the true understanding in whatever we do as usually much more depends on it than appears, like people's feelings, fragile egos, ulterior motives, etc.

There is another reason to try and understand understanding. We read this in Proverbs; "Joyful is the person who finds wisdom, the one who gains understanding." Having true understanding answers many things for us and when we have answers we find a peace and within that peace can then flow joy. It's hard to be joyful at times of consternation or turmoil. Today, if you are staring down a problem or challenge then do the extra work necessary to gain full understanding. Once you are there, it can only be much, much better than it is now.

Reference: Proverbs 3:13 (New Living Translation)

day 826: More Wisdom

"And this is what he says to all humanity: 'The fear of the Lord is true wisdom; to forsake evil is real understanding.'"

"That would not be wise" seems like an easier statement to make than, "That would be wise". We are braver to call something "not wise" as it takes experience and confidence to make the counter argument. In the business world we can watch these statements align with level and job title. At the top we hear more, "That would be wise" than we do further down the organization chart. In fact, I would go as far to say that the word "wise" probably doesn't show up in our vocabulary until well into our careers and until we are in positions of leadership and have been around the block a few times. The same can be said for businesses and how they relate to other companies within our industry or in a broader arena. I am reading Ron Suskind's book, "Confidence Men", and no where better can it be seen than when the financial "masters" gathered together during the financial crisis that there were those who could use the word "wise" and others couldn't. It's a fascinating dynamic in business to watch. Those who confidently and credibly can use the word "wise" early in their careers are few and far between and likely, if they are humble and true to a strong set of values and principles that they will not compromise, will end up in a/the big job someday.

God cuts through it all for us and tells us His own secret by telling us what is true understanding and wisdom. I love that He bluntly tells us that true wisdom is the fear of Him and to forsake evil is real understanding. At the most foundational level it is here that we can build the platform of our lives. When we seem to be floundering or swaying, let's return to our core and strengthen ourselves here first; with true wisdom and real understanding. From the core out comes all else. For us to be the strongest that we can be in the workplace with our work being truly purposed, the core must be strong. What better day than today to start strengthening.

Reference: Job 28:28 (New Living Testament)

day 825: Understanding

"But do people know where to find wisdom? Where can they find understanding? No one knows where to find it, for it is not found among the living."

"I just don't understand", says the new employee. The boss of the employee pauses for a moment and knows that she needs to slow down and take a few more minutes to clarify and reinforce the point, but she is busy, late for a meeting with her boss, and she just can't "afford" the time. So, instead of fixing a time to talk later or direct the employee to someone else, she says instead, "Don't worry about it. You and I can catch up on this later." And then she whisks off and the new employee who is excited and anxious at the same time about his new job, goes on about his job, doing what he can without really understanding what it is that he specifically is to do. If this scenario doesn't feel familiar then I would be surprised. Understanding is hard to get to and we take it for granted that others will understand and since it is so hard to get to an "understanding" we seldom go the whole way to nail it down once and for all. Understanding can be a competitive advantage if we just take the time to make sure that everyone truly does understand what to do, when to do it, and how to do it to a level of shared satisfaction.

We are told in Job that we can't find understanding and wisdom from the living. While this, on the surface, seems to not be so, when we consider a deep and true understanding and wisdom of our lives, we can see why this statement is true. This is why God gave us His Word. Written long before us by ones long gone, we can find the wisdom of God there. Each day, each of us, face a set of work and life challenges that we know if we had more understanding and wisdom that we would be able face these big and small things in a way that would allow us to conquer whatever is given to us. Before we take on today, let's take just a few minutes to ready and arm ourselves with His Word to move us through today.

Reference: Job 28:12-13 (New Living Testament)

day 637: Understand?

"A truly wise person uses few words; a person with understanding is even-tempered."

We speak. We listen. Others speak. Others listen. But when way too many conversations are over there wasn't a lot of hearing going on and worse, no understanding occurred. To understand is to allow oneself to have some empathy, to consider another person's feelings, and to give a little of our own point of view to get to a common place. When we hear without these things then we never reach a true level of understanding. And that is why it so often happens that we can all sit in a room, hear the same words and walk out with different understandings. If we could calculate the amount of time and energy that is put out in corporate America in trying to find clarity and understanding, after we thought it was already achieved, the productivity numbers would skyrocket. It's a simple but hard thing to achieve. So, how to be better at gaining understanding? Don't be afraid to ask the follow up question. Don't hold back on asking someone else to repeat back to you their understanding of a situation. And don't be impatient to taking a few more minutes to assure that everyone is on the same page before they leave the room. By the way, shared understanding the first time around is a real morale booster in a company. If the culture is one where people understand each other all the time, then that bodes well for it being a place where people will want to work.

To get to being an understanding person is to be as Solomon says, "even-tempered". This makes sense to me. If we are ones to get bothered easily, have a short-fuse, or fly off at the handle, then we certainly are not ones who will take the time to listen to the whole story or to hear out both sides of an argument. Being even-tempered is to be the type of person that others want to be around and who others will bring their challenges and problems. Being even-tempered can create an aura of calm, cool and collected, which will lead to many a question as to why we don't let our feathers get ruffled. That question is the perfect time to let the other person know that there are other things that are more important than the moment at hand. It is this moment that we can share the larger picture and the faith that we have. It may not always work out that way, but I do know that if we are the type of people who others tip-toe around there won't be many questions on how we got that way that will allow for our faith to be the good reason. Understand?

Reference: Proverbs 17:27 (New Living Testament)

day 400: Understanding Understanding

To understand something, you have to work at it. Sure, sometimes it comes easy and we will understand immediately, but in other cases to really understand all that there is, we have to dig to comprehend the whole subject and most importantly, the downstream ramifications of what may or may not happen from what is in front of us. I am amazed with people who can grasp something quickly and then apply that new found understanding to what they have in front of them now and for the future. To really understand a topic, a problem, a challenge or an issue, I think it takes the ability to look at something like you are looking through a prism. What goes in as white light ends up on the wall as many different colors. This is why to understand fully we have to be willing to take the time, energy and effort to listen intently, not judge on face value and to be self-aware that our own filters don't impeded or taint what is really going on. It feels like that we get this opportunity all day long, every day at our jobs. I am working on a project right now that is requiring the filtering of lots of different people's points of view to get to the heart of the matter, or to get to true understanding of the issues and the challenge. A casual observation would certainly yield a different result than what comes from digging in and giving extra time and attention. We should always seek to find the true understanding in whatever we do as usually much more depends on it than appears, like people's feelings, fragile egos, ulterior motives, etc. There is another reason to try and understand understanding. We read this in Proverbs; "Joyful is the person who finds wisdom, the one who gains understanding." Having true understanding answers many things for us and when we have answers we find a peace and within that peace can then flow joy. It's hard to be joyful at times of consternation or turmoil. Today, if you are staring down a problem or challenge then do the extra work necessary to gain full understanding. Once you are there, it can only be much, much better than it is now.

Reference: Proverbs 3:13 (New Living Testament)

day 134: Memo to Phil, Part 2: The Message From Afar

In the book of Philemon, Paul asks Philemon to take into his team a man named Onesimus. It is clear in the letter that Paul has some convincing to do before Philemon is going to say yes. Paul is not onsite at the time. He is far away and he is having to do this through a letter. Have you every had your boss ask something that could be a little controversial to you through a letter, a memo, a voice mail or an email? Of course you have. We all have. And if we are a boss, we have done it ourselves. It is impossible for a boss to be in all places at once so there are times where there is no choice because of travel, distance, time zones, or the need for speed, that the boss has to make a request not face to face or even live on the phone. There was an interesting article in the New York Times recently by Matt Richtel who was lamenting that our forms of communication are so reliable now that it has become implausible in fiction to have something happen to the characters because they couldn't connect or be late without updating each other. It is true, but even so, there are many times in the workplace where the communication doesn't come live and we have to accept requests or do things we don't want to do because the boss asks us from afar or through written communication. In the book of Philemon Paul does this but he does so in a way that gives Philemon the context he needs to understand why Paul couldn't communicate live. In verse one he says, "This letter is from Paul, a prisoner for preaching the Good News about Christ Jesus..." There is the context of why he can't be there to talk this through with Philemon live and hear out his concerns, thoughts and questions. Paul was in prison. I have been the one, as the boss, who has had to make these kinds of requests over email or voicemail and there were times that I certainly felt like I was in prison in a meeting, a conference, on a plane, or multiple time zones away. The point is that as we ask, or when we receive these messages, we should consider that the reason why the request is coming like it is, is many times critical in the acceptance or rejection of the message. Paul provides Philemon a context and reason that can't be argued. We don't always have such a valid reason, but whatever the cause that we can't be there, it is important to share it, and be honest. It might be that you as the boss had to put the priority of family first and you are sending an email from your son's little league baseball game. That's okay, just whatever, tell it like is is and the truth will be enough. Tough messages from afar are not easy to send or receive so take the time when you get one to consider the whole context, take a deep breath and then try and understand what is being asked or said. As we step through Paul's letter to Philemon in the coming days, we will see that Paul goes on to explain even more why this request and what good can come from listening and taking the perspective of understanding the whole picture before responding.

Reference: Philemon 1:1 (New Living Testament)

day 54: True Understanding

Certain people at work are the ones that everyone go to for advice, counsel and wisdom. Often when asked about why they go to the person they have chosen you will hear things like, "they just seem to understand me". Understanding others and situations is a true skill. Some can do it and most can't. The difference between the two is often the difference between whether or not one can stop, listen and then intake the information and put it in context to the other person's situation. That seems easy, right? We should all be able to do that. If it was so easy then we wouldn't look left and right at work and think about all of those people who have their own agendas and are constantly only looking out for themselves and who only care about their own opinions and point of view. Those that have true understandeing of others can put themselves in the shoes of others and walk that mile plus in their shoes. If you want to be someone who can understand others and be someone that others seek out for advice and counsel and someone who others think of as a real team player, then I suggest we all can start with the advice in Proverbs 18:2; "Fools have no interest in understanding, they only want to air their own opinions". True understanding starts with the subordination of our own opinions and allowing ourselves to be placed in a state of empathy and caring about others that allows us to internally squelch our need to be the one with our own opinions before they are shaped by the condition of others. We as a believers have the ultimate example of One who came to earth and walked in our shoes so that He could share in the experience of man. To be one who truly understands we need to put ourselves in the place of others. We get there through listening, slowing down and walking with others in their shoes, and by constantly checking our own egos and opinions. Work needs more people like this. Perhaps, you are to be one for your office.


Reference: Proverbs 18:2 (New Living Testament).