I can't tell you how many interesting thoughts and emotions the movie "The Social Network" evoked in me. For starters, I felt very dumb. Yes, very dumb. Well, I guess that is all relative, right? (Very small/big, compared to what?)
I watched this young man, now multi-billionaire at twenty something, founder, creator and programmer of Facebook (how socially revolutionary it has become and how intricately complex it is) through the movie and I was pretty awed, to say the least. I admired his smart, automatic banter, his mechanic transfer of thought to action, etc.- it is a movie, but there are people like this. Of course I realize that many more complex and significant inventions have been created- but this movie triggered my next self-reflective series of thoughts.
So, interestingly, it evoked a curious type of envy in me. Hmmm! Where did that come from? I am not an envious person in any respect of the word, but seriously- if I must be honest- I felt somewhat overwhelmed by my raw thoughts at the moment. "I wish I were smarter", I thought to myself. I immediately was confronted with a notion of "Pride of Life" which is a concept that I am currently reading about in Dr. Gary Smalley's, "Change your Heart, Change your Life" (postings of review will follow shortly, -its great so far) Immediately, I thought of how we, as a society, pride our selves in self-induced accomplishment- and subsequently, pride over it, competition.. and so on. My realization that I was battling pride grounded me.
Then, I thought, yes of course, but what if I could help to move along God's Kingdom in a more significant way (using my art)- because I was able to conjure up a complex way of doing so through automatic and intuitive synoptics and neurological chain of events that would lead to brilliant plans, ideas, organizations, concepts, social mobilizations blah, blah, blah.... oh I went wayyyy off on a huuuuugge tangent (for a brief moment- again- thank God- only brief.)
In that moment, I had failed to recognize that God has it all planned out, and that if it is in His perfect will for me to accomplish something of greatness, or even of subtle interest- for a purpose, then it will happen. Only God would make it happen. So back I went and of course was convicted of the fact that pride of life once again reared it's ugly head.
Just then, to snap me out of it- just in the nick of time (I was wasting some serious energy thinking about all of this- and quite honestly feeling a little defeated) Sooo... just in the nick of time, I felt the voice of reason, God's voice from within me saying, "You're intelligent enough".
Ha! Is that like attractive enough? or pregnant enough? I'm being so candid because it is amusing to me just how much I had to fight off the thoughts of pride that were trying to invade me. God and I have interesting dialogues, too, as you can see- with a lot of reverence- of course (I just figure, He knows it is in my heart, so I will exchange my thoughts in prayer and conversations with Him - it appears more pure to me that way).
So "Intelligent Enough" stuck in my head for a little while as I played with the notion and tried to be satisfied with it. The epiphany hit me: I wanted to be more intelligent to make more contributions, to seem more important to do what- detract attention and credit from God???
'Intelligent Enough' became my saving grace, I am designed exactly as I am supposed to be, have been equipped and will continue to be equipped in just the way God intends (with my passion and perseverance for Him coming into play, of course) and I know- and knew that! <not quite sure what took over my mind for that lapse of reason>.
I am 'Intelligent Enough' to do exactly what I am designed for and brought into this world to do- nothing more, nothing less.
Now, what we do with our potential is our will, but has nothing to do with lack of natural resource, or even circumstantial resource or lack of it, because after all we are also placed strategically in time and place, by our Creator.
I found this thought process to be one that helped me to grow in confidence and taught me to be satisfied with me, my life, my purpose, and God's perfect vision for the world. My contributions past, present, and future, little or big, are only because of Him and only for Him. In my weakness, I am strong, because it is He who is acting, moving, thinking, and doing through me. What I do, independently of him is truly insignificant and meaningless, as our great Solomon says in Ecclesiastes about our toils under the sun. Specifically in Ecclesiastes 12:13, he sums it up, "Here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear [remaining in awe of] God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man".
Good conversation, Lord- thank you!
Be blessed! Be Inspired!
I watched this young man, now multi-billionaire at twenty something, founder, creator and programmer of Facebook (how socially revolutionary it has become and how intricately complex it is) through the movie and I was pretty awed, to say the least. I admired his smart, automatic banter, his mechanic transfer of thought to action, etc.- it is a movie, but there are people like this. Of course I realize that many more complex and significant inventions have been created- but this movie triggered my next self-reflective series of thoughts.
So, interestingly, it evoked a curious type of envy in me. Hmmm! Where did that come from? I am not an envious person in any respect of the word, but seriously- if I must be honest- I felt somewhat overwhelmed by my raw thoughts at the moment. "I wish I were smarter", I thought to myself. I immediately was confronted with a notion of "Pride of Life" which is a concept that I am currently reading about in Dr. Gary Smalley's, "Change your Heart, Change your Life" (postings of review will follow shortly, -its great so far) Immediately, I thought of how we, as a society, pride our selves in self-induced accomplishment- and subsequently, pride over it, competition.. and so on. My realization that I was battling pride grounded me.
Then, I thought, yes of course, but what if I could help to move along God's Kingdom in a more significant way (using my art)- because I was able to conjure up a complex way of doing so through automatic and intuitive synoptics and neurological chain of events that would lead to brilliant plans, ideas, organizations, concepts, social mobilizations blah, blah, blah.... oh I went wayyyy off on a huuuuugge tangent (for a brief moment- again- thank God- only brief.)
In that moment, I had failed to recognize that God has it all planned out, and that if it is in His perfect will for me to accomplish something of greatness, or even of subtle interest- for a purpose, then it will happen. Only God would make it happen. So back I went and of course was convicted of the fact that pride of life once again reared it's ugly head.
Just then, to snap me out of it- just in the nick of time (I was wasting some serious energy thinking about all of this- and quite honestly feeling a little defeated) Sooo... just in the nick of time, I felt the voice of reason, God's voice from within me saying, "You're intelligent enough".
Ha! Is that like attractive enough? or pregnant enough? I'm being so candid because it is amusing to me just how much I had to fight off the thoughts of pride that were trying to invade me. God and I have interesting dialogues, too, as you can see- with a lot of reverence- of course (I just figure, He knows it is in my heart, so I will exchange my thoughts in prayer and conversations with Him - it appears more pure to me that way).
So "Intelligent Enough" stuck in my head for a little while as I played with the notion and tried to be satisfied with it. The epiphany hit me: I wanted to be more intelligent to make more contributions, to seem more important to do what- detract attention and credit from God???
'Intelligent Enough' became my saving grace, I am designed exactly as I am supposed to be, have been equipped and will continue to be equipped in just the way God intends (with my passion and perseverance for Him coming into play, of course) and I know- and knew that! <not quite sure what took over my mind for that lapse of reason>.
I am 'Intelligent Enough' to do exactly what I am designed for and brought into this world to do- nothing more, nothing less.
Now, what we do with our potential is our will, but has nothing to do with lack of natural resource, or even circumstantial resource or lack of it, because after all we are also placed strategically in time and place, by our Creator.
I found this thought process to be one that helped me to grow in confidence and taught me to be satisfied with me, my life, my purpose, and God's perfect vision for the world. My contributions past, present, and future, little or big, are only because of Him and only for Him. In my weakness, I am strong, because it is He who is acting, moving, thinking, and doing through me. What I do, independently of him is truly insignificant and meaningless, as our great Solomon says in Ecclesiastes about our toils under the sun. Specifically in Ecclesiastes 12:13, he sums it up, "Here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear [remaining in awe of] God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man".
Good conversation, Lord- thank you!
Be blessed! Be Inspired!
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