Category: Culture
Wednesday Devotion
Framers and Polishers(1)
by Seth Godin
The framer asks the original question, roughs out the starting designs, provokes the new thing.
The polisher finds typos, smooths out the rough edges and helps avoid the silly or expensive error.
Both are important. Unpolished work is hardly worth doing.
Polishing is relentlessly reinforced in school and feels safe. Framing is fraught with risk and thus avoided by many. Too often, we spend our time on a little more polish, instead of investing in the breakthrough that a framer can bring.
Settle into a Posture that is comfortable for you to focus on yesterday, in your mind’s eye.
Remembering yesterday, for what are you grateful?
Remembering yesterday, for what are you not grateful?
Remembering yesterday, when did you feel most connected to God, to family, to your congregation?
Remembering yesterday, when did you feel most disconnected from God, from family, from your congregation?
Focusing on today, who needs you to remember them in prayer?
Focusing on today, who do you need to remember in prayer?
Close your time of remembering and focusing in a way that centers you for the day.
Emotionally Obsolete(2)
by Seth Godin
Innovations often succeed by creating obsolescence.
There’s functional obsolescenc
Functional obsolescence is almost always caused by interactivity–when files or cables or parts or languages don’t connect any longer, they become obsolete.
Far more common is emotional obsolescence. The rage you feel when an improved laptop is announced a week after you bought a new one is an example of this. Your old laptop does everything it used to do, of course, but one reason you bought it was to have the ‘best laptop’ and the launch of a newer model undoes that for you.
Modern architecture has made many existing office buildings emotionally obsolete, because they are no longer the trophies they used to be. A newfangled digital device for audiophiles doesn’t do anything to make old CD players functionally obsolete, but it certainly can shatter the illusion of sound perfection that a stereo lover who doesn’t own one may be experiencing.
Start by realizing that most people who buy a new innovation are not brand new to the market. They buy the new thing as a step up from an old thing. Most hockey equipment is sold to people who already play hockey.
It’s tempting to argue, logically and step by step, why your new product or service is better than the one that’s already on the market. It’s far more likely, though, that your story will resonate most with people who aren’t seeking functionality but instead were happy with the thing they had, but now, thanks to you, believe it has become obsolete. Our neophilia is a powerful desire, and buyer’s remorse is its flip-side.
Matthew 17:1-9 (NRSV)
Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and his brother John and led them up a high mountain, by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became dazzling white. Suddenly there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him. Then Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here; if you wish, I will make three dwellings here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” While he was still speaking, suddenly a bright cloud overshadowed them, and from the cloud a voice said, “This is my Son, the Beloved; with him I am well pleased; listen to him!” When the disciples heard this, they fell to the ground and were overcome by fear. But Jesus came and touched them, saying, “Get up and do not be afraid.” And when they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus himself alone. As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus ordered them, “Tell no one about the vision until after the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.”
Devotion
Pause and remember the people who:
You bumped into by accident;
Smiled at you for no reason;
Need you to remember them;
You need to remember for your own sake.
The Lord spoke to Moses, saying: Speak to all the congregation of the people of Israel and say to them: You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy. You shall each revere your mother and father, and you shall keep my sabbaths: I am the Lord your God. Do not turn to idols or make cast images for yourselves: I am the Lord your God. When you offer a sacrifice of well-being to the Lord, offer it in such a way that it is acceptable on your behalf. It shall be eaten on the same day you offer it, or on the next day; and anything left over until the third day shall be consumed in fire. If it is eaten at all on the third day, it is an abomination; it will not be acceptable. All who eat it shall be subject to punishment, because they have profaned what is holy to the Lord; and any such person shall be cut off from the people. When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap to the very edges of your field, or gather the gleanings of your harvest. You shall not strip your vineyard bare, or gather the fallen grapes of your vineyard; you shall leave them for the poor and the alien: I am the Lord your God.
You shall not steal; you shall not deal falsely; and you shall not lie to one another. And you shall not swear falsely by my name, profaning the name of your God: I am the Lord. You shall not defraud your neighbor; you shall not steal; and you shall not keep for yourself the wages of a laborer until morning. You shall not revile the deaf or put a stumbling block before the blind; you shall fear your God: I am the Lord. You shall not render an unjust judgment; you shall not be partial to the poor or defer to the great: with justice you shall judge your neighbor. You shall not go around as a slanderer among your people, and you shall not profit by the blood of your neighbor: I am the Lord. You shall not hate in your heart anyone of your kin; you shall reprove your neighbor, or you will incur guilt yourself. You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against any of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord. (Leviticus 19:1-18)
Silence and Reflect on Words or Phrases that Draw Your Attention
You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, Do not resist an evildoer. But if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also; and if anyone wants to sue you and take your coat, give your cloak as well; and if anyone forces you to go one mile, go also the second mile. Give to everyone who begs from you, and do not refuse anyone who wants to borrow from you.
“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your God in heaven; for God makes the sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers and sisters, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? Be perfect, therefore, as your God in heaven is perfect. (Matthew 5:38-48)
Silence and Reflect on Words or Phrases that Draw Your Attention
When I was young I went to the Magic Monastery, hoping to join. I expected to be questioned and asked to get letters of recommendation. Instead, the monk handed me a book. “Here, take this. It’s a blank book. Each day you can write down on one page what you have done that day that’s beautiful, worthwhile, noble. When you’ve filled the book that way, you can come back. We’ll look through it and see if we want to take you. And here — here’s a pencil for you — with an eraser.”
Well, I went home and set to work. Each day I tried to think of something beautiful, worthwhile, noble, to do. And at the end of the day I’d write it down, with some satisfaction. But, regularly, a few days later, or a few weeks later, when I’d reread it, it would seem so paltry. Then I’d use my eraser.
Well, that was more than thirty years ago. I’ve long since used up the pencil and worn down the eraser. And I gave the book away. How can I go to the Magic Monastery? They need me here. And I need them.
(Theophane the Monk, “Beautiful, Worthwhile, Noble,” Tales of a Magic Monastery, Crossroad, 1994, p. 62.)
Silence and Reflect on Words or Phrases that Draw Your Attention As Long As Time and Your Will Allows
May your day be beautiful, worthwhile, or noble.