The Alphabet of Us: Z is for Zeal… June 1st, 2015

   Jonathots Daily Blog

(2599)

All human beings possess a heart, soul, mind and strength. Nothing of any true significance can be achieved unless this is understood.

“Be careful.”

I think it’s safe to say that all parents mouth that sentiment at least a thousand times to their child from birth to high school graduation.

It’s sound advice if it’s defined correctly and backed up with suitable examples. What we’re really trying to tell our offspring is to be smart.

But sometimes it’s not smart to tread carefully.A greater danger sneaks into the picture, creating a fuzzy outlook on life. Because careful can easily become cautious.

The difference between careful and cautious is that careful is a profile to be ready for trouble and cautious is a decision to look for it.

Ultimately, caution tends to lead the over-protected soul into a pathway of suspicion. And of course, when you think that everything or everyone is out to get you, you not only miss out on many blessings, but eventually something or someone does get you–merely to mock your defenses.

Here is the truth of the matter–human beings cannot live without passion. Even if we become passionate about being suspicious, we are still engaging ourselves in an active profile.

So without abandoning the position of being careful, how can we unleash the energy of our faith and talent into the world around us?

Zeal.

• “I am ready.”
• “I am not hesitant.”
• “I am not fearful.”
• “I also am not stupid.”
• “I’m ready to believe that something good can come my way.”

Without zeal, we become encumbered by conspiracy theories and absorb the available doom and gloom in the room.

As careful leads to cautious, zeal opens the door to zealous. Matter of fact, the Good Book tells us to be zealously affected by a good thing. Zealous is when we take our “ready” status, select a favored cause and become excited.

I’m not completely sure what the Father in heaven dislikes, but I will tell you–He is deeply enthralled with human beings who are excited.

Zealous contains two important parts:

1. “I believe it’s possible for something good to happen.”

2. “I believe I’ve found it.”

Zealous is the opposite of cautious.

It is walking into a room knowing that you’ll be looking for a light switch instead of cursing the darkness. This culminates in the word “zealot.”

It is most unfortunate that this word has such negative ramifications. Actually, a zealot is someone who is committed and has become excited because he or she is ready for something good to happen.

We can’t live our lives like pre-teen girls who see a small spider in the corner of the bedroom and spend the rest of the night believing that hairy-legged varmints are crawling all over them.

Zeal makes us ready to be zealous, excited about possibilities, which gives us the opportunity to become committed zealots–chasing down a miracle that will change our world.

The producers of jonathots would humbly request a yearly subscription donation of $10 for this wonderful, inspirational opportunity

***************************

NEW BOOK RELEASE BY JONATHAN RICHARD CRING

WITHIN

A meeting place for folks who know they’re human

 $3.99 plus $2.00 S&H

$3.99 plus $2.00 S & H

 

G-18: Fellowship or Companionship … April 4, 2014

Jonathots Daily Blog  

(2194)

It’s not enough

I don’t know how to tell you

You have given me so much

I value your love

I treasure our relationship

I feel you inside me

I am thrilled with my work

I am enthralled by my home

I adore the creatures around me

If perfect is possible, then here it is

At my fingertips

In my pulse

Yet sadly, my friend, it is not enough

I simultaneously feel a vacancy and a sense of shame over the lack

I really tried to make a go of it

I felt as if work, fellowship and purpose should be sufficient to my need

I was wrong

I do not want to lie to you

I do not want to sneak away in a corner and pretend

I yearn for companionship

What is that?

Someone to hold in my arms

To confirm my presence

Someone to share blessing and blame

Someone for me to pleasure, and in turn, draw my pleasure from

Someone who disagrees, but remains

Someone who is like me but in a different sort of way

Someone who is sometimes stronger

Sometimes weaker

Honestly, someone who isn’t you

Someone who is, well … me

I don’t want to complain

But it is not enough

 

The producers of jonathots would humbly request a yearly subscription donation of $10 for this wonderful, inspirational opportunity

Click here to get info on the “Gospel According to Common Sense” Tour

Please contact Jonathan’s agent, Jackie Barnett, at (615) 481-1474, for information about scheduling SpiriTed in 2014.

Murdering Conversation… December 19, 2012

(1,734)

“How was your birthday?”

I know I’m going to hear that. It’s why I should be prepared.

I often watch with fascination as we meticulously and ardently murder basic human conversation. We have come up with these new responses to questions which could lead to communication but instead we quickly slam the door on that option.

For example, how was my birthday?

“It was all right.” (There’s a dagger…)

“It was okay.” (Pure conversational poison…)

“Oh, I don’t like birthdays.” (A bullet in the brain…)

We think acting uncaring, unfeeling and unattached to excitement is a way of expressing that we’re just “muddling through somehow” and therefore are brave adults. It’s horrible. I think it masks an avoidance of reality or an ongoing objection about how events are playing out.

In other words, we want to demand of life that it give us many more thrilling options before we will give up our praise for the outcome. So we have the classic Mexican stand-off. Life stubbornly proclaims that we have gotten all we’re going to get, so deal with it, we screaming back that “unless you cough up more lottery winnings, we have no intention of being engaged, let alone enthralled.”

It makes people boring. We should not really be boring. After all, we have five senses. One sense should be enough to make us explode with anticipation. Five should make us delirious with happiness. Bur we medicate our emotions, murder conversation and put a lid on zeal, cautioning people that we require a certain amount of miraculous evidence about the goodness of life before we will apply our seal of approval on the activity.

This is why most churches would like to talk about worship instead of praise. Worship can be done with a forlorn countenance, mumbling some words, acting very somber and reserved. Praise demands that we alert all five of our senses and emit adulation.

If you want to cease being accused of first-degree murder of conversation, there are three things you should pepper into your dialogue every day which encourages further discourse amongst the brethren:

1. “I screwed up.” If you want to get someone’s attention–and respect–tell them how you messed something up. It doesn’t make you look stupid, it makes you look powerful that you know the difference between mediocre and better.

2. “I learned something.” Once again, you will astound the masses by using your brain to acquire knowledge rather than merely pouting over the dismal nature of your affairs.

3. “I did good.” Not okay. Not all right. Not even so-so. I attempted something, it became difficult, I saw it through, completed it and now feel fulfilled.

These statements bring conversation back from the dead. They make people want to talk to you. They include the balance of humility and victory. Don’t become a human drone, silently on your way to explode on the next enemy who dares to cross your path and disagree with you.

Stop murdering conversation. The punishment for such a crime is to be thrown into prison–a jail cell where you’re stuck with only yourself to talk to.

The producers of jonathots would humbly request a yearly subscription donation of $10 for this wonderful, inspirational opportunity