Let's Hew You

Does this question seem familiar? For those into Holy Scripture, we will recognise it as a question asked about Jesus Christ. For all of us, regardless of our religious persuasion, haven’t we heard, or asked that question before? ‘What good can come out of that person, that place, that thing?’ Maybe, we’ve heard or asked the question that’s even more striking: ‘What good can come out of me?’

What good can come out of me? What good can come out of me at this age and stage of my life? What good can come out of me – I didn’t come from the right neighbourhood? What good can come out of me: I didn’t go to the right school? What good can come out of me: I was always struggling in school? What good can come out of me: I was never the one selected for opportunities at work? What good can come out of me?

May I venture that when you ask the question so many times, you are no longer asking, rather, you’re declaring? With each successive time that you ask the question, regardless of the situation, you are watering a plant that needs to be uprooted. And, believe you me, this is more aptly described as a weed of a question, because, before you know it, it will have overtaken the productive thoughts, the ones that enable your vision for yourself and your destiny.

I’m sure you’ve read the quotation below before in some form, or have heard it said.

How are you shaping your destiny or those of anyone else each time you ask the question: ‘What good?’ How are you limiting that destiny each time you think the words, ‘What good’?

I like the genesis: ‘your thoughts’.

Thoughts are the seeds that we plant along the way to our destiny. So really, this progression of statements is calling us to be utterly careful about the seeds we plant along life’s journey. The seed determines the plant, the plant determines the garden, the garden determines the crop, the crop determines the reward.

I like the starting point: ‘thoughts’ for there is NOTHING that we do that does not begin with a thought, howsoever mundane. We are being called to be painstakingly careful about every thought that is sparked in our minds, because it contributes to our destiny.

Seems ridiculous or impossible? Well, already, if that is your initial thought, you have just dropped another questionable seed into the garden of your destiny.

Friends, I challenge you to watch every single thought, because every single thought added to every other thought becomes your body of thoughts. And, well, if we follow the path set out in the quotation above, we know where our thoughts lead.

I hope I’ve given you some food for thought.

Peace, love and joy to you all.