Wise Guy Trumps Brennan Manning
I know I said I'd be sharing more about my recent retreat, the one featuring Brennan Manning and Michael Card.
And I will.
But I spent some time with Wise Guy today ... and it always does my heart good. So, Wise Guy trumps Brennan Manning.
The first thing I do when I get to Wise Guy's office is to check out his white board. What words, phrases, math equations are written up there in red or blue or green marker? I try to decipher the hidden meanings on my own. When I can't, I cry, "Uncle!" and Wise Guy steps in to help unravel the mysteries of the white board.
Today there was 2 plus 2 equals 12 written on the board. Wise Guy said he'd left it up there from the last time I'd visited just to see if it caught anyone's attention. If you read this blog post you know the significance of that math equation. (If you haven't, go ahead and read it now. I'll wait.)
All done?
The whole thing about 2 plus 2 equals 12 (in my world) while 2 plus 2 equals 4 ( in your world) depends on the x factor--that unknown variable that makes me come up with 12 and you come up with 4.
But Wise Guy made an important observation today. It's so simple I almost overlooked it: It's not about math.
I was sorta', kinda' boasting about how I managed to do a blog post with math in it--and get it right. This is a major accomplishment for me. But this is also so not the point.
I need to take the concept and apply it to my personal relationships. It's not about math, Beth. It's about people--the people I love and care about and want to be in relationship with. But sometimes that's hard because their 4-mindset irritates my 12-mindset. (And vice-versa, I'm sure.)
Wise Guy isn't about helping me do the math.
He's about helping me do life.
Just Thinking Out Loud Here: We Accidental Pharisees can get so caught up in conquering the process that we overlook people. I can be so concerned about every jot and tittle--that's Old Testament-speak for dotting my i's and crossing my t's--that I miss how I'm doing with my husband, my children, my friends, my family.
Wrong answer.
And I will.
But I spent some time with Wise Guy today ... and it always does my heart good. So, Wise Guy trumps Brennan Manning.
The first thing I do when I get to Wise Guy's office is to check out his white board. What words, phrases, math equations are written up there in red or blue or green marker? I try to decipher the hidden meanings on my own. When I can't, I cry, "Uncle!" and Wise Guy steps in to help unravel the mysteries of the white board.
Today there was 2 plus 2 equals 12 written on the board. Wise Guy said he'd left it up there from the last time I'd visited just to see if it caught anyone's attention. If you read this blog post you know the significance of that math equation. (If you haven't, go ahead and read it now. I'll wait.)
All done?
The whole thing about 2 plus 2 equals 12 (in my world) while 2 plus 2 equals 4 ( in your world) depends on the x factor--that unknown variable that makes me come up with 12 and you come up with 4.
But Wise Guy made an important observation today. It's so simple I almost overlooked it: It's not about math.
I was sorta', kinda' boasting about how I managed to do a blog post with math in it--and get it right. This is a major accomplishment for me. But this is also so not the point.
I need to take the concept and apply it to my personal relationships. It's not about math, Beth. It's about people--the people I love and care about and want to be in relationship with. But sometimes that's hard because their 4-mindset irritates my 12-mindset. (And vice-versa, I'm sure.)
Wise Guy isn't about helping me do the math.
He's about helping me do life.
Just Thinking Out Loud Here: We Accidental Pharisees can get so caught up in conquering the process that we overlook people. I can be so concerned about every jot and tittle--that's Old Testament-speak for dotting my i's and crossing my t's--that I miss how I'm doing with my husband, my children, my friends, my family.
Wrong answer.
Labels: doing the math, people versus process
posted by Beth K. Vogt at
12:30 AM
2 Comments:
12:30 a.m. ????
Awesome how you are able to use my confused ramblings as ingredients to produce a pleasing meal -- with ambiance, no less!
"Out there", right and wrong (answers) reign. In my little corner, we are satisfied with progressing from good to better to best.
By
WiseGuy, At
May 8, 2008 at 8:29 AM
"Out there."
Is that another name for the kingdom? As in, "Seek first his kingdom ..."
Still following you because I know you've got the roadmap!
By
Beth K. Vogt, At
May 8, 2008 at 9:26 AM
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