⏱️ Your idea isn’t your identity
💡 2 THOUGHTS FROM ME
I. When someone is experiencing grief, loss, or suffering, it’s not about what you say—it’s about where you are.
You can’t change what has happened with words, but you can offer the most powerful message through your presence.
What people need to hear most is: You are not alone.
And words can’t say that, only presence can.
Often, the best thing to say is nothing at all. Just sit and be.
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II. When an idea becomes part of your identity, it’s easy to dismiss evidence that challenges it. To keep growing and learning, you must be willing to adapt, rethink, and reshape your sense of self.
One way to do this is by making openness to critique and feedback a core part of your identity.
For example, I am a pastor with strong theological convictions. However, I also strive to walk in humility and love the Truth. If I’m confronted with a challenge to a previously held belief and the new insights are both good and compelling, my commitment to truth must outweigh my desire to be “right.”
Be careful that your identity isn’t tied to the idea.
💬 2 HELPFUL QUOTES
I. Tim Keller on what your future self will think:
“Your future self will always see your present self as unwise and immature. That means you are currently a fool right now.”
II. David Starr Jordan on where people get stuck:
"Wisdom is knowing what to do next. Virtue is doing it. The gap between knowledge and action is where most people stay stuck."
📖 1 BRIEF BOOK REVIEW
A biography of the church reformer John Calvin. I was glad to read something like this to better understand who John Calvin was and learn more about the Reformation. However, this wasn't the most enjoyable read.
It is hard to fault the author, though. Much of Calvin's life until his 20s isn't well known. And while Calvin was a prolific writer, he didn't write much about his personal life or his internal thoughts and feelings.
That said, this biography read very much like, "This happened, and then this happened, and then this happened..." It was like a long news article sharing facts rather than telling a story.
I did learn a lot about John Calvin, but I had to work to finish it.
6/10
P.S. Is it cake?
