Kevin Stilley

Archives for June 2011

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Half Full or Half Empty?

Consider the following account,

“… one study had college students form two lines, go into rooms with people pouring water into glasses. In one room the experimenters said “Please drink this half full glass of water.” In the other room, “Please drink this half empty glass of water.” Of course, the glasses contained exactly the same amount of water.

“Now comes the interesting part. The groups then entered another room where they were asked if they wanted more water. Yup, no half full or half empty just would you like more water.

“Anyone want to guess the outcome? I’ll bet most of you were right. The “half empty” contingent was thirstier than the “half full” folks.” (Source: Sylvia Lafair)

Do you think that there is anything that leaders can gain from this study when it comes to communication strategy?

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Spiritual Wellness?

I received an article this morning that made me raise my eyebrows. In it the author shared her definition of “spiritual wellness.”

“We each have our own, individual spiritual journey, and Spiritual Wellness deals with how we seek meaning and purpose in life, our connection with the universe, and a relationship with a higher power, if we so choose. You can explore Spiritual Wellness as part of a faith-based community, but it’s not necessary. Spiritual Wellness means clarifying your beliefs and values so that you can truly live by them.”

Isn’t that just a warm, fuzzy, “spiritualized” version of existentialism in which you create meaning for yourself by knowing what you believe? What if your beliefs are wrong, are you still well?

If person #1 believes A, and person #2 is firmly committed to not-A, are they both still “well” because they both have clarity about what they believe?

It amazes me that people will apply a whole different set of criteria for spiritual wellness than they do for other kinds of wellness. Assume a scenario in which my car is not functioning properly. I take it to two different mechanics and one tells me that I need a new gas filter, but the other tells me that I need to put sugar in my gas tank and that will give me a sweet ride. Is their advice equally valid if I have clarified my belief that they are right and live by those beliefs? Will my car be “well” if I put sugar in the tank just because I believe that is the right thing to do and live by my belief?

No one would presume to believe such foolishness. But when it comes to spiritual beliefs it seems that there are many who jettison all common sense and spout nonsense such as that in the article I received.

“We each have our own, individual spiritual journey, and Spiritual Wellness deals with how we seek meaning and purpose in life, our connection with the universe, and a relationship with a higher power, if we so choose. You can explore Spiritual Wellness as part of a faith-based community, but it’s not necessary. Spiritual Wellness means clarifying your beliefs and values so that you can truly live by them.”

What utter nonsense. Would I have physical wellness if I believed that the key to health was a diet made up entirely of Snickers Bars and Pixie Stix? If I clarified that belief and can truly live by it?

Just as there are positive and negative treatments for my ailing car, and positive and negative treatments for my ailing body, there are also positive and negative treatments for my ailing soul. And, contrary to what the quoted statement says, it is not the individual who determines what will provide meaning, purpose, and “spiritual wellness”, it is God who determines what provides meaning, purpose, and “spiritual wellness.” I am grateful that the God who determines what provides meaning, purpose, and spiritual wellness has shared clearly with us how we can be spiritually well.

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Idolatry – select quotes

As we have seen, an idol is any desire that has grown into a consuming demand that rules our hearts; it is something we think we must have to be happy, fulfilled, or secure. To put it another way, it is something we love, fear, or trust.
~ Ken Sande, in The Peacemaker: A Biblical Guide to Resolving Personal Conflict, Updated Edition (Grand Rapids, Baker Books, 2003) pp. 109

Rabbi Simeon ben Yohai and his Disciples entered a town.  Some beautiful women passed them.  Rabbi Simeon lowered his eyes and siad to his Disciples: “Turn ye not unto the idols.” (Lev. 19:4)
~ The Talmud, Zohar, iii, 80

The amassing of wealth is one of the worst species of idolatry, no idol more debasing.
~ Andrew Carnegie

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Dale Carnegie – select quotes

Any fool can criticize, condemn, and complain – and most fools do.

Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all.

Remember, happiness doesn’t depend on who you are or what you have; it depends solely on what you think.

You can make more friends in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years of trying to get other people interested in you.

Believe you will be successful and you will.

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Curiosity – select quotes

Every man ought to be inquisitive through every hour of his great adventure down to the day when he shall no longer cast a shadow in the sun. For if he dies without a question in his heart, what excuse is there for his continuance.
~ Frank Moore Colby

A faith without curiosity is like a seed that does not grow. Indifference is farther from faith than doubt or rebellion.
~ Peter Kreeft

Only the curious will learn and only the resolute overcome the obstacles to learning. The quest quotient has always excited me more than the intelligence quotient.
~ Eugene S. Wilson

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