Life | JonathanPearson.net

How to Ensure That You’re Never Stretched or Challenged

Want to live an easy life that involves sitting behind a desk or at home and doing absolutely nothing that makes any kind of real difference in the grand scheme of life or eternity?

Here’s the secret…

Do nothing and be around people that do nothing.

It’s really that easy. If you don’t want to be stretched, don’t ever try anything new…

You can have ideas, but never act on those ideas to try to make them a reality.
Have dreams, but never share them with anyone else that might push you to shoot for them.
Be around people that are just like you, not people that challenge your thinking.

Now, I know that you or I never one would really take this seriously,
we’d never admit that we didn’t want to do anything significant,
but I sure live like it some time.

I have great ideas, but I’m too lazy to follow them to completion.
Sometimes, I dream dreams, but I’m scared of the consequences of going for them.
I like people that are like me and that only build me up.

But that’s not what I’m called to do.
That’s not being a good follower of Christ.
That’s not being a good steward of ability.
That’s not being a good leader of self or other people.

Don’t be afraid of stepping out and trying what’s new.
Don’t fear what ‘might’ happen, anticipate what COULD happen.

Don’t be afraid to make an impact.
Don’t be afraid of being stretched.

What keeps you from stepping out? Fear? Comfortablity? What is it?

[For more about getting out of your comfort zone, read my post here.]

May 2012

POSTED BY Jonathan Pearson

POSTED IN

Blog, Encouragement, Life

DISCUSSION 5 Comments

Who Are You?

I found an interesting article on CNN.com the other day (found here). The article says,

More than a year ago, Steve Carter was browsing online and came across a missing children’s website. To his astonishment, after clicking through the pages, he found himself. What followed was a yearlong story of self-discovery.

The short story is that this guy discovered that he went missing as a child, but never realized it. He was really someone he didn’t even know he was.

Who are you?
Who am I?

I know what we like to answer. We like to think that we’re…

Kind
Loving
Humble
Gracious
Patient
Giving
Together
Faithful
Worry(less)
etc.

That’s what we display to the people we come in contact with throughout the day.

My real question, though, is who are you REALLY? What do you display?

Have we gotten so good at faking we’re someone we’re not that we’ve convinced ourselves of the same?

You see, I’ve noticed something about myself…
Until I realize and admit that I’m a lttle messed up, I can’t get any better.

So, who are you?

I’ll go first, I’m a little selfish and impatient.

{Note & Edit: Pierre brings up a great point in the comments… we ARE NOT defined by what we do, but our actions display what we mostly believe. So, maybe a better way of asking the question is.. What actions/attitudes do you have that fail to accurately display who you are in Christ?}

May 2012

POSTED BY Jonathan Pearson

POSTED IN

Blog, Life

DISCUSSION 13 Comments

Pictures in the Dark

I am not a photographer.

One of my hobbies, though, is taking pictures with my iPhone. When the opportunity arises or I see a good chance to get an Instagram photo, I’ll take a picture of just about anything in just about any situation. I’ve gotten fairly good at recognizing when a good time to take a photo pops up. One of the things I’ve noticed about taking the clearest picture…

The best pictures are taken on overcast days.

Contrary to popular belief and what I first thought, really bright and sunny days aren’t the best time.

Why?

Because the sun causes a host of problems with a camera (some of which can be turned into a positive if done correctly).

The best pictures are taken in overcast weather. The truest form of what the photographer is trying to capture is seen in overcast weather.

It’s true with us too.

When things aren’t bright, sunny, and happy go lucky,
our truest character shows through.

When things pop up that darken the world around us,
others see us in our truest forms.

Our character is seen in the times that things aren’t perfect,
not bright,
not clear,
not easy.

It’s times when things are difficult that we get to show what we’re really made of.

Use those times.
Use those times to show the Christ in you rather than the perfect context around you.
Use those times to grow stronger and be used more.

Don’t fear the overcast days,
show out in them…

Let Jesus shine through you during them.

[I read about taking iPhone photos on overcast days a few months ago here.]

Apr 2012

POSTED BY Jonathan Pearson

POSTED IN

Blog, Life, Tech/Social Media

DISCUSSION 17 Comments

3 Reasons Questions Are Better Than Answers

Everyone is looking for answers.

No matter who you are, what you do, or where you go, there are questions that you want answers to. Whether those questions are deep and thoughtful questions, or they’re just random “why doesn’t glue stick to the inside of the bottle?” type questions, we all want answers (Now you’re really wondering about the glue thing right?!).

But, what if questions are actually better than answers in some ways? What if questions are really what we all need?

Here are 3 reasons I believe having questions is sometimes better than having answers…

1. Questions push us to more. Answers make us think we’re done. – Think about it… once we get the answer, we’re done. We’ve discovered it. There’s no need to go further. When we have questions, however, we’re pushed to more, we’re pushed to keep going until we get the answer. It’s in the pushing for more that we learn so much more than just the answer to one question. It’s in pushing for more that we grow and discover the most.

2. Questions power humility, answers can end in pride. – If we’re someone that tends to have all the answers or know a bunch of stuff, it can cause pride to grow inside of us. Questions, though keep us humble. As long as there is a burning question in us, we never think we’ve discovered or become it all.

3. Questions force comradery with others, answers tend to isolate. – Asking questions causes us to seek out other people that we think may have the answer. We build bonds and relationships with these people in order to find our answer. If we have the answer, these relationships and desire to connect slowly disappear… we think we don’t need other people.

Always seek the answer, but never despise the question.

Why else would having a question be better than having an answer?

[For some random questions, including the glue one, check out this site.]

Apr 2012

POSTED BY Jonathan Pearson

POSTED IN

Blog, Leadership, Life

DISCUSSION 13 Comments

Is Our Smartphone Making Us Stupid Crazy?

According to Leslie Perlow’s upcoming book, “Sleeping with Your Smartphone: How to Break the 24-7 Habit and Change the Way You Work,” the mobile devices that many of us carry could be making us less productive and less happy in the long run.

According to this post that I came across a few days ago in the Harvard Business Review, people that put their smart phones down after hours actually end up being happier and accomplishing more in the long run.

I have to say, it doesn’t shock me. We live in a society that is so busy, it often slows us down. We can get so caught up in keeping up that we lose sight of what we should really be focusing on.

Whether you’re a…

leader
parent
pastor
student
Christian
teacher
assistant

there are certain things that are priorities for you,
certain things that you do and do best.

Sometimes, I think our devices and smartphones are more distractions from the priorities than productivity enhancers. Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for the devices and have an admitted addiction myself, but I think we have to be careful.

To not lose sight of what we’re really to do.
What we’re really for.

So in that way, maybe our smart phones aren’t making us crazy, just distracted.

What do you think? Are you more productive or less because of your smart phone? Is it a distraction? Let us know in the comments.