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"Influencer takes you on a fascinating journey from San Francisco to Thailand where you'll see how seemingly 'insignificant' people are making incredibly significant improvements in solving problems others would think impossible..."
"No matter who you are, or what you do, you'll never learn a more valuable or important set of principles and skills. Once you tap into the power of influence, you can reach out and help others work smarter, grow faster, live, look, and feel better, even save lives. The sky is the limit...for an Influencer."
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A servant of the Lord must not quarrel but must be kind to everyone, be able to teach, and be patient with difficult people. Gently instruct those who oppose the truth. Perhaps God will change those people's hearts, and they will learn the truth. - 2 Timothy 2:24-25
Even though I am a free man with no master, I have become a slave to all people to bring many to Christ. When I was with the Jews, I lived like a Jew to bring the Jews to Christ. When I was with those who follow the Jewish law, I too lived under that law. Even though I am not subject to the law, I did this so I could bring to Christ those who are under the law. When I am with the Gentiles who do not follow the Jewish law, I too live apart from that law so I can bring them to Christ. But I do not ignore the law of God; I obey the law of Christ.
When I am with those who are weak, I share their weakness, for I want to bring the weak to Christ. Yes, I try to find common ground with everyone, doing everything I can to save some. I do everything to spread the Good News and share in its blessings. - 1 Corinthians 9:19-23
"Few of us can stand prosperity. Another man's, I mean." - Mark Twain
"Few things are harder to put up with than the annoyance of a good example." - Mark Twain
"The man who complains about the way the ball bounces is likely the one who dropped it." - Lou Holtz
"The same fence that shuts others out shuts you in." - William Taylor Copeland
Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone. - Colossians 4:5-6
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I live in what may be one of the most culturally diverse communities in the world. More than half of the people living in my city were born in a different country. As someone who was born in Canada, is Christian, speaks English as his mother tongue and whose skin is only slightly darker than milk, I am truly a minority in my community.
The influx of many different cultures, languages, religions and food (my personal favorite!) is both a blessing and a potential threat to a country that already has a difficult time defining itself and its "native" culture.
** The following paragraph is for the benefit of non- Canadians; we who are Canadians already know this, but are often too embarrassed to admit it: Ask someone who was born and raised in Canada, and they will likely struggle to describe the Canadian identity beyond hockey, beer, Tim Hortons coffee, and being much more polite than Americans while travelling abroad.
So it doesn't surprise me much when native Canadians get a little jealous and resentful of these other cultures, especially when they seem to have a much stronger identity, bond and community presence. Sometimes it hurts to see foreigners quickly establish themselves and flourish in your environment while you've perhaps taken it for granted and missed opportunities that were right under your nose.
A new hospital is opening this month in my city. In July the local Sikh community organized an Akhand Paath at the hospital, for the hospital. It was a well-publicized and well-attended two-day event featuring continuous recitation of the Guru Granth Sahib, the Sikh holy scripture, from beginning to end.
As news spread of the upcoming Paath, some neighborhood Christians became upset that the Sikhs were allowed to hold such an event. Some felt that it should not be allowed. Some focused a significant amount of time and energy working and arguing against it.
Now, I can't very often claim to be a clear thinker or a stellar example of Christian conduct, but I think I got it right this time. My first reaction was to applaud the Sikh community for their expression of faith and concern for their community, and the hospital for their openness to allow people of faith to pray within their walls.
My second reaction was to call the hospital to see if they would be willing to host a similar event for the Christian community. Lo and behold, they were very receptive to the idea.
So, was the Akhand Paath a reason to get upset, or a reason to get inspired? Was it something to fight against, or something to emulate? Would the Sikhs be more receptive to Christians and Christianity if they were treated with contempt, or with admiration and love?
Ask yourself...
- What successes of other people, businesses, teams, countries, cultures or religions upset me?
- Why do they upset me?
- What might I learn and apply from them?
- What other opportunities do they reveal?
- Is my energy better spent trying to bash the perceived "problem" or working toward a "solution"?
Keep running for your prize,
Larry Hehn
PrizeFighter subscribers live in Albania, Argentina, Australia,
Cambodia, Canada, Denmark, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland,
Japan, Kenya, Malaysia, Mauritius, New Zealand, Nigeria,
Portugal, Serbia & Montenegro, Slovenia, South Korea, Sweden, Thailand,
United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom and United States!
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