How Long?

When interviewing, a question that comes up quite often and I'm sure is lied about quite regularly is this ~ "Tell me about a failure in your life."  Nice! I'm here to impress you with my qualities and you want to know how much of a loser I am.  Well, here goes another job offer down the tubes.

One of my many failures came out in a review I once had.  This boss of mine told me that my biggest problem is that I hold on to people too long. "When people don't produce for you, cut them off sooner" he said.  I'm not sure if I have this problem because I want my people to succeed or if I don't want to fail. 

Over the years, being in contact with many different kinds of employees, I see characteristics that irk me.  Some because they remind me of quirks I can't get rid of in myself and some because it causes me trials....more work, more discipline, more confrontation.  When I look at the situation as their fault, the irritation worsens and not only is the problem not solved, I become a problem as well. Comradary becomes worse, my attitude begins to affect other things I do...how I handle situations and relationships.  And certainly this fault thing doesn't help my progress with said party.

Compassion becomes another option.  Wanting to see someone succeed gives an outward goal......something else to focus on rather than worry about poor, poor me.  Many times people are waiting for an arm around the shoulder or a kick in the butt to give them the motivation they need to move on to the next level.  The ability to watch someone grow and develop is exciting.  Unfortunately, growing and developing isn't always the outcome.  Yet, in the battle, many positives about this person surface because my heart wasn't blinded by my self-centeredness.  The time may come, however, for some people to move on and have this mentoring process continue elsewhere. 

Often I look at these situations and wonder if the placement of these people in my life were there for their betterment or for growth in my life.

How long do I hold on?  Always a good question to ponder.

Deception

Jerusalem, a few hills in valleys surrounded by mountains....The Valley of Vision.  A surge from the enemy was imminent.  The people don't care, they want to party.  The powers to be try to refortify the city, however, they forgot one thing....God.

                                          Isaiah 22:11
                                               "...but you did not look to the One
                                                who made it, or have regard for the
                                                One who planned it long ago."
                                            vs. 12
                                               "The Lord, The Lord Almighty called you on
                                                that day to weep and wail, to tear
                                                out your hair and put on sackcloth"

There was nothing but joy and revelry.

In these days, do I try to console, comfort and make peace with all kinds of Evil in an effort to have fun and frivolity and convince myself all is going right?  Do I profess a certain sort of sexuality and whittle away at God's creation and call something that is impossible, possible so I can afford manipulation of my fancies or fantasy's?  Do I eliminate life and pronounce things as nothing to assure my revelry is not interrupted?  Do I oppose just cause so I don't tweak my tender self-esteem?  All this in a false effort to protect this "Valley of Vision" from certain disaster? 

God does not want my fake solutions nor my clever calculations.  He wants me to weep and wail for mercy, put on sackcloth of humility, tear out my hair of self righteousness and walk His path....live His life.

Sin is ramping up and do I really care?  It seems that the higher the ladder of sin goes the more rungs I can climb without being noticed.  It gives me a chance to revel without a pointed finger.  I must be careful then, not to be sucked into this vacuum of sin. 

I am no different than Jerusalem of old, but I had better listen and learn or:

                                       Isaiah 22:14
                                            "...till your dying day this sin will not be atoned for."

Is everything really fine?  Do I just rely on my perceived immensity or do I choose to follow Christ?

Whether I like it or not, I am in the Valley of Vision.  I will be watched.  I may be persecuted. No matter the price, I must caution myself against this evil that surrounds me.  Beware, God won't stand for deceivers...or the deceived.