Our Daily Leadership Message Scriptures and Quotes
Often times people give “go with the flow” as advice, and in some situations, this may be truly helpful. E.g. while you’re driving you definitely want to go with the flow, because if you were driving against the flow you would likely have a head-on collision.
This doesn’t make you a dead fish, in fact, it does the quite the opposite.
Obviously the above mentioned phrase is not intended for driving, so what does it mean?
Well, let’s look at the phrase “go with the flow” first. People who ‘go with the flow’ do what everyone else is doing, they wear what everyone else is wearing, have what everyone else has, does what everyone else does, eats what everyone else eats, says what everyone else is saying and thinks what everyone else is thinking.
That last part is what frightens me about people going with the flow. Do not allow others to think for you, even a large collective of others. Each person should think for themselves and therefore become incredibly individualistic.
Wearing unique clothing, saying their own words, thinking their own thoughts and arriving at their own conclusions.
So what’s a dead fish? Well for one it’s dead, and for the other, it’s a fish. So a dead fish wouldn’t really do much besides be eaten by other, living fish and float along downstream.
Don’t be a dead fish — ignore the flow.
Daily Scripture
Acts 10:34-35
So Peter opened his mouth and said: “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.
Acts 3:25
You are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant that God made with your fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘And in your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed.’
Isaiah 56:7
These I will bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer; their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples.”
Daily Quotes
- “Blessed are those who can give without remembering and take without forgetting.”
Bernard Meltzer
- “Reflect upon your present blessings, of which every man has many–not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some.”
Charles Dickens
- “Even a happy life cannot be without a measure of darkness, and the word happy would lose its meaning if it were not balanced by sadness. It is far better to take things as they come along with patience and equanimity.”
Carl Jung
Daily Storytelling Time
The two brothers
Once upon a time, two brothers who lived on adjoining farms fell into conflict. It was the first serious rift in 40 years of farming side by side, sharing machinery, and trading labour and goods as needed without a hitch. Then the long collaboration fell apart. It began with a small misunderstanding and it grew into a major difference, and finally it exploded into an exchange of bitter words followed by weeks of silence.
One morning there was a knock on John’s door. He opened it to find a man with a carpenter’s toolbox. “I’m looking for a few days work,” he said. “Perhaps you would have a few small jobs here and there. Could I help you?” “Yes,” said the older brother. “I do have a job for you. Look across the creek at that farm. That’s my neighboor. In fact, it’s my younger brother. Last week there was a meadow between us and he took his bulldozer to the river levee and now there is a creek between us. Well, he may have done this to spite me, but I’ll go him one better. See that pile of lumber curing by the barn? I want you to build me a fence – an 8-foot fence – so I won’t need to see his place anymore. Cool him down anyhow.”
The carpenter said, “I think I understand the situation. Show me the nails and the post hole digger and I’ll be able to do a job that pleases you.” The older brother had to go to town for supplies, so he helped the carpenter get the materials ready and then he was off for the day.
The carpenter worked hard all that day measuring, sawing, and nailing. About sunset when the farmer returned, the carpenter had just finished his job. The farmer’s eyes opened wide, his jaw dropped. There was no fence there at all. It was a bridge – a bridge stretching from one side of the creek to the other! A fine piece of work – handrails and all – and the neighbour, his younger brother, was coming across, his hand outstretched. “You are quite a fellow to build this bridge after all I’ve said and done.” The two brothers stood at each end of the bridge, and then they met in the middle, taking each other’s hand.
They turned to see the carpenter hoist his toolbox on his shoulder. “No, wait! Stay a few days. I’ve a lot of other projects for you,” said the older brother. “I’d love to stay on,” the carpenter said, ” but I have many more bridges to build.”
Everyday we have the choice of building fences or bridges. One leads to isolation and the other to openness.