Book by Sheena Iyengar
Titus 2:6-7a
Similarly, encourage the young men to be self-controlled. In everything set them an example by doing what is good. . . .
I wish this dual walk was more linear. You know, get the inner life in order and only then, venture out into the world. But it’s not like that. We must live in both worlds at the same time and apply what is learned within along the way. I suppose the ideal is reaching a point when the inner and outer lives are meshed into one and they operate seamlessly. Good is no longer a choice but a state of being. God is good.
Instead, I must remain conscious and aware; I must choose to be good.
The other day, I went to the optician to order new glasses after several years of wearing the same frames. To be honest, the idea of changing my appearance so drastically was a little daunting. I even thought about bringing a friend or one of my teenagers to help me pick out the frames. But then, I knew, if I did that, I would muddy the waters of my decision-making. Fortunately, I had the best optician. He helped me pick a small group of frames, six or so. Then, I sat down and he presented me with two. Between those two, I had to choose one. And so forth, from one pair of choices to the next. It was hard but doable.
And then it occurred to me this morning that “doing good” is very similar. I can’t make a global choice to do good, but as my day unveils, I can handle choosing between two possibilities.
Our culture overwhelms us with the cereal aisle of choices and it’s difficult to know which way and which one. Many in the current generation of teens and twenty-somethings are frozen by the panorama of options. They live in a country where anything is possible, or at least, this is what they have been taught. But they haven’t been taught how to choose along the way.
I am no better. Historically, I have been a “Jill of all trades” and the master of none.
Today, I will bring the array down to a manageable level. And as I look at those choices today, I will ask myself, which one is good.
Meditations from Zion 
Irm, are you a counselor? You should be! One of my “personality problems” is that I’m so global. Like you, I see it all, start one thing, get sidetracked by another and wind up completing nothing. What a great strategy for deciding what is best! Narrow it down to the 2 best choices and pick one! (And ignore the rest? I’m seriously asking.)
I used to think I could be a counselor but I’m not very good at breaking complex ideas down into learning moments. But thanks.
As to your question, believe me I still struggle with this too. But I’m getting better.
When I took the Enneagram some years ago, I was appalled that I came up as a “7.” On one side it was fine and great — I was described as the life of the party, funny, and quick. But the down side, I was described as very “surface” and unwilling to delve deeper. Now, unlike the MBTI, the Enneagram gives some suggestions for change. And for me, it meant taking, that is, choosing SOMETHING, jumping in and sticking with it, the long haul. In some ways, this is how the meditations blog evolved, along with my very slow, intentional study of the New Testament.
The key for me was realizing (and believing) I wasn’t losing the other things; I put them on a back burner. And as opportunities to pick them back up again would come along, I could choose again then.
All of this would work out so much better if I didn’t have to earn a living. LOL.
Irm
[…] April 22, 2011 by irmbrown Photo by Mike DykstraHow often do we need to remind someone? In my house, we must remind teenagers every day (and more than once a day) to clean the cat box, empty the trash, and put the dishes in the dishwasher. And how many more times if we added, “choose what is good today.” […]