January 26, 2019
All people possess inherent greatness—a capacity to make the world a better place for themselves and others. But everyone does stupid things from time to time. Some people make stupidity a habit, sabotaging their potential greatness. Sometimes the stupid things people do cause minor inconveniences; sometimes they cause great pain and suffering.
I’m a person, so I’m capable of greatness, but occasionally I do stupid things. I’ve had bad habits and I’ve hurt people, but I try hard to avoid such failures. I want to make the world a better place with more love, kindness, goodness, etc., and less pain and suffering. I strive to educate myself on how to make the world a better place for myself and everyone I come in contact with, but I still fail and do stupid things.
This perspective on people, myself included, shapes my attitude toward others. Everyone around me does stupid things. I try not to judge them. Recognizing that I’m right there with them and that I probably don’t even realize most of the stupid things I do, keeps me from looking down on them with anger or superiority in my heart.
If everyone believed in their own potential for greatness and strove to make the world better for everyone, with the understanding that we all fail and do stupid things, life on earth would improve dramatically.
The Bible doesn’t use the same language I do, but you can find this philosophy in scripture.
Greatness in people:
o Genesis 1:27 “God created mankind”
o Genesis 1:31 “God saw all that he had made, and it was very good.”
Stupidity in people:
o Jeremiah 17:9 “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure.”
o Romans 3:10-11 “There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands.”
Humility:
o Leviticus 19:18 “Love you neighbor as yourself.”
o Philippians 2:3-4 “In humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.”
So, the bottom line for me is my attitude. I live with an awareness that I can do great things. I’m also aware that I’ll make a lot of mistakes, just like everyone else. I keep on doing my best without judging myself or anyone else harshly.