The Totem Pole Of Emotions And Attitudes

THE TOTEM POLE OF EMOTIONS and ATTITUDES

By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com Some fodder from Dr. Gary Brackett

TOTEM POLE:

a tall wooden pole that is carved and painted with symbols, figures, mask that represent family linage position or level.

The order of rank of importance? The lowest rank or less importance is placed at the bottom, each carving above is ranked more important...

Zechariah 4:10 For who hath despised the day of small things? for they shall rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel with those seven; they are the eyes of the LORD, which run to and fro through the whole earth.

OFTEN OUR WORK WILL BE DETERMINED BY THE TOOLS WE USE.

SEEMS MANY WANT TO DO THE MINIMUM AND EXPECT THE MAXIMUM POTENTIAL.

The more work you do

TOTEM POLE: order of rank. The lowest rank or importance is placed at the bottom, each carving above is ranked more important...

a tall wooden pole that is carved and painted with symbols, figures, mask that represent family linage position or level.

Proverbs 27:17 (KJV) Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.

LET US CONSIDER WHY PEOPLE GET STUCK AT THE BOTTOM OF THEIR TOOTEM POLES?

WE SEEM TO HAVE A LOST ART OF LISTENING UNDERSTANDING AND LISTENING...

James 1:19 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:

James 1:19 (MSG) Post this at all the intersections, dear friends: Lead with your ears, follow up with your tongue, and let anger straggle along in the rear.

HEAR ME? WE LIVE IN A DAY OF FROZEN COMMUNICATION LINES...

MANY SPEAK, FEW LISTEN...

What do you hear? When I taught school I would often include lesson about LISTENING SKILLS!

I would hand out a very difficult written test. I told the students several times: READ THE DIRECTIONS ON THE TEST and follow the directions.

I had someone hand out the test. Then I told the students one more time. Follow the directions. You may now begin. Almost immediately the complaining started? This is hard? We never studied much of this material? The test was hard.

The written directions on the test said: Do not say anything. Fold this paper in half, write your name on the outside and wait until everyone completes the test and you will receive 100%, A +.

The directions stated: IF YOU ANSWER ONE QUESTION YOU FAIL: F.

You would not believe all the raised hands about how hard this test was, complain, complain.

One, as each student brought the test to the desk I placed F on the paper...

THE DIRECTIONS WERE CLEARLY WRITTEN: ANSWER NO QUESTIONS. FOLD THE PAPER AND WRITE YOUR NAME ON IT.

GOOD LIFE IS ABOUT COMMUNICATION AND LISTENING...

Someone said: I AM AFRAID TO LISTEN? I might not like what I hear.

Me thinks the most dangerous relationship is where people refuse to understand and refuse to LISTEN and follow directions.

TO REALLY LISTEN AND COMMUNICATE REQUIRES MUCH MORE THAN HEARING FACTS... THERE IS BODY LANGUAGE, VOLUME, EMOTIONS. Did you know eyes can talk?

Life much more than just facts! GOOD COMMUNICATION INVOLVES THE HEART.

President Theodore Roosevelt was a man of action and good listener and he appreciated this

quality in others also. Once at a gala he became bored with the stiff mindless pleasantries. So he began to greet people with a smile, saying, I murdered your grandmother this morning,” Most people were so nervous about meeting him never really heard what they said. However, one diplomat did hear and responded, I am sure she had it coming!

The only way to live a good life and maintain good attitudes is to be a good listener.

DO WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT ATTITUDES AND CHOICES AND HOW OUR ATTITUDES, WORDS, BEHAVIOR, REACTIONS AND ACTIONS BECOME TOOLS TO SELF DESTRUCT OR BUILD STRONG FOUNDATIONS?

SOLOMON HAD A DIVINE VISITATION --- WHAT DO YOU WANT?

1 Kings 3:5 In Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night: and God said, Ask what I shall give thee.

WILL OUR ATTITUDES AND WORDS PLEASE GOD?

LET US AGREE WE NEED SOME GOOD TOOLS IN THE DAYS IN WHICH WE LIVE...

1 Kings 3:9 Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people? 10 And the speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing. 11 And God said unto him, Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself long life; neither hast asked riches for thyself, nor hast asked the life of thine enemies; but hast asked for thyself understanding to discern judgment; 12 Behold, I have done according to thy words: lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee.