2021-02-25
Spreuke 20:5 NLV
Die stigter van IBM, Thomas J. Watson, het gesê: ‘Stel jou idees bloot aan die gevare van omstredenheid. Sê dit wat op jou hart is en vrees die etiket van ‘eksentriekebid, malkop’ minder as die stigma van konformiteit. Elke keer wat ons in IBM vooruit beweeg het, was dit as gevolg van iemand wat gewillig was om ‘n kans te waag, sy kop op ‘n blok te sit en iets nuuts te probeer.’
Baie van ons het goeie idees wat nooit êrens heen gaan nie. Uiteindelik moet jy jou lysie verminder na die idee wat die beste vir jou is. Dis nie maklik nie, maar dis nodig. Begin by voor die hand liggende idees wat nie kan werk nie as gevolg van die begroting, tydsberekening of ‘n gebrek aan hulpbronne. Vervolgens, sit die idees wat goed is, maar nie jou spesifieke probleem oplos nie, eenkant. Tydsberekening is alles en sommige goeie idees is net hulle tyd vooruit. Hou dus ‘n lêer met idees en kyk volgende jaar weer daarna.
Hier is egter ‘n waarskuwing: Wanneer jou sirkel van raadgewers jou help om goeie idees te genereer, maar jou nooit dit sien uitvoer nie, sal hulle belangstelling verloor. Die Bybel sê: ‘…So is die geloof wat nie dade word nie, ook dood’ (Jakobus 2:26 NLV). Verbind jouself dus tot ‘n lewe van kreatiwiteit, oorspronklike denke en aksie!
As jy aanhou doen wat jy nog altyd gedoen het, sal jy aanhou kry wat jy nog altyd gekry het. Dink anders! Moenie jouself te ernstig opneem nie! As ‘n idee nie uitwerk nie, moenie uitmekaar val nie. Merk dit van jou lysie af en beweeg na die volgende idee. Op ‘n sekere stadium mag jy ontdek dat jou goeie idee – inderwaarheid ‘n Godgegewe idee is. Wanneer dit gebeur, verander dit alles!
Sielskos: Gen 24:1-25:18; Matt 18:10-20; Ps 58; Spr 6:12-15
Proverbs 20:5 NLT
Not all good ideas are immediately apparent, especially when we’re working with God. Often, because we’re lacking God’s perspective, the ideas that He gives to us can seem impossible or simply strange. Albert Einstein is believed to have said: ‘If at first the idea is not absurd, there is no hope for it.’
It can sometimes feel a little like that when we’re following the mysterious plans of the Holy Spirit. Some of the most important events in the Bible could only happen because people were willing to work with seemingly absurd ideas from God – Noah built an enormous boat and filled it with animals. That ended up being the key to repopulating the planet after a global flood (see Genesis 5-9). Moses used a staff to give an entire nation an escape route through the sea. That ensured the freedom of Israel (see Exodus 14). Mary, a virgin, listened and believed when God said that she was pregnant, and carried the baby through the stigma of being unmarried when people didn’t understand. That gave us Jesus, who saved the entire world (see Luke 1).
The lesson for us is that it’s worth chasing God’s voice and trusting Him when we hear it. Of course, we should still exercise common sense, matching up what we think God is saying with what we know of Him. 1 Thessalonians 5:21 talks about messages from God, and tells us to ‘test everything; hold fast what is good’. It takes practice and patience to learn to hear ideas from God, but once we step into it, we can find ourselves in places we never expected.
Gen 24:1-25:18; Matt 18:10-20; Ps 58; Prov 6:12-15
2021-02-24
Proverbs 24:6 NLT
Solomon wrote, ‘The wise are mightier than the strong and those with knowledge grow stronger and stronger. So don’t go to war without wise guidance; victory depends on having many advisers’ (Proverbs 24:5-6 NLT). You might not personally be responsible for sending armies into war, but chances are that we all have something going on that we have to have a ‘battle plan’ for. These verses are our reminder that we shouldn’t try to take anything on alone. God has built us to work together.
Think about 1 Corinthians, where Paul explains how we all have different strengths and gifts, how we all fit together to make something wonderful, like parts of the human body fitting together to make the whole. He finishes his analogy by saying, ‘you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.’ (1 Corinthians 12:27 NIV). No single one of us has every skill that we need to accomplish the tasks in front of us. We are each a part, not the whole body. It’s natural and right that we need to look to other people for ideas and input to be truly successful. But we need to make sure that we listen properly when others present their ideas to us.
Romans 12:16 tells us to ‘live in harmony with each other. Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all!’ (NLT). It can be so damaging to our relationships with others if we dismiss their ideas or input without showing consideration. On the other hand, when we show respect for someone’s ideas, it can be the start of an equal, productive, collaborative relationship.
Gen 20-23; Matt 18:1-9; Ps 53; Prov 6:9-11
Spreuke 24:6 NLV
Daar is wyse en ervare mense rondom jou wat gewillig is om jou te help, kom dus gereeld met hulle byeen en hou ‘n dinkskrum. Maak seker dat almal betrokke weet dat daar geen beperkings, grense of begrotingsbeperkings is nie. Die doel is om alles op die tafel te kry. Jy weet nooit wat jou volgende groot idee is nie, moet jouself dus nie beperk tot wat jy dink tans moontlik of bekostigbaar is nie. Maak ‘n lys van die idees wat julle genereer en nommer hulle. Dit sal help wanneer jy teruggaan om hulle te hersien, sowel as om jou ‘n idee te gee van hoeveel idees uitgedink word.
‘n Ander voorstel is om ‘n bord op die muur te hang waar mense hulle idees kan skryf of teken soos dit by hulle opkom. Dit hou mense aan die beweeg, idees aan die gang en momentum vorentoe. Dis ‘n forum waar kritiek nie toegelaat word nie. Onthou, as iemand jou ‘n idee gee wat jy simpel of onmoontlik noem, is die kans goed dat dit die laaste idee sal wees wat jy van hulle kry. Wie weet, hulle idee mag dalk die groot een wees wat die probleem oplos, die deur oopmaak en vir jou ‘n toekomstige strategie gee.
Nog ‘n woord van raad: Beperk jou dinkskrumsessies tot ‘n uur of so. Alfred Hitchcock het geskerts: ‘Die lengte van ‘n rolprent moet direk verwant wees aan die uithouvermoë van die menslike blaas!’ Dis beter om korter sessies te hê, mense se tyd te respekteer, hulle vir hulle insette te bedank en dan te gaan dink oor wat julle bespreek het, voordat julle later weer bymekaar kom.
Sielskos: Gen 20-23; Matt 18:1-9; Ps 53; Spr 6:9-11
Proverbs 24:6 NIV
Solomon said, “Strategic planning is the key to warfare; to win, you need a lot of good counsel” (v. 6 TM).
There are wise and experienced people around who are willing to help you, so get together with them periodically and brainstorm. Make sure everyone involved knows there are no limits, boundaries, or even budget constraints. The purpose is to get everything out on the table. You never know what your next big idea is, so don’t limit yourself to what you think is possible or affordable right now. Keep a list of the ideas you generate, and number them. That will help when you go back to review them, as well as give you some sense of how many ideas are being created.
Another suggestion is to hang poster board on the walls and have people randomly write or draw their ideas on it. It keeps people moving, ideas pumping, and momentum marching forward. And this is a forum where criticism isn’t allowed. Remember, if someone gives you an idea and you call it stupid or unworkable, chances are, it will be the last one you get from them. And who knows, their idea may have been the big one that solves the problem, opens the door, and gives you a future strategy.
Another word of advice: Limit your brainstorming sessions to an hour or so. Alfred Hitchcock famously quipped, “The length of a film should be directly related to the endurance of the human bladder!” It’s better to have shorter sessions, respect people’s time, thank them for their input, then ruminate on what you’ve discussed and get together again later.
Soul food: Gen 20-23; Matt 18:1-9; Ps 53; Prov 6:9-11
