SHINING LIGHTS

Dave continued on the subject of light: He told me, “Do you know that many people fail in life because their central focus is on what they HAVE, and not on what they really ARE?”

I said I didn’t understand, and he continued in his most amusing manner: “If your focus is on what you have or don’t have, your effectiveness in life could be limited due to either inferiority complex or pride.

I mean, you get depressed and feel inferior when you think you don’t have enough to measure up with your contemporaries, and others around you. And on the other hand, you could be over-ambitious and full of pride when you realize you have more than others.

The Real You…

“My most amazing discovery so far was when I realized I could really influence the world by what I AM, rather than what I HAVE. No wonder Jesus said, ‘You are the light of the world!’

That is to say, it is not the multiplicity of our gifts or the dexterity of our skills that keeps the world going, but the positivity of our attitudes and the simplicity of our motives which are the essential ingredients.

“The Greek origin for light is Phos, which means “to reflect’ or ‘to illuminate’. That is why you have been wired and packaged with the ability to positively affect lives through your thoughts, words and actions. And just as light must be seen and felt for maximum impact, you must consciously and deliberately strive to connect with, influence and positively impact your world.”

Let’s look at five (5) simple ways we can reflect our lights to our worlds:

LOVE…

A selfless love devoid of negativism is the panacea to solving the ills of the society, and the platform on which a fruitful leadership lifestyle is built. Bernard Siegel said, “The only way you can live forever is to love somebody – then you really leave a gift behind.”

INSPIRE…
One major characteristic of light is that it brightens the environment with sparkling rays! Hence, our light must be seen (reflected) for maximum personal effectiveness and quality. That is, your impact should be felt by people around you; you should make them receptive to your ideas so that they can feel the impact, be inspired to think, and motivated for positive actions.

GIVE…

I’ve discovered that in this fast-paced, jet–age world, people would rather take than give. But the most dangerous truth is this underlying fact about success: GIVERS NEVER LACK!
In fact, your success in life will be measured by the seeds you sow, rather than the harvests you reap. To live is the golden opportunity to give…

Watch out for the next part of this series, LITTLE LIGHTS.

Meanwhile, keep on shining as lights in your world!



Stephen


NB.
This is the second part of the LIGHT SERIES. Click on the links below to get the other parts:
Part 1- The Light Principle
Part 3- Little Lights
Part 4- Light-Bearers

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