Question: What do Ben Franklin, Mark Twain, Albert Einstein, Henry Ford, and the Bible all have in common?
Answer: Credibility!
If you want someone to go along with what you are saying or to find your thoughts creditable, all you need to do is say, “To quote” insert Ben Franklin, Mark Twain, Albert Einstein, Henry Ford, or the Bible then continue with whatever it is you want people to believe. Then watch it spread like a wildfire, and faster than the speed of light. Why? Because who would not want to come across as well learned? We have so much confidence in what we are being told we do not fact check. We don’t investigate what we are hearing and learning until it’s too late. We would hate to discover the people we follow and admire are liars or at least misinformed. Unfortunately, truth is not defined by a perception of credibility, a confidence in a person’s repetition and/or education, nor the belief in another’s good intentions. Truth is not subject to your cause or purpose.
Something is true because it is true.
It has been quoted that Franklin, Twain and Eistein each originally said, “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.” But if any of them said it, no one can find the account.
I believe we repeat our failures because we forget and do not learn from our misery. What do we forget?
We forget the shame, embarrassment, financial loss, pain, and the humiliation we suffered. We forget the time we lost. We do not remember the friends we alienated. We don’t remember the look in the eyes of our loved ones. We forget how our actions hurt our family. We do not recall how much energy, or money it took to restore ourselves and others. When we forget the emotional, physical, and financial anguish we inflict on ourselves and others, we will repeat our failures or we duplicate the poor choices of others. An ultimately, we fail to remember that God is grieved by our ungodly choices.
“And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.” Genesis 6:6 KJV
WE BRAKE GOD’S HEART WHEN WE SIN! That should be all the motivation we need for change.
We must always remember the devastation of our actions. We must never forget the grief that our fathers and mothers actions have caused.
“For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin [is] ever before me.” Psalm 51:3 KVJ What is always before him? The pain of his actions! The death of his child! The hurt in God’s eyes!
Many believe forgiveness means forgetting the past. That’s forgetfulness. They are different! That pain is what keeps us from making the same mistake again and again and again! That’s why some people do the Carolina Reaper Challenge, ONCE! You don’t forget the pain. And others would never do the Reaper challenge because they have learned from the pain of others.
We learn not to touch poison ivy from our first experience. Or if lucky we get the benefit of learning about other people’s experiences about poison ivy. That way we never have to experience the itch. The itch is real! Why don’t we learn from our sin? We don’t remember!
I believe we repeat poor choices because we forget the pain, or we welcome misery. When we recall failure, we can learn from it! We must always remember what actions cause joy and which one’s sorrow. I have made it a choice to remember my wife’s tears! I will not forget my actions that hurt my wife! I will not forget the actions of other people who have hurt my wife, so I will not repeat their actions! I will not forget the conduct that grieves the Holy Spirit! I will not forget my shame! I will remember my embarrassement! So that way I will not repeat my sinful actions!
We need to remember the joy of being pleasing in the eyes of God. We must be motivated by the feeling of pleasure that doing good deeds causes.
“Make me to hear joy and gladness!” Psalm 51:8a
I want to always hear the sound of joy and gladness in the voice of God! In the voice of my wife! In the voice of my children! In the voice of my community! In the voice of my heart! I want to hear God say, “Well done!”
I will always hold on to the grief I have caused others, not as a badge of courage, I post then to my wall of shame! Every time I hurt myself and other, whenever I hurt God, I post those events to my wall and do not forsake the hurt. I remember the pain of my sin! I remember the pain of my elders’ sins! I recall the sorrow caused and I have resolved to be a part of the solution!
I will never forget the heartbreak, so that I will never repeat the offense!
What will change in our lives if you always remember the feelings of shame, hurt, embarrassment, humiliation, grief, sorrow, turmoil that we have experienced because we have sinned and the sins of others against us? If we remembered, how much pain will we avoid? How much would we experience the joy of God rejoicing over us?
God is not like us! He does not forget the pain and shame we cause him! He remembers the hurt when we have failed to follow his instructions. But through our acknowledgement of our transgressions against both people and God, through our repentance and lifestyle change to reflect the joy of God and good deeds I believe he will forgive us!
Remember He is God and he is also our Father!
“ADONAI descended in the cloud, stood with him there and pronounced the name of ADONAI. ADONAI passed before him and proclaimed: “YUD-HEH-VAV-HEH!!! Yud-Heh-Vav-Heh [ADONAI] is God, merciful and compassionate, slow to anger, rich in grace and truth; showing grace to the thousandth generation, forgiving offenses, crimes and sins; yet not exonerating the guilty, but causing the negative effects of the parents’ offenses to be experienced by their children and grandchildren, and even by the third and fourth generations.” Exodus 34:5-7 Complete Jewish Bible
We repeat the sins because we forget the negative effects of our actions. I have decided to remember my shame, so that I do not repeat my sin! I want to experience the mercy, compassion, grace, and forgiveness available in The True and Living GOD!
Torah Road 