05
Better Late Than Never
Posted by | Posted in Inspiration | Posted on 05-01-2007
CONGRATULATIONS! You showed up for day number 5 of this “year of firsts.” Did you arrive late like I did today? Matters not why you’re late. I’m not going to waste your time asking. Besides, you know yourself better than anybody else except God. What’s more important right now is the fact you made the effort to get up and followed through to finish what you started. So, don’t minimize each of your accomplishments. Matters not how large or small, because last year, you wouldn’t have showed up at all. Quick question. How many of you would still be in the bed tossing and turning like a door on a hinge or simply having a pity party because you failed to get up on time? Was today your first failure during this “year of firsts”? Probably not. I’ve had many already. If only you knew what it took just to get this site up and running by January 1, 2007.
Don’t forget the primary goal for right now — get up and show up everyday. Showing up “consistently” is a major accomplishment for many great people. If “discipline” isn’t your issue, be a source of encouragement to your team members who still struggle to show up daily. You’d be surprised how many great people struggle with what may seem effortless for you. Don’t get it twisted. Showing up on time is extremely important. There’s plenty of time for us to work on that together as we walk together in peace. Besides, the team needs the power of your presence right now. For now, just keep taking the first step until showing up consistently replaces the bad habit of not showing up at all. For those of you who didn’t show up today, relax. Nobody’s is waiting to yell or scream at you. Nobody is going to fire you. Life happens. Traffic happens. Flat tires happen. Little children who aren’t potty trained happen. Computer breakdowns happen. So let’s not major in the minors. Can we agree to only deal with the real underlying issues you used last year to justify why you didn’t show up today this year? I’ll still love you just as much today as I did yesterday.
Ask yourself, “why didn’t I make the effort to show up anyway?” Did you simply assume that it didn’t matter to the rest of the team if you arrived late? Can it be that you thought some authority figure would be angry that you arrived late? Can it be that perfectionism is your particular challenge? You’re not alone. Most of my adult life, I struggled with overcoming my perfectionistic tendencies until I realized that keeping my word mattered more than showing up late. Are you one who notices the mistakes before you notice the meaning of the message? If so, you’ve already seen most of my mistakes. I thank God my empathetic, albeit nonsense, mentors always loved me enough to simply say, “Better late than never,” or “We’re just glad you made it.” How refreshing.
As I grew older and wiser, which took a lot longer for me than most of you, it suddenly dawned on me what these great women and men really meant by that statement. No matter what happens, “Finish What You Started.” Besides, isn’t it still true during such a treacherous season as this that a great person is only as good as his or her word? So relax. If you’re willing to forgive me for doing the same thing you did today, let’s just move on since I’ve already forgiven you. Besides, don’t we all still need a safe place to go or a soft place to lay our heads during those dark days and lonely nights when all appears lost? I know I do. No wonder an infant will eventually die without meaningful access to a tender touch from another human being with lots of love in their hearts to give. Can it be that the reason why one too many grown women and men cry themselves to sleep at night when nobody else is watching except God? Even Jesus wept so don’t feel bad if cried yourself to sleep last night.
For those of you who don’t already know, a night does not always last for a “literal” night but for a “metaphorical” season. Whether the night you endure and survive lasts 24 hours, or 24 days, just know this too shall pass. Been there before. Done that too many times. In the meantime, while your gifted souls turn in the crucible of Adversity’s refining fire, please learn to trust God without reservation until the divinely designed purpose for your dark night of the soul is revealed. To avoid what is commonly referred to as “proof-texting” to “prove a point,” please read a verse of Scripture in the context of the place where God’s Word resides in the Bible you’re using. Let no man, nor woman, deceive you. Study God’s infallible Word for yourself until you know the truth that will make you free based upon personal knowledge and first-hand information.
Although I may disappoint you and let you down this year, Jesus Christ never will. Since God is the only perfect Friend I know, it only makes sense to have as many quiet talks with the Counselor as possible while in my secret place on bended knee. Have you ever heard it said that if plain sense makes good sense, why seek any other sense?
Oh! Did you remember to bring your dictionary today? If you didn’t, please feel free to use the GOOGLE search bar at the top of the Home page. Acuity is the word for you to incorporate into your personal and professional conversations. How did you like yesterday’s word? God willing, imagine just how many words you’ll use for the “first” time by December 31, 2007. May the peace of God be with you until we meet again.
© Copyright 2007 by Roderick O. Solomon. All Rights Reserved.
