Useless Statement #1: "I Would Never Do That!"
Many wisdom teachers of many ages have taught their students this: "you cannot impose your personal standards of behavior on others." Jesus encouraged His disciples to "be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves." You can read many variations of this statement from Matthew 10:16 here . As I interact with others who may or may not share my world view -- and that is their right, by the way --, I must keep Jesus' directive in mind. When I keep His directive in mind, I never react foolishly or thoughtlessly because someone does something I would never do. Besides, it's a challenge to say what I would "never do." How can I know this? Also, no other person is under any obligation to do things my way. Only I am responsible to my own values. It is also my responsibility to be aware that others act from their knowledge, their priorities, and their perspectives. I can be a person of honesty and integrity in the middle of all of this. I can re...