To Someone... Your Words Matter

Allen had lived a great life.  He had many achievements and accomplishments over the years.  He married his high school sweetheart at age 20 and shortly thereafter, they started a family.

He was involved in his community, church and several non-profit organizations.

Over the next 65 years, Allen served on various boards and became well respected around his town.  He started a business, hired employees and grew his business to a point where he could generously give back.  Not just with money but his time.

Allen was known for helping others.  He was flexible with his employees and their family schedules so they could tend to things that were important to them.  He strived to make a difference in people and believed that instilling a positive attitudes, respect and honor into his children, were the best traits he could leave them.

One day, in his late 80’s, Allen died.  Upon his ascent into heaven, he saw a large screen that appeared to be playing various movies.  As he got closer, he realized they were segments of his life, all playing at the same time, on one screen.  Each movie was showing the difference he had made in someone’s life.  Right in front of him, he was hearing and seeing story after story how his generosity and willingness to share had made such an impact on so many.  He could not help but feel an abundance of love while seeing all of this unfold.

He also noticed on the far side of the screen, there were people whom he knew who were not talking very nice about him.  The movies showed these people spreading rumors and talking badly about him behind his back.  They made false accusations about him and unfortunately, Allen knew everyone of them.  Some were friends, neighbors and even employees whom he had paid salaries and bonuses to for years.

Upon seeing this, Allen was overcome with disbelief.  The same people whom he had given his time, energy and finances to were not only disrespectful but were also unthankful.  It only took a minute before his heart was heavy and with hurt feelings, his eyes filled with tears.  He kept thinking: how could people whom he had done so much for, be so ungrateful.

This story was given to me in a dream and is not far from reality.  All of us, at some point, have been ungrateful to those who have given to us.  The question is: do we still do it and will we continue to do it?

The next time you start to talk about someone to somebody, stop and ask yourself:  would I be saying this if that person was standing beside me?  If they were to hear your words, would it build them up or tear them down?

Life really is in the power of the tongue.  Each day, we have a choice to be thankful for what we have. Words aren’t just words they are an outward statement of what is taking place on the inside of us.  

Don’t allow yourself to think: it doesn’t matter.  Unintentional or direct, all of our words matter.

Have a great weekend everyone, be blessed.

Maturity is a Choice

Where does maturity come from and how do we get it?

Years ago, I often sought older friends to associate with.  Then, I believed they had the experience, wisdom and maturity and I wanted to learn from.  What I found was just the opposite.

All of us could agree, you don’t have to look very hard to see immaturity.  Not just from kids but from adults of all ages.  Just watch how they act when things don’t go the way they think they should.  With the Presidential elections ramping up and the online social media outlets like Facebook, immaturity is apparent everywhere.

Every once in awhile I will meet a young person who proves to be very mature.  What they say and how they say it, how they carry themselves qualify them as someone who has it together.  They prove they are very mature for their age.

Meaningful, intelligent two-way conversations with them can be quite pleasant.  They don’t feel the need to prove themselves or act like they have all the answers.  You have to admit, there is an attraction to these types.

Dr. Mike Murdock probably said it best, “Grey hair doesn’t make you smart.”  How profound!  It’s also apparent that age does not make us wise nor does age equal maturity.  Our culture and society, however, have tried to make us believe otherwise.    

Age does equate to experience but experience alone does not always equal the previous traits mentioned.  So what do all of these things have in common?  Maturity!

To admit we were wrong takes maturity.  To realize we don’t have all the answers and the answers we do have, may not be the right ones, takes maturity.  To humble ones self and seek to do better takes maturity.  The reality is, maturity could be considered the doorway by which many other personal qualities follow.

Maturity comes from being humble.  Therefore, arrogance and maturity can rarely co-exist.  Expressing maturity is also showing others you don’t have a need to be right on every subject.  It’s allowing someone to be wrong with dignity.

Maturity can also be the opposite of selfishness.  We are willing to let others have their way, regardless of the outcome and how it affects us.

Maybe this is why we see so much immaturity everywhere.  In large, we have become a society of wanting things our way, when we want it, the way we want it.

The bigger thought is: what are we teaching our children?  Are we setting a healthy example of maturity for them?  Are we setting them up for a rewarding, peaceful life?  What about the way we treat our children?  Are we showing maturity when we communicate with them?  How about when we discipline?

Gaining this clarity on maturity has made a profound difference in my expectations about the young and old and why they act like they do.  It will for you too, once you embrace it.

Have a great Friday everyone, be blessed.

We don't create who we are, we discover who we are

People sometimes spend a lifetime looking for what they want to do with their life. Ever been asked: "what do you want to be when you grow up?" This is a valid question. Do you know?

Every day, all around us, we come in contact with people who simply go through the motions of life. They have an average job and an average life. Sadly enough, they never search deep or long enough to discover their purpose or passion.

I hear a lot of people say, "I can’t wait to retire in 3, 4 or 6 years." I am sure it is exciting to think about retirement, however, I would also ask them about their life now and what you were put here to do?

I invested 15 years of searching before I found my passion. It was a process. I didn’t create who I am. God did that. I discovered who I am, that was my job. God is the ultimate creator and he has given us creative abilities. That is, our minds, an imagination the ability to strategically plan out a process. I believe it is our responsibility to apply those things which He gave us.

Self-discovery, for most of us, is not an overnight deal. It’s an ongoing daily, monthly and even yearly deal. That is, year after year we need to continue to invest in it. Persist without ceasing if need be. It has been said that cemeteries are some of the richest places on earth. There, lie the dreams, ideas and plans that were never executed or put into play. Think about this for a moment. If you were to die tonight, what dreams, hopes and ideas would die with you?

Our talents, strengths and abilities, combined with personality style, demeanor and looks, make each of us unique. There is nobody like you. There is something you are to do, overcome and accomplish that no one else could do as well as you.
Whose pain do you feel? Whose tears affect you the most? Whose sorrows weigh on your heart the heaviest? These are all keys to what you are to discover about yourself.

Life is a lot about finding. We find our self, find our way, what we're good at and one day, we all hope to find the perfect spouse. Each time we find, we open a new door that leads us to further discovery which awakens a part of us that previously lay dormant.

Start making small changes in your day to day routine that will help you to discover. Small changes today, tomorrow and next month, are the keys to moving closer to those things you want in life.

Remember that there is no discovery without action. Take action today to insure a better tomorrow.

Have a great weekend everyone, be blessed.

Consequences to Your Choices

As we discussed last week, our life is a direct result of the choices we make as well as the consequences from those choices.

It is true:  85 – 90% of what happens to us each day, we have no control over.  This is why life is a lot about attitude.  A positive attitude ensures our success in dealing with life’s curve balls.

But what about the other 15 – 20% of life, the part we do have control over?

This part is equally important to the results we obtain.  Here is where our choices help or hinder.  It’s where we move closer to peace, prosperity and goals, or further away.  Here, is where our personal and working relationships increase or decrease, all based on choices. 

Every action has a consequence.  To not think so, is naïve.

Too often, when making choices, the consequences are overlooked.  Classify this as unintended consequences.  Local, state and federal government fall into this category.  Sadly enough, it doesn’t necessarily have to be this way.

Unfortunately, too often people lack the awareness of how their choices affect themselves and others.

If you show up late for a commitment you’ve made, you are devaluing the other person’s time.  If a team depends on you to fulfill duties and be accountable and you don’t, essentially you are disrespecting the entire team and their purpose.

Eating processed foods for breakfast instead of oatmeal has health consequences.  Procrastination, lack of planning and being disorganized all hold unfavorable consequences.

Don’t think it doesn’t matter.  I assure you it matters, because how you do the little things, is how you do the bigger things.  Large or small, all of it counts and creates consequences.

If an employer is paying you to perform a job and you fail to bring them the results they desire, the underlying issue is not in the results, it’s in the actions.  Change the actions and you will get different results.

Lastly, if you are to grow in maturity, responsibility and humility, you need to accept that your choices have brought you to the very spot you are right now.  Not your spouse, your parents, your income nor your boss.  YOU have brought YOU to where you are and are reaping the consequences, good or bad.

Every choice you make is done so of your own free will.  You were not forced to get up this morning.  No one held a gun to your head and said you will go to work today.  You chose to do so.  More than likely it was because you did not like the consequences of the other choice.  There is nothing wrong with that, just be aware, you still chose.

The next time you make a choice, think about the consequences it will bring and if the outcome will be favorable in order to move you in the direction you want to go in life.

Choose wisely friend.

Have a great weekend, be blessed.      

Finding Your Calling ~ Final Chapter

Are you ready to put action into finding your calling?  This is the final overview in the series - Finding Your Calling.

This may challenge your beliefs but in actuality, finding your calling is not necessarily difficult, however, it will take a lot of persistence and determination.  Those two items do take energy and focus and maybe for some, that is hard.  But finding your purpose is a journey.  It is a process.  Not a one or two day event.

In the beginning of this series, I shared with you that it will take searching.  Remember, this is critical.  Anytime we want to achieve something, it takes an internal desire.  There needs to be a strong desire because that is what will fuel you through the highs and lows.

Keep in mind that not all of us are called to a specific industry, place or business.  In recent conversations, a gentleman told me he gets the greatest joy from helping senior citizens and is looking into moving to Arizona to serve them.  For him, it did not matter where he was, only that it involves that demographic of people. A long time friend shared that he obtains a lot of satisfaction from working on cars and trucks.  New or older, it did not matter.

Ancient scripture tells us there is a time and a place for everything under the sun.  Without even reading any further, this means each of us have and go through seasons.  Seasons are determined by our choices.  That means as we grow, as we find, and as we search, we make choices based on our thinking, what we believe and where we’re at mentally and emotionally in our life.

Regardless of what season you are going through today, you can still choose to search.  Every time we stretch our neck out and look for those things we have no answers to, we grow as a person.  We learn more about ourselves.  At the same time, we are becoming someone of higher awareness. Becoming is the essence of life.  We don't just one day turn into a business man or business woman.  We become a businessman or businesswoman.

It took me 15 years to find my purpose.  How long will it take you?  God only knows.  But I can promise you that if you will get serious about searching, you will find.  Finding your calling is not a mystery, it is a process, mostly through trial and error.  But don't count the errors as negatives; they are part of the price you must pay to find what you are looking for.

A level of peace, satisfaction and clarity awaits you when you do find it.  I can only say this because I have lived it.  There is tranquility in the finding, especially after paying the price over a lengthy time.

When you find it, you will never have to work another day in your life.  Everything you do is not work, but rather exhilarating.  It fuels you, drives you and leaves you with more energy at the end of the day than when you started.  Ask any person who has found their purpose and is now living it.  They can concur.

What are you going to do to further your search?  It's time to step up to the plate and put action into your plan.  No one else can or will do it for you.  Years from now, you will look back at today and either wished you had...or be glad you did.  It's your choice. 

Make that call to a coach or someone who can help you.  Seek out a mentor, read a book or two, counsel with those who have already found their calling.  Take your list (you did make one right?) and keep it in front of you.  Read it allowed often.  It will be a powerful tool as you search.

By reading this series, you have stepped up to the plate.  Are you going to get in the game by swinging at the ball or go back and sit on the bench?

Have a great weekend everyone, be blessed.

Attracting Healthy Love Part 4

Unrealistic expectations and unhealthy ideals we hold within us, at the least, are a recipe for failure for any relationship before it even starts.

Last week, we uncovered a few important aspects that can keep you from finding and keeping that right person.  You may want to go back and re read the previous weeks before moving any further, making that information fresh in your mind.

I have often thrown out the question:  “If that perfect person walked through the door tomorrow, would you be ready?”  Interestingly enough, the answer is usually a 30 / 70 yes and no.  Even of the 30 who say yes, most have actions that would suggest otherwise.

If you want to find the right person, you have to be the right person.  The only way that can happen is if you will go to work on yourself first.  Dealing with the past hurts, reading books on relationships and mentoring with someone who has a long time successful marriage can be a great way to self educate.

Forget about taking any advice from soap opera couples, reality TV shows and the magazines found near the check out stands at your local grocery store.  Get serious about becoming the right person.  Too often, I see people looking and looking for someone but are unwilling to change themselves to do it.  This has never made any sense to me.

If you’re expecting someone to meet your expectations then isn’t it only fair you step up to the plate to meet theirs?  Successful relationships are not a 50 / 50 deal.  They are a 100 / 100 deal.  That is each person gives 100% to the relationship. (Or so they should) 

Would any employer keep an employee if they only gave half effort?  If you only obeyed half the traffic laws, would you be able to keep your driving privileges very long?  If we were only respectful and pleasant half the time, how long would our friends and family want to be around us? 

Another area that far too many people forget about is the honey moon period.  That is, when every relationship starts out, both people are on their best behavior.  Neither is seeing the real person for who they truly are.

Undermining this stage or not understanding its full affects, will likely end up with you making long term choices based on short term feelings.  A recipe for disaster!  Our society is filled with stories (both men and women) that went way to fast with someone they didn’t take the time to get to know, only to end up in a bitter separation down the road.  Maybe you know someone who has experienced this.

Next week, we will stay on this topic of moving too fast too soon.  There are many toxic behaviors and ideas that people have and do to sabotage there relationship before it can even have a fair chance and getting started.

Have a great Friday everyone, be blessed.

Attracting Healthy Love Part 3

Making out a list, re affirming what you do want in a spouse and becoming aware of what you really, truly want. Those are key aspects to attracting the perfect mate.

This week we are going to discuss some unhealthy beliefs and unrealistic expectations you may have.  Truth be know, you may not even be aware you have these and like I mentioned earlier, we can not fix what we do not know is broken.

Our society (culture) has a way of programming us.  Commercials on TV, billboards we drive by, signs, advertising…it’s everywhere.  Through this blast bombardment of images and ideas, shapes our sense of what is important.  Unfortunately this is not always for the betterment of us as people.

We do need to be aware of this.  A large part of the way you think, act and what you believe is a direct result of your constant environment.  So do a check up on yourself.  Up until this point, has your environment been conducive to attracting the kind of person you have written down on your list?

Next, you need to understand that if you have not dealt with any hurts, heartaches, disappointments, bitterness or anger from a past relationship, you are not ready for Mr. or Ms. Right.  I know this may sound harsh and unpopular, but consider a few things.

Any and all hurts of the past that have not been completely extinguished (dealt with properly) you are carrying around with you.  This means that if the right person did come along, you then will be sharing those hurts with them.  Yes, you may bring love, joy and excitement into the relationship but you are also bringing unnecessary baggage and some of it, will probably be destructive to your new someone.

Whatever is impressed upon you must be expressed.  This means, what has happened to you, what you have experienced, felt and lived, must be shown through you.  It will come out through your actions, words, frustration, temperament; it’s all expressed from within.  More times then not, you will be completely unaware you’re even doing it.

Don’t down play this it is a powerful piece of the equation.  Just because you can’t see it or feel it, doesn’t mean it’s not at work.  Often, this is where counseling comes into play.  Helping you sort through those unseen things can have magic in it.

Unfortunately, some people see counseling as a negative.  Maybe their pride, ego or even stubbornness won’t allow it.  I choose to see it as a sign of strength and maturity.  Admitting you can’t do something alone and need some guidance or help is a powerful step in growing as an individual and it unlocks the doors to inner freedom.

Next week, we will continue on with unhealthy beliefs and unrealistic expectations.

Have a great Friday everyone, be blessed.

What are you telling yourself

Have you ever been in a conversation with someone and heard them say: “I am such an idiot” or, “I can’t believe I was so stupid to have done that.” I know I have heard it and I must say I just cringe inside every time I do. Not only do I cringe but my heart almost skips a beat. That is a pretty strong statement to say, especially to our self.

Just last week I found myself in this kind of situation. I was carrying on a meaningful conversation with a gentleman whom I have know for a few years when all of a sudden, right out of left field he says: “Dang it… I am such an idiot, how could I have forgotten that!” Of course I stood there in shock, almost in disbelieve of what I had just heard. But, being the kind of person I am I just had to know: why did he say that about himself. So I asked and like I thought he might say, his response was one of light hearted, no big deal answer. I however, do believe that it is a very big deal. Calling yourself an idiot? No big deal? Really?

The fact is that it is a very big deal, much bigger then you can realize. Our subconscious minds are always in the mode of taking in information that it hears. Things we say and the things we hear others say. Every day, all day, everywhere we are. It’s main function is to take in data and store it so that it can use it later. If you have ever read any books on human psychology and human nature, you know exactly what I am talking about. This can be though a curse and a blessing all at the same time. A curse because everything it hears and hears enough of, it takes in as “truth” and “belief.” Yes, I said EVERYTHING.

The blessing is that through this sub conscious mind, we have the ability to change the way we think and what we believe. This alone should give everyone of us a hope that regardless of where we have been or where we come from, we can alter our current path and even re program our thinking to gain a different result in our life. I know for me… this is what I had to do to overcome my past.

What you and I tell ourself, each and ever day is critical to where we will be, 2, 5 or even 10 years from now. Our self image and self esteem is dependent upon it. I know this first hand because I was one of those people who beat myself up verbally when I screwed up or made a mistake and the problem I constantly faced was that I always felt bad and not worthy after I said it yet I could never figure out why.

Don’t kid yourself here. Your subconscious mind is well aware of what it hears. If you are someone who has been guilty of repeatedly saying things like this, you might want to stop consider what it is that you are doing to yourself. Your self esteem and your self image are on the line. Simply put: It will believe and become what it is told. We need to be careful of what it is that we are saying. To our kids, our spouse and especially to ourself. Our minds are a lot like a computer program. What we put into them, is what will come out.

Have a great Friday everyone, be blessed.


Scott Stewart

Author, Speaker and Inspiring others to a life of greatness.

scott@lovelossandgrowth.com

541-343-3614

Loss

Looking back on our lives from time to time is and can be a healthy thing to do. Reflecting helps us to see where we have made both good and not so good choices. Successes and setbacks, love and loss, happy times and sad times, all of these, you and I can learn from (if we choose to) and use them as a springboard for the future. The one thing thing though that you and I will experience and continue to go through no matter how old, how young, rich or poor, is loss at various stages of life.

The losses we have endured are not always fun to talk about. Most all of us would agree it to be a negative topic and one that we rarely discuss in open. Loss is part of everyday life and although it can stir up strong emotions, there is a lot we can learn from what loss does to us and how we can grow from it. Loss comes in many different forms. There is the loss of a spouse, child, pet, losing money, a limb, a job, a best friend, income, jewelry, sight or hearing, a neighbor, a home, a Grand parent, a soldier in the military, an aunt or uncle. Even in the ancient text, in the very first recording of humans, Adam and Eve lost their privilege of living in the Garden that God provided for them. Loss is everywhere, isn’t it?

I bet if we were to take fifteen minutes and make a list, it would astonish us as to how much loss we have dealt with. What, though, does all of this loss tell us? What does it say? I know people who seem to go from one loss to another to another before the first loss can even be healed from. When you really think about it, why is life filled with so much of it?

A good friend and mentor of mine said, “It is not easy being human.” To that I would have to agree. It isn’t easy, or always pleasant, and it is not always fun. But I don’t think that life was ever meant to be that way. Going back to that story in the first days, Adam and Eve experienced some of the same loss that you and I do today. Could it be that loss is by design? If so, then why? Many books have been written on this topic. Many professional speakers, Pastors and Preachers have spoken on this topic. It has been addressed from the beginning. So if loss has been around that long and appears to be by design, what are we to take from it and do with it?

The only thing I personally can say about this topic is that there is reason to believe that while we are healing from losses in our life, maybe we are supposed to learn some things as well. I have no magical answers here, nor was I there in the early days but humans are learning creatures. We can think on our own, make decisions based on information available to us, and seek more information. That can very well set us at the top of creation with all of our unique and individual abilities. We learn and grow (change) from experiences everyday, every time, in every facet of life. Could that mean we learn from loss too? I say astoundingly, yes!

Loss teaches us about the value of life and all that is in it. We tend to become more thankful and grateful after we have suffered some kind of loss. Why? Because we realize what we once had and how truly important it was to us. Life tends to take on a new meaning after we have suffered loss. Many times people will come to realize those things which are truly important and those which are not. Our hearts can also grow fonder of people around us, and humbleness can set in as well.

Overall, we realize no matter what we have, it can and sometimes will be taken from us. There are no guarantees that the people you love and care about will be around tomorrow. None of us own the crystal ball of life. What we can do is accept, appreciate, love and be thankful for what we have in our lives right now, today. Loss is coming, I promise you. There is no avoiding it and there is no running from it. We might as well learn to deal with it and grow from it so that we can help, support and be a better friend to those around us so when they deal with those unfortunate events of loss, we can be there for them.


Have a great Friday everyone, be blessed.



Scott Stewart

Author, Speaker and Inspiring others to a life of greatness.

scott@lovelossandgrowth.com

This Thing Called Happiness

Far too many times I have heard someone say, “I will be happy when…” or, “He makes me happy…she makes me happy.” I think most people have a misunderstanding of what happiness and being happy is and where they can be found.

Personally, I have never found happiness “in” something, like a person or going to a place or even some new gadget I just bought. Even going on a long awaited vacation or trip has never brought me happiness. I know you might be shocked that I said that, I bet some of you will even disagree with me. If we are going to seek this thing called happiness, we first must know what it is and what it is not. Then, we will know better of what we are looking for and where to find it.

While it is fun to get new things, make a lot of money, buy toys and go on trips, this is actually not happiness. If it were happiness, then our lives would be spent on a roller coaster of emotions as those things can come and go in and out of our life. We would spend our days and nights chasing them, thinking they would bring us the happiness we long for. When we “get something new” (like a car) yes, we are happy, but that is not the same as true happiness. When we make a lot of money from our job or a sales commission, yes, it makes us happy, but it does not bring us happiness. Before our kids, my wife and I were fortunate enough to go to Hawaii twice. That was pretty cool! I felt very fortunate and very blessed to be able to do that. Did it make me joyful, excited, motivated and energetic? Absolutely! But no where in there was happiness to be found. Why? Because true happiness must be found on the inside, not the outside.

There is a younger man I know from the church I attend. I have spoken with him a handful of times over the last two years. He does not have much in the way of material things. I believe he only works part time, he is not married nor does he have a girlfriend. Yet every time I see him, he is so full of happiness, joy and is “high” on life. He smiles and hugs people often. At first, even I struggled with his profound positive outlook on life. So one day, being the shy, withdrawn person I am, I walked over to him and asked him. “I just have to know, are you ever not happy?” He looked at me a little strangely and without missing a beat he said: “Why would I ever not be?”

If we are able to really get a grasp of his answer, it can change our lives!

Simply put: happiness is a frame of mind. It’s an attitude that we choose to have or to believe in each and every day. It’s looking at the positive side of things rather than the negative. Yes, the negative things exist and yes crap happens but we can choose to focus on the more positive things instead.

Many things have changed for many people over the last couple of years. A lot of folks have gone through hard times. Yet happiness is not and should never be tied to the economy, your checkbook or your job. We get satisfaction, excitement, joy and more options in life from them, not happiness.

Decide to become happy with where you are right now. It doesn’t matter what you do or do not have. Take a moment today to go to a private place where there is a mirror, and look into it. Tell yourself that today you are going to be happy. Not your spouse, your boss nor even your kids can “make” you happy. The only person who can make you happy is looking back at you in that mirror.

Have a great Friday everyone and be blessed.


Scott Stewart

Author, Speaker and Inspiring others to a life of greatness.

scott@lovelossandgrowth.com

It is who we become that counts the most.

A while ago, I made a personal decision to focus more on who I was becoming rather then what I was getting. Simply put, it is not the getting that makes us valuable but rather the becoming. The person we become will determine where we will be and what we will do with our life.

The other day I was reading in the New Testament about Judas. Now if you don’t know who Judas is, the scriptures tell us that he was one of the chosen twelve disciples that followed Jesus. I had probably read this story a handful of times prior but it was not until this last time that I actually “got it” and wow did it ever hit me!

Scriptures tell us that Jesus’ ministry grew and became very successful; healing, praying and teaching folks everywhere He went. In fact He became so successful throughout the land the Pharisee’s caught wind of what was going on and wanted it stopped as they felt threatened. Not only did they want it stopped, they wanted Jesus arrested for blaspheme.

Well, there was probably no better way to get to Jesus than to have someone close to him “give him up”. So the authorities called upon Judas. According to the scriptures, they paid Judas a sizeable fortune (30 pieces of silver) to take them to Jesus and reveal Him to them, and that is exactly what happened. Judas gave up his best friend for a fortune of wealth. Then, Jesus was taken into the hands of the people who would then beat and torture Him.

Afterward, it did not take Judas long to figure out that he clearly made the wrong choice in giving up his friend. In fact, he took his fortune back to the very folks with whom he made the agreement with and “threw” the silver back to them, trying to convince them to let Jesus go. They would do no such thing and both Judas’ and Jesus’ fate were sealed. This is where I “got it”.

In the beginning, Judas only thought of the wealth. He thought of all the things he could buy with his money. The finer things in life would soon be his, and I bet he even believed all of his dreams of material things would soon come true. Just the opposite happened!

You see, eventually, Judas could not live with himself and who it was that he had become, because he had become a traitor. Not only did he give up his friend in exchange for immediate wealth, he also gave up his ideals, morals, character and most importantly, he gave up who he was. Later in the story, we hear that Judas eventually took his own life because of who he became.

Everyday, most of us go out into this big bad world and exchange either goods, products, or services for money, which we call a pay check. This is the way our world is set up and obviously there is nothing wrong with it. But after reading this story, I learned something very powerful.

The person you and I become is and always will be far more important than what we get in return. It does not matter if we make a million dollars at “something.” If that particular “something” does not help us become somebody we admire, look up to and love. Then really…have we gained anything?

Have a great Friday and an even better weekend.



Scott Stewart
Author, Speaker and Inspiring others to a life of greatness.
scott@lovelossandgrowth.com
541-343-3614