We all think in different ways. However, there are certain types of thinking that each of us subscribe to more than others. One of these types of thinking would be maybe called ‘Either, or type thinking’. Maybe, another way to put it is ‘black and white’ type thinking. This is where a person sees things in terms of being completely one way or completely the opposite way with very little room for anything in the middle. I would definitely put myself in this category.
Well, so what are some examples of this type of thinking? Well, I guess this can be best illustrated by showing extreme examples. Let’s say that, for instance, you’re a business owner and you know you should work hard at your job and be diligent. You know that’s true. So, every day you go into work and you work as hard as you can. You work so hard that you work 12 or more hours a day up to six days a week. However, you have a wife and family at home and because of your hard work they get neglected. You’re a good provider, but your family never gets to spend any time with you. Or, let’s say you do the exact opposite. You spend so much time with your family that you neglect your business. You just show up at your business when get around to it. Then, in this case, your family life might be good but you’re not making any money and, therefore, not providing for your family. So, you can see neither one of these end up being good scenarios. We can see that there is probably a balance here. We need to be diligent in our work, but not neglect our family in the process, and vice versa.
I’ve often had this pattern of thinking myself. I have found that, when I examine it, I often think in these terms that ‘if everything’s not alright, then nothing’s alright.’ See, that’s the perfectionist in me. I want everything just perfect. This was often the reason why I would procrastinate in doing homework in school. Like, doing a term paper, for instance. I didn’t want to do it because I was afraid it wouldn’t turn out just the way I wanted it to. The reality is nothing ever turned out the way I wanted it to. So, this wasn’t very rational thinking. But at some point I had to do the work. Sometimes I might redo a lot of what I just did. I finally realized, though, that I had to just do the best job I could and let go of the idea of it being perfect.
The above are two different scenarios. But both are examples of ‘Either, or type thinking’. Both scenarios don’t end up well either. One of the greatest understandings we come to in life is when we realize that you have to find a middle-of-the-road path. So, in those cases, which is true? Well, in the first case, you should be diligent and hard-working and you should spend adequate time with you family. In the second case, I should have done the best I can with my homework and not procrastinated, and yet realized that it’s never going to be perfect.
So, in either case, both sides of the equation are true. They just blend together, though, they don’t oppose each other.
So, how does the Bible apply to this? Now understand that, when I’m talking about ‘black-and-white type thinking’, I’m not talking about right and wrong. Right is right and wrong is wrong. So, I don’t want to get the confused. However, balance applies to how we approach different areas of our lives.
Let’s take the first example I gave about a man providing for his family, as I think it is a good one as applies to the Bible. The Bible does say in 1Timothy 5:8: “But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.” So, we can clearly say that the Bible teaches us to be diligent in our work to provide for the family. That’s true. However, the Bible also says in Ephesians 5:28-29: “So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:” Well, we know that a husband can’t fully love his wife if he’s always at work. So, while he does need to provide for her welfare monetarily, he can’t only do that at the expense of everything else. So, what are these verses then? Well, I would call them guidelines.
Often times we see people who aren’t Christians criticize the Bible. They will say that the Bible is full of contradictions. Well, what they are referring to as contradictions are really guidelines. Think of it this way. Let’s break this down in really simple terms. Say, you’re driving down the road. You have the solid white line on the right that tells you not to go too far to the right. You have the dotted line on the left telling you to not go too far to the left. Now, you wouldn’t call these contradictions, would you? So, neither is the Bible contradicting itself. You see, just like when you’re driving, you know if you cross the dotted line in the middle of the road you could end up hitting an oncoming car. Also, if you cross the solid line to the right you can end up in the ditch. So it is in our everyday lives. We don’t want to get out of balance with any of these things.
Ecclesiastes 3:1 says, “To every [thing there is] a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:” So, we can apply this verse to our lives today and the example above. There is a time to go to work and earn a living and there is a time to go home and spend time with your family and your wife. It’s always good to examine these areas in our lives to see if we might be getting too extreme, or out of balance somewhere. In this way, we can avoid ‘Either, or type’ thinking.
The asymmetrical face is a different clue that there may perhaps be no physical or verbal abuse but the other partner too feels unsatisfied and distracted. australia viagra Notwithstanding, viagra online djpaulkom.tv will be more expensive than the generic versions of drugs. Relapse, substance abuse, behavioral best prices cialis problems, anti-social acting out, low self-esteem, anxiety, feelings of hopelessness, helplessness, and worthlessness are removed as the perceptions and thoughts have been transformed. why not try this out cialis samples Both procedures are performed in an outpatient area, such as falling on your back or being hit in the market. 1Timothy 5:8: “But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.”
Ephesians 5:28-29: “So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:”
Ecclesiastes 3:1 says, “To every [thing there is] a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:”
So, how does the Bible apply to this? Now understand that, when I’m talking about ‘black-and-white type thinking’, I’m not talking about right and wrong. Right is right and wrong is wrong. So, I don’t want to get the confused. However, balance applies to how we approach different areas of our lives.
Let’s take the first example I gave about a man providing for his family, as I think it is a good one as applies to the Bible. The Bible does say in 1Timothy 5:8: “But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.” So, we can clearly say that the Bible teaches us to be diligent in our work to provide for the family. That’s true. However, the Bible also says in Ephesians 5:28-29: “So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:” Well, we know that a husband can’t fully love his wife if he’s always at work. So, while he does need to provide for her welfare monetarily, he can’t only do that at the expense of everything else. So, what are these verses then? Well, I would call them guidelines.
Often times we see people who aren’t Christians criticize the Bible. They will say that the Bible is full of contradictions. Well, what they are referring to as contradictions are really guidelines. Think of it this way. Let’s break this down in really simple terms. Say, you’re driving down the road. You have the solid white line on the right that tells you not to go too far to the right. You have the dotted line on the left telling you to not go too far to the left. Now, you wouldn’t call these contradictions, would you? So, neither is the Bible contradicting itself. You see, just like when you’re driving, you know if you cross the dotted line in the middle of the road you could end up hitting an oncoming car. Also, if you cross the solid line to the right you can end up in the ditch. So it is in our everyday lives. We don’t want to get out of balance with any of these things.
Ecclesiastes 3:1 says, “To every [thing there is] a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:” So, we can apply this verse to our lives today and the example above. There is a time to go to work and earn a living and there is a time to go home and spend time with your family and your wife. It’s always good to examine these areas in our lives to see if we might be getting too extreme, or out of balance somewhere. In this way, we can avoid ‘Either, or type’ thinking.
1Timothy 5:8: “But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.”
Ephesians 5:28-29: “So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:”
Ecclesiastes 3:1 says, “To every [thing there is] a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:”