“The farmer plants seed by taking God’s word to others.”

Without a doubt, we see things differently as we age through the seasons of our lives. The technologist/philosopher Kevin Kelly asked recently on his Facebook page for his friends to comment on books that changed their minds.  There was a long list.  I looked at it from the perspective that at different points in time, different books, thoughts, philosophies begin to take hold and shape of who we are.  As marketers and sellers to consumers we recognize this.  When marketing to someone older we don’t ask them to dream about the future, we instead tell them how to preserve and hang onto their present (and past).  And then we wonder why as we age our minds close down and we become more conservative and risk averse.  The same can happen to our companies and organizations if we don’t keep them full of youth and youthful thinking.  The New York Times book section had their own version of an op-ed called, “Do we read differently as different ages?”  The answer by both contributors was indeed we do read differently at different stage of our lives.  And the same can be said of how we listen and speak.  What we must do is challenge ourselves at each step to stay forward and growing, not stagnating or going backwards.

A friend and I had coffee recently.  We talked about reading the Bible all the way through and how hard it can be to do so.  I suggested to him that he read it with a filter or lens in mind and make notes all the way through.  I’ve done this a number of times using “work” as the filter.  This remains the working text (no pun intended) for purposed worKING. There are many filters to use that can help us read God’s Word.  Consider anyone of these:  Service.  Parenting.  Giving back.  Sacrifice.  Relationships.  Finances.   Anyone of these will do.  What is also obvious is that we can experience God’s Word through own different ages.  What we read both chronologically and experientially at one time will be different and still just as alive today as it once was.  All it takes is just digging in, allowing the seeds to root and then rest assured that they will grow…through all the seasons (and aging) of our lives.

Reference: Mark 4:14 (New Living Translation)