Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of others.
Some persons do first, think afterward, and then repent forever.
Thomas Secker
How would you describe yourself? Are you a careful person, one given to thoughtfully weighing decisions and their repercussions before acting? Or would you consider yourself the free-flying live-by-the-moment carefree (careless) type? There is no right or wrong answer here. It’s simply a matter of degree.
Be Careful Of Others’ Feelings
Certainly, the individual who notices things…you know, is in tune to the feelings, bents, and likes/dislikes of those around him will act in accordance with what he observes. If he’s careful, that is. There’s nothing more boorish than a person who purposefully decides to offend, right?
Being Careless Is Just That Care-Less
On the flip side, there are those who appear to live within a world of their own making. It’s those people who do what they please whenever, wherever, and to whomever they choose. Ick. All of us have been victim to someone’s careless, self-serving decisions. We recognize the harm in it and so does everyone else…except maybe the offender. For the believer, living a care-less life is polar opposite to the teaching of Jesus. When we reflect upon this passage in Philippians above, we see that all that we think or do should first run through the sieve of putting others’ first.
Strive For Balance In All Things
But is there such a thing as living too “careful”…too contemplative? Indeed there is. Too much thinking, over-thinking, leads to fearful pausing, inaction, and lack of involvement. So to strike a balance between the two extremes, might we not aim for some middle road? Live with awareness that every choice made in favor of something, is also a choice against something else. Given only so much time, energy, and resources, each of us decides how to best live, work, and play.
Take Good Care Of Others
This fact leads to the next logical conclusion. Every decision we make today will either support, strengthen, or contribute to the building up of those people surrounding us or it will tear them down. Which will it be? If we’re given to living carefully, our lives will be more “full” of strong relationships, better physical health, sounder finances, and overall increased bountiful living. Final word: “take good care,” it is the recipe for a life of fullness.
How to Spot a Careful Person
- Engages an “antenna of awareness” by cultivating sensitivity to those around them.
- Makes only those promises they can keep; and then makes good on every one.
- Anticipates the needs of others and look out for ways to meet those requirements.
- Recognizes that relationships on every level are privileges to be treated with respect.
- Embodies a “big picture” view of life even when circumstances are grim.
- Enjoys the journey and invites (by example) for others to do the same.
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