I’ve been listening to a song lately on a pop-rock radio station. The catch phrase for me in the song is repeated over and over: “what do I stand for?” The rest of the lyrics don’t thrill me much, but this one simple question has deeply resonated with me.
What do I stand for? If I want to make a difference, I’ve got to know what I stand for. I have to have a beliefs’ system. I know I have strong religious beliefs. I think any political stand I might take is based largely on my religious beliefs and not party-affiliated.
Is what I stand for a non-negotiable? I would like to think so. Am I ready to defend what I stand for? That’s the toughest question for me. I’m not sure I could martyr myself for a belief, and yet one must be strong to take a stand. I know that I would make enemies along the way. If that’s the case, then I must learn to love and respect those who don’t stand with me.
Do you know what you stand for? Teen Nick offers questions and possible responses to help you get started thinking about your beliefs. (Yes, I know it’s a site for teens, so you’ll have to adapt a couple of the questions, but it’s still a useful exercise.) Write down what you stand for so that you can look at it each day. It will call you to action!
In the blog “Change Your Thoughts Change Your Life” Ken Wert writes, “There comes a time in each of our lives, when we must decide who we are and what we stand for.” Ken gives us all great beliefs to ponder in his writings and also ways in which we can take a stand. I invite you to open your hearts and minds to his thoughts.
How does what you stand for call you into action?
Syd Brinkman, a churchwide executive board member, is still trying to put beliefs into action in Allison, Iowa … and beyond!
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