Why does an average apology sound this way " I am sorry, I thought............? When are we going to stop "thinking" and start knowing?
'It is impossible for a man to learn what he thinks he already knows" - Epictetus
I remember during the Covid 19 lock down, when a picture of a little boy drinking water from a UNDP water tank supposedly meant for hand washing started trending on social media with captions like "How do we wash our hands when we don"t have water to drink",and within a few days almost everyone one I knew updated their status with the same picture and statement which suggested that the boy drank water meant for washing of hands because of hunger and thirst. I felt compelled to join the band wagon, after-all, I am human and seeing such a little boy in that state was heart wrenching but then I decided to google the same picture and behold within 1 minute I realized the picture was taken in Dafur region some years ago during the refugee crises and that the small water tank was actually drinking water. (I don't think you heard me, I said within the space of "One minute" )
Now, imagine the countless times you have carried one news or thought or opinion from here to Australia only to realize that what you have held on to for years was a lie or a distorted fact. Imagine the number of relationships that have been lost simply because we stopped at "thinking". In my opinion, thinking is a raw material while knowing is a finished product. Thinking is not an end in itself rather it is a process. Didn't the bible tell us to test all spirits ? (1 John 4:1) why then are we all guilty of thinking without making extra effort to say "I know so rather than I think so"?
How many of us if accused of killing somebody yesterday would say "I think so"? I am sure we would refute the allegation with everything we've got simply because "We know so". Why are we so quick to run with information about other people without at least putting ourselves in the person's shoes, checking for inconsistencies, understanding the circumstances surrounding the action or the motives of the story teller.
"An apology for the devil; It must be remembered that we have heard one side of the case" - Samuel Butler.
My bible (Which I firmly believe in) tells me that the devil is the father of all lies (John 8;44 ) so I do not intend to dwell on the literal meaning of the quote above by Samuel Buttler but it is important to take some learning points from his line of thought which is that no matter how much we may love the figment of our imagination or how well what we think fits into our story or purpose, we must go a step further to confirm the veracity of these thoughts.
To think becomes positive when it drives us into deeper knowledge that we no longer think but know.
Imagine how apologies would sharply decline when we stop thinking for people, when we stop Judging them by our standards instead of theirs.
"Don't be confused between what people say you are and what you know you are" - Oprah.
Think, Know, Create, Grow.
Obinna Onwuelingo
Life Coach
http://www.obinnaonwuelingo.com.ng
info@obinnaonwuelingo.com.ng
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