NOSCE TE IPSUM

In vino veritas... those were the first words that came to mind when I was trying to remember the Latin for "Know Thyself". Then I recalled that the line I was quoting came from an old favorite movie of mine "Tombstone". The dialogue I found actually provides the translation of what was said, I always felt out of place not knowing. 

Thanks Webster:

In the movie Tombstone, Doc Holiday has a confrontation with Johnny Ringo -

Doc Holliday (while finishing his shot): In vino veritas. "In wine is truth"

Johnny Ringo:Age quod agis. "Do well what you do"

Doc Holliday: Credat Judaeus apella, non ego. "The Jew Apella may believe it, not I"

Johnny Ringo (while tapping his gun): Eventus stultorum magister. "Events are the teachers of fools"

Doc Holliday (eyes wide open speaking in a haunting whisper): In pace requiescat. "Rest in peace" 

Alternate languages are interesting because they force us not only to choose our words with purpose but consider other points of view. Various cultures have a certain way of looking at things. It helps to break out of the box and see with someone else's eyes. 

Latin: Nosce Te Ipsum: Know Thyself

Greek: Gnothi Seauton: Know Thyself

In context the phrases design means to understand your abilities and limitations. I was coaching someone to refer an inquiry they had received to a person who specialized in that area. Know Thyself. Know what you do well. Learn and Grow. But Know when to refer to a higher/alternate source for something you are not a specialist in. 

Recently I met with an experienced person to discuss the practical aspects of ministry. He told me something that stood out more than anything else that day. Delegate. You must delegate. Leaders in ministry and business fail for a lack of being able to properly delegate. They want to serve, so with the best heart they do everything, involve themselves in everything, and wear out the people either by pushing them out through annoyance or making them feel like they have no place of service. Delegation is key to leadership. Without it the leader burns out himself and those around him. 

Part of delegation is being able to fully hand over a task. He gave an example of chairs. You put someone in charge of making sure there are enough chairs for service. You are renting a hotel and there is a charge for last minute chair orders. He comes to you and says after a week or so, how many chairs do we need? You say, I don't know, that's your job. I refuse to take it back. Then he tells me. If you tell him how many chairs, then a few weeks he'll ask you again. You're still doing everything. Keep out of it. What if there aren't enough chairs??!? There will be next week, it's alright. Delegation is giving someone permission to make mistakes with NO regret. He'll make sure it doesn't happen again. As long as you keep your hands on it, he'll never grow. If he can't handle it, you'll figure it out and remove that task from his hand. If he can you have one less thing to deal with each week. 

Delegate with our time:

I am now thinking about life... How much do we take on that God didn't tell us to take on? How many tasks are we handling that he would rather someone else do, or have us delegate to others or plain reject and do away with. Maybe we don't need to watch that many TV shows this week. Maybe I don't need to eat that. Maybe I ought to cut out and put aside time to do this... 

Delegate the spirit realm: 

Jesus calmed the storm from a boat... but he obviously intended the 12 to handle it. He shouldn't have had to. He was upset at THEIR lack of faith. When a tornado warning hits my area I don't hide in the middle of the house, I go outside and deal with it in prayer and then tell the storm what it's going to do and not do regarding my property. I have little authority over my neighbors house, some but not as much as mine. 1,000 on my left and 10,000 on my right but it CANNOT touch me unless I let it through negligence or ignorance. 

Depression is NEVER EVER of God. It's always a tool of the enemy to kill steal and destroy. Believers can be sad for a loss but NOT depressed or inactive because of it. If depression is trying to come on me I have a right and responsibility to take it and eject it like the cock roach it is. I have no business indulging it and saying that it's OK because this or that happened. Praise stills the avenger and we shall enter his courts with thanksgiving and praise. Depression cannot exist in the same heart as thanksgiving and praise. Pity accompanies depression. So I can run a self diagnostic. What levels are my Thanksgiving/Praise readings at? Darkness is not the opposite of light it is the absence of it. Depression is not the opposite of praise it is the absence of it. Praise and Thanksgiving bring the presence of God. So depression is no the opposite of the presence of God it is the absence of it. If my tanks are low on Thanksgiving and Praise I am without the manifested/physical showing of the presence of God. This is the root of all evil. I cannot run a low level of depression and be OK with that. Jesus died and became a curse for me and rose again so that I could live free of the curse. To refuse praise and thanksgiving is to refuse the presence of God and treat as of little value the gift of Jesus Christ. 

Be not drunk with wine... be filled with the Spirit... if the Spirit of God is filling someone, presently, in a tangible way they often appear drunk to others. Instead of saying In wine is truth, in other words a drunk man is less likely to lie... it should be: In Spiritus Veritas. Real Truth is found in the Spirit, despite the facts or beliefs of men. 

The joy of the Lord if my strength... I choose that. It's not well I wish I had joy, so since I don't I am without strength. It's, I have joy, because the bible says I do so I have strength. Choices... Delegation. I delegate Joy, Thanksgiving, Praise, and the like because God gives me authority to do so. I then take up that which I have been given and delegate time to engage those things. I don't just call them and engage them, I practice them, and carve out time for them on purpose. I can call myself Joy all day long and still live mired in depression or worry or other common human emotions. I must go beyond calling them into my life and on purpose MAKE time in my schedule for them. Practice them. Lock myself in a room and purpose to praise until I feel something shift for the better on the inside. Even if it's just a seed of a shift. 

Maybe this article should have been called "Purpose to Praise". How do you say that in Latin?

English: Purpose to Praise

Latin: Laudate animo

So, maybe I should make a name tag and wear it tomorrow as a self reminder... 

Animo (Purpose to)

Laudate (Praise)

Laudate Animo... Darrell G. Wolfe