Thought Thread: Balance

Welcome to the Thought Thread. We're going to think about BALANCE this week. If you're interested in this kind of content, subscribe to the Thought Thread and get it in your inbox every two weeks. You can sign up by clicking here. 

1. LINKS
Google's Approach to Work/Life Balance
If you're like me—prone to workaholic tendencies—you struggle to find that sweet spot between career and family. Read about Google's institutional exploration on how their employees can establish healthy paths forward.

If You Think You're a Genius, You're Crazy
This scientific article discusses how the same mental processes used by the brilliant are found in those who struggle with rationality. Here's an area where balance is truly the critical difference.

Get It Done or Do It Right?
Productivity demands that we ship, getting projects completed in a timely manner. But how do we react if we're more invested in doing the job well?

My Thoughts: Silence or Shouting? Listening to Kids
In this blog post, I consider the recent school shooting in Parkland, Florida. I don't wade into the issue of gun control, as I'm more fascinated by the teens stepping up to make their voices heard. What role should children take in shaping society?

2. RECOMMENDATIONS
The Signal and the Noise: Why So Many Predictions Fail--but Some Don't by Nate Silver
Everyone wants to predict the future, but it's difficult to see through our noisy culture. In this book, a statistician unveils a data-driven guide to finding balance between what's important and what isn't. Before you commit to reading, here are some selected quotes from the book.

Man On Wire
Philippe Petit went rogue and walked a tightrope between the two World Trade Center towers. You can watch this documentary about his feat on Netflix.

3. FREE SERMON DOWNLOAD
I wrote a sermon series on Colossians entitled, WHY JESUS WINS. In writing to this church, Paul explains the exclusivity of Christ. This week, see how Jesus embodies balance.

CLICK HERE to download a PDF transcript of Why Jesus Wins: Balance (Colossians 2:16-23)

A few notes: 
1. All Scriptures are taken from the New International Version
2. The primary source of textual research I used is the Smyth and Helwys commentary on Colossians by Nijay Gupta
3. Feel free to customize the message for your audience. Since these sermons are heavy exegetical, there is no need to attribute content to me.  

As always, thanks for reading the Thread. If you have thoughts about any of the above articles, feel free to start a conversation below. 

Photo by Ken Treloar on Unsplash