Another Contest For Free Book: 3 Seconds

Last updated on: August 23, 2007 at 11:48 am by David Hayward

Another Contest For Free Book: 3 Seconds 2007-08-23T11:48:54-04:00 David Hayward

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

ANOTHER CONTEST!I have another book to give away. Just make a comment and your name will be entered into the draw for a free new copy of this hardcover book. I’ll close the contest tomorrow night, Friday, midnight my time (Atlantic Time). Again, thanks to Zondervan for this opportunity. This week’s book is 3 Seconds: The Power of Thinking Twice, by Les Parrott, PhD., founder of the Center for Relationship Development at Seattle Pacific University. He has published several books and is a sought-after speaker to Fortune 500 companies and others.

I was skeptical of the book as I read it because, again, it falls under the very popular category of self-help for personal and business success, where I think there’s lots of garbage floating around. It also felt very reminiscent in many ways to the last book I reviewed, Holy Discontent: Fueling the Fire that Ignites Personal Vision, by Bill Hybels, and I’m not crazy about that book. (By the way, I want everyone to know that when I review these books, I realize that I am critiquing the work of my brothers and sisters. I wish to maintain respect and love for all people, but let us agree that our works and words must be open for analysis and criticism. I would love to have lunch with Hybels or anyone else I review, and I’m sure it would be an enjoyable one… for me anyway.) There are some things about this book I enjoyed and benefited from. He encourages us to not fall into the trap of following our first overwhelmed response to a problem and give up, but to think again and work for a solution to the challenge. So, let’s say our first response to a problem is, “There’s nothing I can do about it!” Parrott instructs us to replace this first impulse with the second: “I can’t do everything, but I can do something!” It has some good advice and is peppered with quotes and stories. We are encouraged to do what we love to do. One quote:

Follow what you love!… Don’t deign to ask what “they” are looking for out there. Ask what you have inside. Follow not your interests, which change, but what you are and what you love, which will and should not change.

Some good stuff. But my problem with books like these is the whole cause and effect issue. We are so confident that if we do a certain thing we will achieve our desired results. We’ve become like gods of our own lives. “I will do this and therefore get this!” It is the same philosophy behind the health/wealth gospel that runs rampant in the churches, only we apply it to business as well. To his credit, Parrott tells the story of Wetherill Associates, Inc., a company founded by Richard Wetherill who believed that right action would get right results. To this day, Wetherill inists that:

We do not try to make profits or avoid losses. Instead we try to take “right action” in the best way that we know; the profits are a natural by-product.

Reminds me of Gandhi, who I think was closer to the truth when he said that we need to trust God for the right results of our right actions. I think it was Barth who argued over and over that to be so confident of our plans, to be so sure of the effects of our causes is the ultimate in human arrogance. So, in a nutshell, I like most of what Parrott has to say. I just wish that this whole field would be a little more aware that this kind of philosophy only works in a part of the world where humanity seems to reign supreme over all and has the rare luxury of guaranteeing its own success.

Previous Post

August 23, 2007

GIMME! Ministries #5: Flames

Next Post

August 24, 2007 Last Chance for Contest!

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category art cartoons cartoons 2 freebie music one minute message podcast Sophia teaching technology thought

Select a Month February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 May 2007 April 2007 March 2007 February 2007 January 2007 December 2006 November 2006 October 2006 September 2006 August 2006 July 2006 June 2006 May 2006 March 2006 February 2006

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Where did Jesus spend forty days being tempted by the devil?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Jerusalem Nazareth The wilderness Sea of Galilee