OK, The Holy Bible is the number one best-seller on my reading list. To read through The Bible each year is a blessing that confronts me with fresh truth every day. The promise that The Word is living is certainly proved as He reveals new things each time through.
There are five other books I read every year. They are simply reminders of something I found import- ant in them at first reading. So, for the first few days of 2014 I'm going to review them, even as I begin the process of reading them again. They challenge me to learn and grow.
Edward de Bono is a pioneer of thinking. You can read his biography here. His personal faith is never mentioned in his biographical data. But, reading between the lines it appears he is perhaps a secular humanist. One of his books is "H+:A New Religion" that espouses happiness, help, hope, health, and humor as a key to living the meaningful and purposeful life. It may be his confession of faith.
The Six Thinking Hats is a pace-setter in the study of how humans think and make decisions. De Bono suggests that there are six thinking tools in making important decisions: the white hat considers data and facts; the red hat involves intuition and gut; the black hat brings questions and caution into the process; the yellow hat looks at the positives of the situation; the green hat takes a creative view; and the blue hat requires analysis and focus over the issue. They are significant ways to approach problem solving and decision making. Read about them.
Most importantly, de Bono defined and identified "lateral thinking", that is, the process of thinking at a level beyond the confines of logic and reason. In his reasearch, he characterized most thinking as linear thinking, that is, thinking in a rational, logical, progressive, and usually chronological fashion. Lateral thinking is a thought process that leaps to another plane, a level above logical sequence. It involves thinking beyond what is obvious, tackling problems with a fresh, creative approach.
The catch for me is that lateral thinking is Kingdom thinking. Jesus always challenged His followers and listeners to move to another level in their thinking. He usually answered a question with a question in order to shift his students to Kingdom thoughts. The "mind of Christ" which supposedly defines believers is a mind lived on a Kingdom level. We must see things through Kingdom eyes. De Bono doesn't talk about that. But, lateral thinking is Kingdom thinking.
Here is a problem for the modern church. We are linear thinkers, addressing the times with logic and reason, chronological movement of thought, sequential ideation. To fulfill the Great Commission, we must think as Kingdom people, live under the promise of the supernatural, and envision the world with Kingdom eyes.
Having ears to listen and eyes to see is a shift to Kingdom thinking and Kingdom ways. De Bono doesn't talk about the Kingdom. But, his ideas about lateral thinking went a long way challenging me to think at a different level.
Let this mind be you. Philippians 2:5
Looking at lateral thinking as Kingdom thinking is spot on. I am thinking with you and will ask Jesus for His wisdom and perspective.
Posted by: MIchael Atkinson | January 02, 2014 at 06:56 AM