Extrapolate

Extrapolate

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper
 time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”
                                                    Galatians 6:9

Have you ever had a word get stuck in your head? Did you ever have a thought that is confirmed over and over again by a variety of people?  That is what has been happening to me for quite a while now with the word “extrapolate.” The definitions of the word extrapolate are:

·         To use existing information to discover what is likely to happen in the future

·         To project into the future based on what is known

·         To extend to a greater length

In a day when we all tend to live in the moment, saying what we want and doing what feels good, the message of the word extrapolate is to think out the end result  and ultimate consequence of our actions before we do them. A decision on buying something might need to take into account whether the debt being incurred is worth the enjoyment of what is being bought. An action might be enjoyable but considering how it would affect our relationship with the Lord or our testimony to other believers might save us from a whole lot of trouble. At the same time, an action that we might be leery about might have real potential for good and for changing a life. And just a little thought might convince us that the hard thing we weren’t going to do would really pay off down the road and is the right choice for our future. Taking time to extrapolate will both prevent the bad and encourage the good in our lives.

With our words, the challenge is to consider what response and reaction our words will produce before uttering them. James warned us to be slow to speak, encouraging us to take a minute to consider if our words will bring life or death. A short look at what our words might produce will often make us decide to hold a thought and to just be quiet. At other times, we might realize the positive impact an encouraging word would make in another person’s life and decide to go out of our way to contact them and sow something good at a time of need.

Henry Cloud called this practice “Play the Movie,” seeing our actions as one scene in a movie and, only after viewing the movie, deciding if we want that scene to be a part of the movie of our lives. At times we will like what we see and at other times we won’t. But the key is we get to decide how the movie of our lives will play out. Take time to extrapolate; you’ll find it well worth the time and effort!

God Bless
Pastor Joe
Gateway Church