Legacy is not what you accomplish . Legacy is what others accomplish because of you . It ’ s growing fruit on other people ’ s trees , and it often starts with please , sorry , or thanks ! It ’ s being bold enough to offer help . It ’ s being humble enough to accept help . Those are the moments that turn into tipping points .
William Osler , the father of modern medicine , said , “[ Work ] is the open sesame of every portal .” And I don ’ t disagree . You have to work like it depends on you . But words matter too , and nothing says “ Open sesame ” like please !
Remember the story of Ali Baba and the forty thieves from The Thousand and One Nights ? Open sesame is the phrase that opens the mouth of the cave in which is found hidden treasure . Nothing is better at opening impossible doors than a simple please .
All too often , we huff and puff and try to knock doors down by exercising position or privilege . Why ? We want the world to bow down to our every whim . We want the world to revolve around our every wish . So we use our titles as battering rams . Even God doesn ’ t do that . Jesus is a gentleman !
Behold , I stand at the door and knock . ( Rev . 3:20 ESV )
In 1853 , the English artist William Holman Hunt finished painting a portrait of Jesus standing at a door and knocking . It is a visual representation of this verse , and there is one feature that catches the eye . The door has no handle on the outside ! Why ? It must be opened from the inside . God has given us free will , and He will not violate it .
Are you knocking on doors ?
Or are you knocking them down ?
An old saying reminds us , A man convinced against his will is of the same opinion still . Our attempts to change people ’ s opinions are usually met with resistance . It ’ s like the old Aesop fable where the sun and the wind argued over who was stronger . The issue was settled with the help of an unsuspecting traveler who was wearing a cloak . Which one could make him disrobe ? The wind began to blow , but the man clutched his cloak even more closely . Then the sun began to shine , and sure enough , a little bit of warmth caused the man to take off his cloak willingly .
A pretty please is like a ray of sunlight . It ’ s far more effective than trying to get your way through brute force . Not only does it win friends ; it also wins enemies and turns them into friends . Persuasion is like the art of inception . You politely plant a seed in people ’ s minds . How ? Instead of issuing decrees , you ask questions . Instead of making demands , you make requests . Please gives people margin to own the idea , alter the idea , implement the idea . If they own the idea , it will own them . If they don ’ t own it , you ’ ll be doing a lot more managing than you want .
Can I make a confession ? I ’ m a control freak ! It ’ s awfully hard to “ let go and let God .” But playing God is absolutely exhausting , and I ’ m not very good at it . So I ’ ve learned to give an extra measure of grace to people who have different experiences and personalities .
Be completely humble and gentle ; be
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