Give before you can receive

It's funny how life works: you have to give, before you can expect to receive.

The river Jordan flows through 2 seas; the Sea of Galilee and the Dead Sea. Both receive the same water but one is a thriving lake with plenty of life and the other, is dead as it's name reveals. The difference? The Sea of Galilee doesn't keep the River Jordan; it allows it to flow through and onto the Dead Sea. Whereas the Dead Sea has no outlet. So all the water will just sit in the sea till it evaporates.

I like this story because it reflect uncannily on life itself. We all know life is not constant but the reason why life isn't constant is because everything that has life, that is thriving will give! Springs give water to the rivers and rivers flow to the sea. Seawater is given to the sky who then returns it to the springs via rain. Carnivores may eat other animals but when they die, they will rot and become the nutrition-packed earth that plants need. The herbivore in turn eat these plants. Other than cycles, plants give out pollen so bees will come and pollinate them. Spiders must produce thread before they can catch flies. Seeds push out roots before they can grow tall.

Even in the marketplace, this give and take policy is so true. Companies that are most desirable are the ones who are most active (i.e. stock bought and sold a lot). Not the biggest gainers. An exciting game of football is when there's a lot of goals involve (i.e. lots of giving in). Cars move when you 'give' the accelerator a push. Airplanes create lift by making the air above the wing 'give' way to the greater pressure from below. To get into a packed train, someone has to give way and leave the train first.

Even many self help books teach this: you have to give in order to receive. You have to give praise to receive praise. Give a smile and people smile back at you. You respect others, they in turn respect you. When you lift people up, they will in turn lift you up. How we react to others shows how others will react to us in turn.

It's really weird how everyone is always so interested in take, take, take when the world clearly shows that the way forward is to give, give, give. Asking commuters to allow those getting off the train/bus to go first is the logical idea, not only because it's good manners. Being nice to others and helping them in every way isn't just about doing good; it's also about gaining. So for all those who don't follow these ideas, they're not only rude, they're dumb as well!

And definitely, it is more blessed to give, than to receive. - Acts 20:35

Knowledge is Power

Calling this the Information Age is really apt. Though technology continues to revolutionize our world and as much as industry is still vital, the world today belongs to those who have wisdom and information at their fingertips.

Knowledge has always been the key towards enhancing life. Armed with the knowledge that lightning is a big electric spark in the sky, lightning conductors were created to efficiently negate it's harmful effects on buildings. Understanding of the human body allows doctors to recognize obscure symptoms and nip harmful diseases in the bud. As we learn more about life, we know better how to live a more productive life.

Information also makes life easier. As we learn more about the raw materials around us and their properties, we use that knowledge to build cheaper, more durable and more user-friendly products. In fact, the more manufacturers know about how users use their products, the better they can design their products to match user usage. Such innovation include but are not limited to the QWERTY layout on keyboards and typewriters, car seat contours, lift button positioning for disabled people and many more. After all, we all enjoy products that work with little or no effort on our part.

Having more knowledge also is a HUGE advantage. Here's a good example which I observed: a tourist coming to town will have to depend on someone to show him around; giving the them the advantage of showing the tourist their chosen places. A tourist who repeatedly visits town will know better and can find his way around better. However, a local will know much more, shortcuts to get to places and better routes other than the main one . In addition to that, a really seasoned local will know even more, such as obscure good spots for eatery and/or recreation instead of just the popular ones. As one can see, each knows more about one place; thus giving them the advantage of flexibility.

In business, knowledge is truly power. Knowing about the latest deals in the market allows businesses to profit from it. Knowing about the latest deals earlier than everyone else allows businesses to profit first before anyone else does. A businessman who knows more about a certain business will be better place to make sound judgment on company movement. In short, the more you know, the better your business will be.

In today's times, knowledge is a bigger factor in success than ever. With the advent of the internet, the world is truly connected to one another. What one creates in his home can be available to another halfway across the world in an instant. Information is being transmitted and shared at an incredible rate. People can meet and collaborate with each other anytime, anywhere. This makes those who search for knowledge the true masters of the age.

In short, knowledge is the key to the power in today's world. Without it, business can boom, innovation cannot happen. Information is the means towards success in everything that we do. With it, we have the power to change the world.