[January 2, 2023] Even if things are going well for you, there’s going to be a time in the future when things are rough. You or your family members will be sick, your dream will fall apart, and you will be unemployed or demoted, and this acknowledges that the “flood” is coming to your life. Things aren’t working out very well.
This will happen to us all; it is not a matter of if. That means we need to be prepared for it. To do so means finding a way of being that works even under the most dire circumstances. I will admit that there are chance circumstances that will knock you down. And then you and your friends are doing stupid things that will make it worse.
What do you do? Like I tell my Soldiers, you have to be like the prize fighter who loses a bout with his rival. Say to yourself, regardless of the circumstances that might have led to my defeat and even if there were errors on the part of the referee and beyond my control, this is not the time to complain about it. This is the time to take stock of what you did wrong so you can improve it in the future.
That is the right attitude.
An interesting connection we can make is from stories of the Old Testament. In it, God’s chosen peoples keep getting smacked down by God. They build themselves up, create an advanced civilization, and get battered. And then they are out of it for generations, but they all come back and build another great society, and they get demolished again. The attitude of those folks is we must have made a mistake. It’s never to shake their fists at the sky and curse their fate.
The moral presupposition is that it’s my fault. And that is a crucial presupposition because they could have said this was a matter of systematic oppression and the notions of fate. Your best attitude is to ask yourself, how am I insufficient, and how can I rectify that? The thing to remember is that you are insufficient, and you could rectify it. This is within your grasp.
Stay on the narrow, difficult path. This idea is threaded throughout the Bible, other religious texts, and the cultures of those long-past civilizations. One of the exciting things about the Bible is the stories that have as their meaning of the flood. Here is what is taught. “If the flood comes, then you were not prepared.” You may say, “That’s not very fair.” But fair isn’t the point. The point is, do you want to get flooded out again or not? Figure out what went wrong and what you did wrong, and fix it so it doesn’t happen again.
Ask yourself, “Could you be a better person this upcoming year?” Imagine the flood, and then set yourself straight by preparing for it, and that means maybe you can walk away. That is the story of Noah. What happens with Noah he is that he can see that things are not good and there’s a flood coming.
If your life is in order properly and things are working out well for you, you can see the future better and are more likely to be ready when tragedy or evil befalls you. Noah was prepared for the flood, but are you prepared? Are floods coming for you? Can you ride them out? Are you prepared for them?
It’s coming your way, absolutely with certainty. Put yourself together so that it can be the least amount of awful possible when it comes. If people did what they could. If they could speak the truth and pay attention, then maybe the tragedy that’s part of life wouldn’t have to push you into an unbearable hell.
Maybe by being prepared and placing ourselves properly in the world, we could survive the tragedies and maybe even mitigate them.
There is always the open question, “Are the tragedies the consequence of the fact that things fall apart or are the floods a consequence of the fact that people make mistakes that they know they shouldn’t make and make anyways.”
————–
Please read my books:
Really great article, Gen. Satterfield. I love the way you constructed this article for us. Keep up the wonderful works…….
From the Bible, “the Flood,” who would have known. I only read this part of the Bible literally and not the way you talk about it here. Gen. Satterfield, you continue to open my eyes and appreciate the ancient texts more and more.
Yes, mainer …. this is why I continue to read this blog every day, at least if I have Wi-Fi. Sometimes I don’t have Wi-Fi because I’m in places that normal people would never go.
Yep, things don’t always work out and if they don’t, then don’t go to your safespace or take out your coloring book, or call you daddy and mommy for advice. Grow up first, then take on the world.
The General has my blessing and tells us to be ready for disaster. The flood as we know, comes often with a warning. Do not ignore the General or the warning.
Yes, Ayn. Gen. Satterfield is telling us about the symbology of great destruction. Take it for what it is, and pay close attention to what he has to say, “Even if things are going well for you, there’s going to be a time in the future when things are rough. You or your family members will be sick, your dream will fall apart, and you will be unemployed or demoted, and this acknowledges that the “flood” is coming to your life. ” The flood is coming. It is only a matter of time, not if. Be ready. Be like the Boy Scout, be prepared and you will fair better during those bad times.
Thank both of you Ayn and Bobby Joe for helping me realize the importance of Gen. Satterfield’s advice. I will not ignore it.
Smart. Thanks Bobby Joe.
— and Gen. Satterfield is the best. And, exactly why I keep coming back for his articles. This is one of his best ever. And, folks, read his books.
Yes, be prepared for those common traps in life that have destroyed humans since the time when we walked the earth. That is why the Bible and ancient texts have consistently identified them for us and gave us warning. Heed those warnings and learn from the mistakes of others. You will be better for it.
I love this website. Nuff said.
Shouldn’t we all. At least those who want to improve their lives are here.
General Satterfield is always full of surprises like this one. Oh, I read your Daily Favorites and thanks for the links to some great “thinkers.” Here is another one:
https://www.youtube.com/@ZeihanonGeopolitics
“The Flood,” a new twist on an ancient story.
Hi Mother Picasso. It is wonderful to have you in our leadership forum where we exchange ideas and discuss how to make our lives better, improve leadership skills, and follow those important events of the day. I hope you find the forum a place to enjoy an exchange of ideas and thoughts and it makes you a better person for it.
Welcome Mother Picasso to the best leader forum around.
Gentlemen, thank you!
Don’t ya just love this website. You get an education every day and learn more than a year at a University.
And the freedom to speak your mind.
The Genesis flood narrative (chapters 6–9 of the Book of Genesis) is the Hebrew version of the universal flood myth.[ It tells of God’s decision to return the universe to its pre-creation state of watery chaos and remake it through the microcosm of Noah’s ark.
And that is why we can draw the analogy to all things human. We haven’t changed that much in thousands of years and probably will not change that much.
Just exactly what I love about Gen. Satterfield and his advice to us.
Not sure if this is an accurate portrayal but I get your point Wendy. thanks. It was God’s judgment.
The Flood of Noah’s day (2348 BC) was a year-long global catastrophe that destroyed the pre-Flood world, reshaped the continents, buried billions of creatures, and laid down the rock layers. It was God’s judgment on man’s wickedness and only eight righteous people, and representatives of every kind of land animal, were spared aboard the Ark.
https://answersingenesis.org/the-flood/
Not sure if this is an accurate portrayal but I get your point Wendy. thanks. It was God’s judgment.
I think we should be careful about assigning exact dates to anything from the Bible. It happened long ago and the order of things in the Bible might be important but assigning dates is problematic (partly because it doesn’t matter).
Good comments. Thanks Wendy.
❤❤❤❤
Wow, very nice article. Made me think!!!!!
The FLOOD? Really, oh, great analogy that only a few of us actually got on the first reading. You have to have a background in the basics of the old Testament of the Bible and have a good feel for the story. Movies didn’t do it justice because the deep of understanding is not there. Knowing the Bible, on the other hand, lends us a much better feel for what you meant. Thank you Gen. Satterfield.
This is true, Rev M. Cain, but I will add, IMHO, that just a cursory knowledge of The Flood is enough to get what the General is telling us. Great article and thank you Rev. for your comments.
Yep, great comments today. Helped me understand Gen. Satterfield a bit more.
Exactly why I read this fabulous blog and why I also got Gen. Satterfield’s book, “55 Rules for a Good Life.” If you are a Christian or just anyone wishing to make your life better, then get a copy of this book.
This is much to be said for reaching to the Bible to teach us lessons of today (the stories are about humans) but too many leftists and those uneducated in the ways of humans will reject it because they are feed secular propaganda all their lives. ⛪⛪⛪⛪