Dear friends,

How important is it to be smart?

Our society is oriented around valuing intelligence, and in my ministry of writing Bible studies, we value highly the ability to analyze and express ideas clearly.

However, we have always emphasized that our ability to articulate Christian beliefs and values is far less important than our commitment to live them out.

I recently attended a seminar on Emotional Intelligence: How to Improve the Productivity of your Business. The speakers, Mitch Anthony and Scott West, pointed out that a high IQ, traditionally considered to be a definitive indicator of success in life, actually only offers an advantage of 5-20%, whereas high EQ, emotional intelligence, offers a 80-90% chance of success and happiness in life. Why? Because, they said, people, given the choice, would rather work with someone who is cheerfully incompetent than with a competent jerk.Emotional intelligence refers to the ability to get along with others, to control your emotions, to handle stress and failure, to understand and empathize with the people around you. Christians have said this for years: who we are is more important than what we do.

Deitrich Bonhoeffer, in Life in Community, said that great enemy of Christian fellowship is idealism, imagining a harmonious, loving group. It causes us to judge any community that is less than perfect, and to condemn any person who does not live up to our standards.In Ediciones Lumbrera, we place high value on relationships, integrity, and constructive conflict resolution. But we are all strong contrasting personalities, and are aware that each of us is a work in progress. We struggle to be patient with what God is doing in us and in our colleagues.We are all deeply committed to building a culture of peace first amongst us even as we proclaim peace to the churches and the world through our materials.

I love to tell you about the newest publications and accomplishments of Ediciones Lumbrera. But I want you to know that always our highest goal will be to live transformed lives that spread, as II Corinthians 2.15 says, the aroma or fragrance of Christ to those around us.

Shalom,

Ruth Mooney