![\"mercedes-benz-w124-300e-sedan_100310209_m\"](\"http:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dminlgp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/mercedes-benz-w124-300e-sedan_100310209_m-300x155.jpg\")
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As a young twenty-year-old pastor I was trying hard to \u201cdo\u201d and \u201cbe\u201d what others wanted.\u00a0 That was a lot of expectation to live up to.\u00a0\u00a0 Most of the men on my Board were old enough to be my grandfather.\u00a0 I had graduated from Bible College, served as an Associate Pastor and Youth Pastor.\u00a0 I had earned my stripes.\u00a0 I deserved something for me that I wanted.\u00a0 Living life to please others gave me the right to get a little something that what I wanted; or did it?<\/p>\n
Elder and Paul in their \u201cminiature\u201d book, The Miniature Guide to Critical Thinking Concepts and Tools<\/em><\/strong>, offer a guide to assessing and cultivating critical understanding of concepts, others, one\u2019s self, and principles to live by.\u00a0 They believe that, \u201cCritical thinking is, in short, self-directed, self-disciplined, self-monitored, and self-corrective thinking.\u201d[1]<\/a>\u00a0 In essence, we are to embrace rigorous standards and be cognizant of how we seek after clarity, accuracy, depth, and ultimately significance of a matter.<\/p>\n I was driving a pretty decent car but had always wanted to own and drive a Mercedes Benz.\u00a0 On a young pastor\u2019s salary that narrowed and limited the possibilities of my dream becoming a reality.\u00a0 In retrospect, was my egocentric world trying to get a sociocentric response of acceptance from the people I was overseeing?\u00a0 Could it be that a young man driving an old Mercedes would validate me as someone worthy to be listened to?<\/p>\n Egocentric thought processes have some issues.\u00a0 Elder and Paul convicted me with the thought that, \u201cEgocentric thinking results from the unfortunate fact that humans do not naturally consider the right and needs of others.\u201d[2]<\/a>\u00a0 Critical thinking is the antithesis of egocentric thinking.\u00a0 Critical thinking is methodically and systematically asking the right questions to achieve the correct outcomes.<\/p>\n I found an advertisement in the \u201cUsed Car\u201d section of the local paper for a used Mercedes Benz.\u00a0 Being a novice to the infamous German carmaker, I was ignorant of the model number and letters that were addressed in the ad.\u00a0 Even the mere thought of engaging in a foreign car, none the less a Mercedes Benz, was unheard of in my world.\u00a0 The ad clearly stated it was older and it excellent mechanical condition.\u00a0 This could be the answer of Heaven coming to Earth for me.<\/p>\n I placed a call to the phone number listed in the ad.\u00a0\u00a0 A gentleman with broken English answered the phone.\u00a0\u00a0 I inquired about the car with an open heart, but in my mind saying \u201cyes\u201d before I ever test drove or saw the vehicle.\u00a0 He informed me that he was a medical doctor.\u00a0 That was the \u201ccr\u00e8me de la cr\u00e8me<\/em>\u201d that was needed.\u00a0 A medical doctor is considered a wise man and if I were to drive a wise man car\u2026well? \u00a0 The rest was history.<\/p>\n Over the phone I wanted to ask the right questions.\u00a0 The challenge is evident when you are inquiring about something that you know nothing about; not critical thinking.\u00a0 The best course of action was to ask a neutral question.\u00a0 \u201cWhat do you think about the car?\u201d, I inquired.\u00a0 In broken English the reply came back, \u201cIt is a \u2018ter-de-bel\u2019 diesel.\u201d\u00a0 \u201cSo you have not had good luck with the car then.\u201d, I quickly shot back.\u00a0 He again repeated, \u201cNo, I said it is a \u2018ter-de-bel\u2019 diesel!\u201d<\/p>\n Elder and Paul describe the layers of accuracy, precision, and relevance.\u00a0 The improper delivery of these needed items will be a hindrance to developing proper reasoning.\u00a0 Without proper reasoning we are prone to making assumptions. \u00a0Assumptions are tainted by our own opinion and narrow thinking.<\/p>\n I determined that I was wasting my time to even get his address.\u00a0 After several minutes on the phone he gave me his address and we set up a time to see the sacred, allusive \u201cter-de-bel\u201d diesel.\u00a0 Why would I even consider purchasing a vehicle that a medical doctor is calling \u201cterrible\u201d.\u00a0 I must be crazy or quite egocentric.<\/p>\n When I arrived at the house, all seemed well.\u00a0 The Mercedes Benz glowed like a scene from \u201cTouched by an Angel\u201d, but it was terrible.\u00a0\u00a0 As I approached the vehicle, the wonderful doctor took me around the vehicle and ultimately to the rear end of the car where the chrome letters 300TD were on the right side of the deck lid.\u00a0 The doctor reinforced again what he had said to me on the phone, \u201cIt is a 300 \u2018ter-de-bel\u2019diesel.\u201d<\/p>\n My naivet\u00e9, foolishness, lack of clarity, and pride had gotten the best of me.\u00a0\u00a0 I was looking at a Mercedes Benz 300 Turbo Diesel.\u00a0\u00a0 A great car with many more miles to go on it.\u00a0 Well taken care of mechanically and superficially.<\/p>\n My reasoning was based on inaccurate data, information, and evidence.\u00a0 Critical thinking was not present at any time of the process from the newspaper ad to the fine doctor and his 300 \u201cter-de-bel\u201d diesel.\u00a0 I had entered the scene with concepts and theories that were incorrect.<\/p>\n Did I buy the car?\u00a0\u00a0 No. \u00a0 I was an uninformed purchaser afraid of the turbo and did not know enough about diesel cars to engage.\u00a0\u00a0 Moral?\u00a0\u00a0 Use critical thinking and spare yourself embarrassment and living to the applause of someone other than the \u201caudience of one\u201d who put you on the Earth.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n![\"Mercedes-300TD-Emblem\"](\"http:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dminlgp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/Mercedes-300TD-Emblem-300x47.jpg\")
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