LET'S TALK ABOUT . . .


                                                 "WHAT DIFFERENCE DOES IT MAKE?"


If, as I have suggested in previous blogs, our world is truly moving toward increasingly powerful forms of narcissistic and anarchical behaviors, it is worthy of a discussion about some of the dynamics surrounding those entities.  It may need to include a discussion on self-centered versus other-centered behaviors.  Let me illustrate with several recent examples.

 First, I do not believe we as humans will eradicate such tendencies or behaviors.  Any parent knows you do not have to teach a child to be selfish; you have to teach them to share.  I heard a great illustration of this recently: if you put two children in the same room with only one toy, what do you think is going to happen if you give it enough time?  This is not limited to children; just listen to the news.  Historically, wars have been fought over ownership and usage of the available resources on earth.  It is a global phenomena that many governments, agencies and mission organizations are attempting to address in one way or another.

If you talk to most trauma survivors they will tell you that we should never think ourselves above extreme or desperate behaviors.  We often observe them under circumstances of like nature.  Again, as mentioned in a previous blog, we are teleological beings; our lives moving in the direction of getting our needs met.  Unfortunately, we do not always do so legitimately.  Many in our world are legitimately needy and behave in extreme, even illegitimate, ways in pursuit of getting some need(s) met.  They are desperate!

Second, some one asked me if I thought that manipulation was an acceptable course of behavior under certain circumstances.  I prefer negotiation to manipulation.  The latter is always at the expense of another; negotiation is an attempt to preserve as much dignity as possible for all parties involved.  One might argue, circumstantially, "what about a surprise party?"  We all decide where and how to draw our lines between acceptable and unacceptable behaviors; are there ethical exceptions?

Third, a recent discussion about entitlement lead to the differentiation between those things that are rightfully ours and the ones we merely feel entitled to for some reason.  When I think about the need to accurately and carefully differentiate between entities I am not trying to split hairs; I am trying to responsibly choose trajectory out of love for that which I value the highest in my life.  Isn't that what we are all doing?  It begs the question; what does the trajectory of our choices say about what we really love the most.  There is a Scriptural principle that says, "where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."

Fourth, I have been thinking a lot about when differentiations become discrimination.  I think it is good to recognize and respect differences.  When a differentiation exposes or shames an individual or group for some explicit or implicit reason, it has crossed the line into the territory of discrimination.  We need to be conscious and intentional, without becoming paranoid or paralyzed. We need to live in the tension between tiptoeing and wanton behaviors of disregard ad disrespect.  We must not use our freedom to justify behaviors on either extreme of the continuum.

What difference does it make?  I believe it is often the difference between living well and living poorly.  We need to be discerning in our ability to differentiate well as we seek to live according to that which gives our lives meaning and significance.  It is not easy to navigate our way through the maze of circumstances we face every week.  They are often so complex and complicated.  That, however, does not legitimize abdicating responsibility for ourselves and our choices.  We need to continue to work at it!

Until next time . . . this is, Just Janice!