What is going on?
Ask the question and keep moving forward
It’s Friday the 13th and it’s a great day to have a great day. Do you feel like Jim from The Office this week? I sure do.
Flip on the TV, open up your social media platform of choice, or look around you and this seems to be an astute reaction. Whether you’re asking this question because of what you’re seeing happen in L.A. or around the country, or because of turmoil happening in one of your spheres of influence — you’re right to ask. The popular quote and truth from Viktor Frankl seems to be more necessary to remember now more than ever.
Between stimulus and response lies a space. In that space lies our freedom and power to choose a response.
For me, sometimes that space between stimulus and response seems incredibly small. Microscopic. In a culture that is progressively more reactive than any before it, this space seems to be non-existent. Just because the space between stimulus and response may seem small does not deny its crucial importance.
How have you responded to events happening around you this week? Maybe it’s with your family, your friends, your work, your spheres of influence, or the world in which we live. A community and sphere of influence I’ve had the honor and privilege to lead and serve in for the better part of a decade has “blown up” (to put it in simple terms) over the past few months, unfortunately. This is largely due to a handful of people in leadership positions who have exhibited poor leadership and decision-making; catalyzing the deterioration of what was once a strong, mission-aligned culture. Maybe this sounds familiar to what you are seeing in the world around you at large or on a smaller scale. The space between stimulus and response has been non-existent, or so it seems. As Christ followers and people committed to stepping further into High Impact Manhood (or Womanhood), how are we to respond to things like this? Look no further than Proverbs 24.
A wise warrior is better than a strong one, and a man of knowledge than one of strength; for you should wage war with sound guidance — victory comes with many counselors. Wisdom is inaccessible to a fool; he does not open his mouth at the city gate.
-Proverbs 24:5-7
I don’t know about you - but I desire to be a wise warrior and a man of knowledge regardless of the circumstance or arena I find myself in. Do you have wise counselors you can confide in? People who will challenge and encourage you in truth and love?
So ask the question “What is going on?!” but don’t be surprised — this is to be expected in a fallen world where things like honor, courage, commitment, character, and high-impact manhood (or womanhood) seem to be falling by the wayside. Here’s my advice (that I need to be adamant about implementing as well):
Block out all the noise/negativity and KMF (Keep Moving Forward).
