May 21, 2008
Repetitive
Sharing an observation, a friend told me he thought there was more gossip, back biting and meddling in the work place when an employee’s job function was one of repetitive work. It was his belief that employees who aren’t stimulated in the work place look for something to break the boredom…even if they have to help create the drama themselves. It’s an interesting theory. Applying this line of thinking to the church, we might then say that believers who aren’t spiritually stimulated could easily fall into gossip, back biting and meddling. I can see that happening, there’s not much spiritual stimulation when we’re all reading the same books, adopting the same mission statements and borrowing one another’s marketing strategies.
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1 comment:
Gail;
-----In my opinion, your friend’s theory is half right, and your conclusion about the church is as near right as is humanly possible. In the work place, where there are good and honorable people, boredom from repetition can lead to a variety of diversions that are not only virtuous, but also can be beneficial to production. Competitive games with the work itself can be a beneficial diversion: who can do the most widgets before lunch, or who can make their widget the widgiest. There are movies to talk about, and cars, football games, even virtue, morals, and social issues, as well. So, as for your friend’s theory, I can certainly agree that gossip exists where there is boredom, but must also point out auto accidents almost always occur during days when the drivers have eaten at least one meal. Just as carelessness is the real cause of auto accidents, moral poverty, not boredom, is the real cause of gossip.
-----Nearly the same principle can be applied to the church. However, pop-evangelism and fad-celebration has entered most churches through the theological jet-set and their various baby-books. So, many of the topics discussed in the halls and back rooms of these churches are about issues and people having a direct effect on the nature and effectiveness of one’s own worship amongst the beloved. Rather, gossip has to do with nothing of the gossipers’ concerns. Back biting is not defense of one’s rightful possessions, both tangible and intangible, but is defense outside moral, virtuous, and godly guidelines. And meddling is not something done by the defender. It is that against which one takes a position of defense. In your example of the church plagued with repetitive baby-books, the meddlers are actually the suppliers of the baby-books. Please convince me otherwise. Albeit, if the guidelines of defense against the pop-wolves are forgotten or not taught, then the godliness of the defense will proceed into the barrow pit.
Love,
Steve Corey
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