November 25, 2015
Curses
During a contentious public
meeting the men were loud, confrontational and accusatory…each tried to outdo the
others with their ego and diatribe. However, one woman sprinkled her comments
with swear words. I suspect this was her attempt to make her mark amongst all
the men, but I doubt they were impressed. “Do not pay attention to every word
people say, or you may hear your servant cursing you — for you
know in your heart that many times you yourself have cursed others” (Ecc
7:21-22 NIV).
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1 comment:
Gail;
-----Many years ago I read a book called “Styles of Thinking”. In it Allen F Harrison and Robert M. Bramson, Ph.D. discuss five general strategies their studies found people use for asking questions, making decisions, and solving problems. Analysts dice the situation down into its constituent parts, examine each independently, and all of their interrelationships. Sounds like Colombo. Realists induce reality from facts. They have less time or attention for what theory, models, or generalizations might add to a good perception of reality. Idealists are somewhat opposite. Their first assumption is that the world can be a better place. Their second assumption is that everything is connected to everything else. Although there is some truth in these two assumptions, from my own experiences and observations, I might add that idealists thirdly assume that everyone can be made to operate according to what they think improves the world, usually through the activities of a totalitarian government. You know where the rest of that discussion would go, so, on to pragmatists. They don’t care if anything really connects to anything else. If an effort will benefit the goal at hand, do it. Then deal with any consequences it may have upon other situations when they arise. These guys are anyone’s useful idiots. And finally, the people who are most endeared to my heart are the synthesists. I wanted to be a synthesist, but my thought-style evaluation pegged me as an analyst mostly, with strong realist tendencies, unfortunately a smattering of idealism, and then synthesism, with pragmatism as a least used strategy. The synthesist looks for any possible way opposing characteristics and viewpoints might be able to work together. They often find the unexplored wrinkles of reality. But maybe I’m more a synthesist than my test score indicated, because before I can accept synthesist tendency, “possible” has to be sub-categorized into only those possibilities afforded by the truth (ugh...an idealist concept.) But still, the truth is the best reality because, in the end, it will own us all, some unto eternal life, others unto eternal death. So, once a little analysis has constrained synthesism, I’m ready to put the peddle to the metal and find out how many new solutions can be made of the truisms being offered at the negotiation table. A good synthesist has no respect for shouting and anger in confrontations and negotiations. Shouting and anger are for the realists, pragmatists, and especially, idealists, who have a lot to offer in spite of whatever temper might package it.
-----When Jesus was asked whether or not taxes should be paid to Rome He silenced His rhetorical foes using a piece of synthesist artwork, “Who’s image is on this coin…then render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.” The truth is, He probably did a very quick piece of analysis concerning what belongs to whom according to the facts at hand, then synthesized the pragmatic principle of giving to whom what belongs to whom into this idealistic concept of giving to the government its due submission and to God the submission due Him. God made our minds to work in wonderful ways when each of those ways humbles itself to the truth of the matters at hand. There should never be reason for angry shouting (ugh…more idealism.)
Love you all,
Steve Corey
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