PUBLIC RELATIONS

The April explosion of the oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico that killed 11 workers and unleashed the largest oil spill in American history continues to be world-wide news.  For those of us living on the gulf coast the environmental and psychological effects will continue for many years.  Although the drilling rig was owned and managed by a multi-national consortium, the responsibility fell to the corporation in charge, British Petroleum, or BP.

The federal government holds regulatory power over the federal waters where the drilling took place and looked to BP to manage the response to the disaster.  The CEO of BP came to the United States to demonstrate to everyone the level of importance they put on the response.  Public relations (PR) is the art and science of relating to all people who are or will be aware of a situation.  There are experts in this field of PR.

The CEO, Tony Hayworth, apparently listened to corporate attorneys rather than the PR experts.  He made every attempt to assure people an investigation would determine culpability, and downplayed the significance of the oil spilling into the gulf with comments such as “the spill is very small in such a large body of water”.  After a month in the U.S. he stated he “wanted his life back”, a callous remark to the victim’s families.

As the backlash against BP grew, the Chairman of the Board came to the U.S. to meet with the President and other political leaders.  To ensure that the response to the situation was important, he announced that “BP cares about the little people”.  One of the largest companies in the world had demonstrated the ability to take a bad situation and with very poor PR plans make it worse.

PR plans are also crucial to individuals.  As with companies, the ability to articulate who you are and what you can do should not be done “in the moment”.  Most of us have friends and acquaintances that have known us long enough that they develop expectations of our reaction or response to situations.  Public relations has a far greater audience and without a lengthy time frame for that audience to know us.

There are individuals who care about people groups.  There are people who care about individuals.  In the Civil War period it was said that the north cared about the slaves as a people group, while those in the south cared about or for each individual but not the group.  If there is any truth to that claim, the point is that the audience of all the individuals combined is the people group.  Public relations have to cover both.

In the case of BP, the affected groups are diverse and the individuals in each groups also diverse.  The federal government banned fishing in most of the gulf waters. A local fishing boat captain committed suicide, presumably because he didn’t think he could continue fishing.  When Tony Hayworth spent a weekend in England watching a yacht race, the fishing group was outraged, since they were stuck at the dock.

As an individual, your personal PR plan starts with documenting your values in life.  If an event brings in a huge unexpected audience, the “15 minutes of fame” as it has been called, should illuminate who you are, not change you.  Think of it as a microscope on your life with the entire world looking through the lense that you provide.  For your PR plan to be that lense, you must know and articulate the values you live by.

As a company, your culture must be established to the extent that all the employees live by those values.  For an oil company, the culture of safety first in all things is an expectation.  When the resulting investigation occurs after the well is capped, the conclusion will be that financial or timing considerations were deemed more important than safety.  Leaders have the responsibility of the culture that determines priorities.

What are the priorities in your life, as seen by those that watch how you live?  Do you care about individuals, or just groups?  Are there groups that you oppose?  Politicians often say one thing, and then do another, usually to try and get elected.  The public loses trust in individual politicians as well as their form of government when that happens.  Usually people only change slightly over time so don’t expect otherwise.

This blog has covered many subjects over the previous editions.  I’ve been recruiting to hire for an open position at work, and several applicants have used these subjects to preview if they want to work for me.  My views define me, just as your views define you. A public relations plan applies those views to potential situations in advance so a public response can be anticipated.  If a backlash is coming, be prepared for it now, or change.

The drop in the price of BP stock is an easily measurable backlash to how they have handled their PR.  At this writing it has cost the shareholders of the company over $100 billion in share price and at least $20 billion in expenses reimbursed.  International relationships between countries have been strained.  A quality PR plan carried out with discipline would have cost far less.  The same lesson applies to your personal PR plan.

STORIES

The greatest things about stories are the embedded kernels of wisdom within the fictional storyline that illuminates key points of life.  The origin of mankind and the politics of the day rarely intertwine, but here’s my example for June 2010:         

God was sitting on his throne one day enjoying the adulation and service of the angels when he began to wonder if they would be the same way if they were given a choice.  He called Lucifer, the worship leader, over and announced that immediately the angels could choose.  If they wished to continue to serve him nothing would change, but if they wished to stop a place other than heaven would be provided for them.  They all voted to continue to love and serve him, and so they did.  Lucifer continued as their leader.

As time passed, however, Lucifer began to wonder if that adulation and service could be for him instead of God.  He decided that rather than ask God for a place other than heaven, perhaps God would share heaven so he approached God with the idea.  God patiently explained that angels were created beings, so they could not and did not have the abilities to be God.  Lucifer did not understand this at all, so God created a hell and an earth as comparisons to heaven.  Lucifer chose the earth and called for a vote.

This second vote by the angels resulted in nearly one third of the angels going to the earth with Lucifer.  God decided to make those votes permanent for the angels and created man with choice from the beginning.  He set up a system on the earth where the choice of man would become permanent for eternity but include free will during a lifetime on earth.  Eventually the system included women, as well as all the plants and animals that would provide sustenance for the men, women and children that followed. 

Soon after mankind was created Lucifer tricked the first woman to make the choice of disobedience, followed quickly by the man, so the concept of sin entered the world.  When one of their sons killed the other, death became the point where the eternal soul moved to heaven or hell.  Lucifer found satisfaction in the obvious grief God exhibited when souls went to hell, so he set out with his band of angels to snare as many humans as possible.  After an eternity of loving and being loved God had a situation to deal with.

Since He had provided choice from the beginning the extremes needed to be clear.  He sent himself as his son to pay the penalty of sin for those that chose him, and made hell a lake of fire that did not consume, for those that did not.  He provided the two options for all humans past and present and changed Lucifer’s name to Satan.  He gave his son the name of Jesus, and after death raised him from the dead so all would know who he was.  He placed an eternal hedge of protection around children and challenged Satan.

Thousands of years followed with an ever increasing number of souls living out their years with free will in all aspects, but spiritually choosing their eternal destiny.  The spiritual battles often became physical battles with wars and rumors of wars commonplace.  Many worshiped the name of the Lord, and many chose not to accept the gift of eternal life.  Satan offered many false options and proved cunning in his disguises.  He taught those that came with him originally to transform into selfishness, control and various addictions.

 The grief God felt when souls went to hell grew and grew, as Satan confused, cajoled, or tricked each person into rejecting Jesus.  He had allowed the free will for mankind and given Satan and his demons that vote, so that had to continue.  His best option was to let everyone know there was a time limit on the existence of the earth.  He had revealed that when He provided the writings that became the Bible, but only Satan took it literally.  With billions in the world to be told, more specific instructions were needed to capture their hearts.

God chose a date for the end of the world, and notified Satan as well as His followers.  Satan’s response was swift, choosing a false Messiah to confuse those who were waiting for the return of Jesus and putting out a movie about Mayans.  God’s followers sent out Tweets, posted news on Facebook, and made the rounds of the cable shows with their news of destruction.  Satan’s Messiah went on network news channels only and assured the world not to worry, the world would not end.  In the end, the election of 2012 did not take place at the ballot box, but in the heart of each human being on the face of the earth.

VALUES

The unabridged dictionary defines “values” as acts, customs, and institutions regarded in a particular way, usually favorably, by a people group.  A similar and illuminating definition is “that which is desirable or worthy of esteem for its own sake”.  While morals makes the distinction between right and wrong (see the April 2006 subject of morality in this blog), values assign the importance of the activity or custom to the group.  Character is a description of the traits or qualities of a person, while values assign the acceptability of those traits. Religions, cultures, and many countries also have a list of values, published or not, that are accepted by most if not all.  Often that acceptance is why they are a people group.  This blog is about your values today, and why you claim them.  If you are like most people, your values have changed over time.

Multiculturalism occurs when differing people groups are combined for some reason, often by an external force to at least one of the groups.  When the values of each group differ, the pressure from opposing sides to conform is increased.  Ethnic strife resulted from these situations throughout human history, none more obvious than what we refer to as the Civil War 150 years ago.  The United States has continued to add more people groups, with widely varying traditions since.  Many urban areas still have neighborhoods referred to as Chinatown, Little Italy, or neighborhoods referred to as barrios.  The integration brought about by Civil Rights legislation and desegregation activities blended the customs and cultures over time.  The USA is now a multicultural society.

The favorability of values sometimes differed between the people groups, causing friction and concern.  A tolerance movement spread throughout the country suggesting that all values be universally accepted for the peace and civility of all concerned.  This thought process morphed into acceptance of all morals and a societal view making everything desirable and worthy of esteem.  The problem is that the distinction between what is right and what is wrong can’t come from a societal majority, or societal acceptance.  Failure to do what is right is called sin. God sent the law to ensure we understood we are not righteous. No culture or society should ever determine our morality. Absolute truth never changes.

Inclusion of all values or rejection of all values in a multicultural society leads to the same disastrous result.  Shared values are those acts and customs that can be agreed upon via compromise or reasonably universal acceptance.  Scheduling Christmas on December 25^th is an example.  Rejected values are those acts and customs that violate civil right laws and can’t gain legal status.  Forced teenage female circumcision is an example.  Between the two sides of shared and rejected is a vast area that includes not only legal status considerations, but ethical and moral as well.  Each citizen has rights, and in a free country the ability to exercise those rights.  When the exercise of those rights restricts the rights of another it is wrong.  If it only offends them, it is freedom, a value worthy of esteem.

Traditional values usually refer to the origin of the values.  The origin of the USA came from a declaration that led to a revolutionary war, and a constitution that led to a country.  The tradition of slavery changed slower than the wording of the constitution that called men free.  The tradition of federalism came with the results of the civil war that freed the slaves, but has massively grown since.  The multiculturalism of races, religions, orientations, and genders has included political values along the way.  The varying views of proper values by the electorate are often shaped by media portrayal of parties, candidates, or legislation.  The changing media delivery has coincided with a polarization of views regarding proper values and the government decisions that affect all citizens.

Businesses will often publish a list of values, and sometimes refer to them as shared values, suggesting all employees should agree.  The U.S. Army lists seven values: Loyalty, Duty, Respect, Selfless Service, Honor, Integrity, and Personal Courage.  Respect for the values of others does not mean acceptance or agreement with those values, so the proper place for the three branches of government is to ensure freedoms that don’t restrict others are protected.  Taxation of all citizens for the common good of some is a slippery slope.  A key cause of the revolutionary war was taxation without representation.  Taxation to ensure freedoms for only some citizens, but restrictions on others, is tyranny to the one being restricted but taxed.  Jesus said in response to the tax question “Render unto Caesar what is Caesars, and to God what is God’s”.

God is absolute truth, a standard to measure our values against.  Absolute truth, defined in the January 2007 edition of this blog, is “that which is true for all people, for all times, for all places". Excellent guidelines, rules, ordinances, beliefs, resolutions, laws, traditions, and perceptions must never be at the same plane as the truth. Values that come from these societal standards may not be bad, but may not be universal.  Jesus said in John 14:6 “I am the way and the truth, and the life”, so my values should not conflict with His.  I claim the basis of my values from the Bible as a Christian, but also the Constitution as an American.  I also claim as the basis of my values my life experience that differs from many other people.  The 60 previous entries in this blog cover in detail what they are.  What are your values, why do you claim them, and have they changed from reading mine?

DEREGULATION

The United States was founded upon principles that are no longer taught in our schools. "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness". The declaration that God provided the liberty and that the pursuit is up to us has changed in my lifetime. “Give me liberty or give me death” has now changed into “There ought to be a law against that”. We have witnessed it as an increase in laws and regulations as government works to control the details of our lives. The unintended consequences of these meaningful regulations then require even more laws.
Deregulation is the term to describe the removal or simplification of government rules and regulation that constrain the operation of market forces. If we all as free people use our liberty and pursue our happiness to trade or buy and sell from each other it is called a market. The forces of supply and demand, representing the aggregate influence of self-interested buyers and sellers on the price and quantity of goods and services, control the market. This system is often called a free market, or due to the money aspects, sometimes referred to as capitalism. The political ramifications of the resulting winners and losers also impact the view our government agencies have on the process.

Other countries have tried other systems like socialism, or communism that provide a “fairer” distribution of the market wealth. However, they have found that when the market is not free it shrinks. As governments tax the market wealth to fund themselves, the shrinking market soon ends the government system. Capitalism as a system can have abuses. This has caused both legislative and executive branches of our government to add regulations to control specific situations. Over time the new situations and consequences of previous laws have created a maze of regulation that makes it difficult to do business, thus shrinking the market and the tax base needed to maintain the regulators. Politicians have responded by giving out tax money to specific voter groups.

If regulations had not been defined by government, deregulation would not be needed. Therefore this blog is championing the removal of government rules and regulations in all areas of the marketplace that are shrinking. Recent negative publicity about Wall Street deregulation did not pinpoint the true cause as new regulation of the mortgage business that coincided. The increase in the number of attorneys in the country has coincided with both the growth of regulation and the wording that makes the laws difficult to comprehend. The general population has had so many of their liberties taken away that they seem numb to the effect. A recent “Tea Party” movement, named after the revolutionary founders of the U.S., has publicized the resulting tax burden of excess regulation.
The first sentence of the blog mentioned the principles no longer taught in our schools. A government plan to help children, called “No Child Left Behind”, focused attention on reading, writing, and arithmetic but inadvertently ended social study education. Jesus Garcia, president of the National Council for Social Studies says “We say the purpose of social studies is to help young people make informed and reasoned decisions for the public good in a democratic society in an interdependent world. Historically, social studies have always been one of the core subjects that were dominant in the curriculum.” The result can accurately be characterized as “reeducation”, purposeful or not. A recent textbook requirement change in Texas by the State Board of Education helps, but like all new regulations will have unintended consequences.

An entire generation of American students has not been taught the principles that our society was based on. The expanding tax needs of the government and the shrinking market caused by the excess of regulation makes the urgency to change course quite high. Opinions about what other people should be allowed to do or not do should remain opinions. When they become the law of the land, experience has shown the unintended consequences are devastating. As 2010 is an election year the politicians that voted on or decreed the regulations should be replaced with those who are committed to deregulation. Fewer laws, less government, and more liberty is better. Well meaning regulations end up causing more harm than what they are designed to address.

MITIGATION

For years I have believed the concept that working from your strengths was wise. Marcus Buckingham wrote a best-selling business book titled “Now, Discover Your Strengths” that jump-started a strengths movement based on a simple premise. That premise was that we spend too much time repairing our flaws or weaknesses and too little time building on or developing our strengths. He followed that book with one titled “Go put your strengths to work” suggesting that we do not learn from our mistakes, so don’t pay any attention to them. Employers hire for strengths, and retain for strengths based on teams. The idea is that other employees in a work team will always have balancing strengths to your flaws.

Mitigation is defined as: to reduce exposure to risk; to moderate a quality or condition. I have recognized the need for mitigation of my belief and the premise Marcus Buckingham made in his books. Having to terminate the employment of several friends who did not learn from their mistakes or mitigate their weaknesses was my cruel lesson that working from strengths alone is insufficient. It is wise to add a mitigation strategy to moderate your negative flaws, while building on the positive strengths. The October 2009 edition of this blog featured a section on risk assessment. Employers actually retain for results. While the work team utopia sounds nice, personal responsibility for mitigation remains.

In any aspect of life an honest self-evaluation will show you areas that fall into the two buckets of strengths and weaknesses. Building on your strengths is the right thing to do and often even feels good. However, Hebrews 12:11 says “All discipline for the moment seems to not be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterward it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness”. James 3:17 says “But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy”. Mitigating your weaknesses is the other side of the coin from the efforts of building on your strengths and can’t be ignored.

Techniques can include enlisting specific team members in an active mitigation, to actually working on improving the flaws you found in your self-evaluation. Results are the measurement that determines success. Many colleges now have group assignments where students work through these very issues for a collective grade. Businesses report profits based upon all the efforts of the employees and management of the business. The cultural shift from individual responsibility to collective sharing of overall results throughout modern society has contributed to this situation. Understand that the ownership of your mitigation strategy remains with you in all circumstances.

PERSEVERENCE

I enjoyed listening to Olympic athlete Ruben Gonzalez who will participate in the Vancouver Winter Olympics this month at age 47, his fourth Olympic participation.  He said God gives you a dream and God gives you all the power, as his story proves out.  His dream was to be an Olympic athlete, but the obstacle was that he isn’t athletic.  After researching all sports he settled on the luge, thinking lying down on a sled can’t be too difficult.  He found that the courage to persevere after crashes and injuries was the difference between success and failure to reach his dream.   

 Courage is crucial. Luke 21:19 says “by your perseverance you will gain your lives”.  Romans 5:3 says “exult in tribulation, knowing tribulation brings about perseverance”.  James 1:12 says “Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial…”  Perseverance is just a big word that means you will never quit.  A famous quote from Winston Churchill is the simple message: “Never, Never, Never QUIT”.  As we all know there are forces against us designed to discourage us and cause us to want to quit during times of trial.  A plan to persevere shows wisdom.  Start by listening to those who have proven they won’t quit.

Ruben Gonzalez said there are 5 steps that he believed would propel anyone to unstoppable success in any endeavor. 1) Create your own team of people who believe in you and who will encourage you during challenges. 2) Find an arena you are suited to. 3) Have the courage to take action and get started. 4) Have the courage to endure, to go all the way no matter what. 5) Develop the attitude that you’re willing to do whatever it takes, for as long as it takes.  Walt Disney said “All dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them”.  The price of regret is 100 times more than the price of success.  Choosing the endeavor is a starting point of success for each of us.

I would suggest the first two steps mentioned are often harder than the perseverance that follows.  There are far more critics than believers, and relationships are often complicated.  The arena that you are suited to should be linked with your dream, or it’s just a daydream.  Ruben found that his hardheaded passion was a more important link than his athletic ability, but not in any sport.  The clarity needed to view ourselves accurately can often come from those same people that love and believe in us if we listen.  That trust requires an investment of time and understanding of perspective.

The winner of a race is not determined until the end, but don’t be concerned if you view those ahead of you.  In the 1992 Olympics Derek Redmond injured a hamstring, and after falling down, stood up and decided to finish the race.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nifq3Ke2Q30 Helped by his father (who believed in him) across the finish line, the example of courage to finish is remembered to this day, while the “winner” of the race is long forgotten.  The Apostle Paul said in Acts 20:24 “But I count my life of no value to myself, so that I may finish my course and the ministry I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of God’s grace”.

MODERATION

A recent terrorist attempt brought to the forefront a subject called radicalization.  A growing number of people, mostly men, appear to desire violent actions and express hatred due to a philosophical change in their worldview.  Moderation by definition is keeping within reasonable limits; not excessive or extreme.  While freedom from excess or extremes can be a good thing, an average may not be perceived as good when discussing quality.  Yet, Philippians 4:5 says “Let your moderation be known to all men.  The Lord is at hand.” “Moderation in all things” came from Aristotle’s Doctrine of the Mean, as presented in his Nicomachean Ethics.  It is not stated in the Bible.

It can be argued that the middle ground between two opposing extremes is moderation, but the same can be said for the difference between two positions that are considered extreme by the majority.  Al Qaida members may have two varying training methods that moderating would be a mixture of both.  Moderation is not the same as compromise, but a viewpoint.  Many people start a new year with a list of resolutions, usually things they want to improve.  Often, the list has the extremes of how we perceive what we should do.  Moderation gets to the point: Resolution- BE HAPPY.

In my lifetime, consumption of coffee has been mostly perceived as unhealthy.  Yet, in December of 2009 the Archives of Internal Medicine reported that 3 to 4 cups per day reduces chances of developing Type 2 diabetes by 25%.  In that same month Harvard researchers found that drinking less than 48 ounces of coffee per day lowered the chances of men developing aggressive prostate cancer by 60%.  Most of these benefits are not from caffeine, so decaf works fine.  The key is the moderate amount.

Previous entries of the blog have suggested moderate exercise and diet provides a positive effect on our health.  Peter Whitehouse, author of “The Myth of Alzheimer’s” says socialization and feelings of belonging are critical to brain and physical well being.  He says “our brain health has as much to do with the environment we create as our genes”.  Our minds work somewhat like a computer, in that what is input is what comes out.  With over 100 million blogs on the web to go with the multitude of books and movies your views are being affected, so choose wisely what you input.

The quote from Philippians came from the King James Version.  Other translations of the Bible use words like graciousness or gentleness for the word moderation.  The Living Bible uses the term unselfish and considerate in all you do.  In Matthew 22 Jesus was asked what the greatest commandment was.  “Jesus replied: Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.  This is the first and greatest commandment.  And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.”

Jack Rowe, chairman of MacArthur Research Network, and professor at Columbia University says “factors predicting aging are not dominated by heredity but by lifestyle.”  Radicalization and moderation both come from and are caused by lifestyle.  Lifestyle is the result of your worldview.  Moderation is the resulting lifestyle when one accepts the RADICAL idea Jesus presented as a command.  It provides happiness, purpose, and a sweet spirit, not violence and hatred.  It’s also how you will inherit the earth.

CARING

Perhaps the strongest words to describe insignificance is the question "Who cares?".  Those people or things that we are concerned about are also those people or things that we care about.  Some people have a large list and some have a very short list, often based on their level of compassion.  The economic impact of the recent recession and resulting high unemployment makes this Christmas season an important one for those who desire to help.  The Washington Times reported on 11/23/09 that some corporations and businesses are canceling holiday celebrations and donating the money used for parties to help charity groups.  The national community relations head for the Salvation Army reported they are getting a 300 percent increase in demand for short-term emergency care in some communities.  Harris Interactive released a poll this month that said just 38% of Americans will be giving to charity during the holidays compared to 49% last year.  Economists forecast that average consumers will spend $740 on Christmas gifts for their friends and family, down from $801 last year according to the Gallup organization. 

The Circle K Gulf Coast business unit is hosting a week of "Caring and Sharing" starting December 7th.  Activities include specific needy family gift giving, a day serving at a local charity, a day of health screening, and other community involvement interaction that communicates caring to those giving and receiving.  Perdido Bay Baptist Church is ramping up the Food Bank ministry and adding Christmas food baskets to the normal distribution but greatly expanding the quantity of families getting assistance.  The church also hosted an inaugural "GriefShare" seminar to encourage and provide advise for those who face the holidays after a loss.  There are many examples where you live as well, but the point is the needs are at all-time high and the resources are at an all-time low.  Caring is more than feeling, it is expressed in actions.  The dictionary definition of compassion is - sorrow for the distress or misfortunes of another, with the desire to help.  A recent example reported in the media was an action by basketball superstar Shaquille O'Neal who paid for the funeral of a small girl who was killed after being sold by her drug addicted mother.

My daughter is employed by Cross International, an organization focused on offsetting the result of extreme poverty throughout the world.   Check their website at:http://www.crossinternational.org/ for opportunities to make a difference between life and death for someone, rather than between a bad year and a good year.  Ephesians 4:32 says "Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ, God forgave you."  Yes, those in extreme poverty are viewed by God to be the same as you (just with fewer resources).  In the sermon on the mount in Matthew, Jesus said "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear......But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well".   Lack of caring is caused by a hard heart.  Proverbs 28:14 says "Blessed is the man who always fears the Lord, but he who hardens his heart falls into trouble."   Deuteronomy 15:7 says "...do not be hardhearted or tightfisted toward your poor brother."   Hebrews 3:8 quotes the Holy Spirit and says do not harden your hearts as you did in rebellion.

If you are that average consumer mentioned in the paper who plans to reduce Christmas gift spending by $61, consider an even more impactful change this year.  Create your own care and share week, or find a worthy charity that needs more resources, or recognize a need that should to be met in a far land.  Ask your friends and family to join in and exchange stories of what you did to meet a need, instead of as many packages full of wants.  You can still spend less money and based on recent shopping tours, you might even spend less time.  If you just don't care, I'd ask that you follow the wise advise of our pastor, who said "pray for a burden".  Hard hearts come from focusing on ourselves and our desires.  1st Timothy 5:4 cautions to put family first:  "but if a widow has children or grandchildren, these should learn first of all to put their religion into practice by caring for their own family and so repaying their parents and grandparents, for this is pleasing to God".  The wisdom of caring is available this Christmas season.  James 1:5 says "If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God,who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him". 

SIMPLE LIFE

Most people say they want to simplify their life but don't know how, or as Confucius said "Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated". In all areas, a genuine simple life is how you define a balance between excess and deprivation. This blog entry will investigate how you can find a better balance if you are willing. The February 2006 version was about a balanced life, but this month's could have been titled voluntary simplicity. Minimalism and down shifting are two terms used in different generations to communicate the same thing. An old Yiddish proverb says "the truly rich are those who enjoy what they have". Don't confuse this message with the television series by the same name that ran from 2003 until 2007 and added to the fame of Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie. Their purpose was to make fun of the happy people they met living a simple life. We know from media reports that the personal lives of Paris and Nicole were not simple and were not happy. Wisdom comes from recognizing you are not in control of the beginning, middle, or end of your life. Psalms 90:12 says "Teach us to number our days carefully so that we may develop wisdom in our hearts." That wisdom can be defined as the self-control and decisions you make with the stewardship of the free will God gave you.

I recently read a book titled "Simple Life" by Thom Rainer, because I'd previously read his great book "Simple Church". Before that I read Dave Ramsey's publications from "Peace University". About a decade ago I attended a seminar held by Bruce Ammons and learned some practical steps to simplify (and therefore de-stress) my life. A great example was his view of footwear. Bruce concluded and I agreed that a black pair of dress shoes with black socks would fit all the circumstances of my life except when I needed athletic shoes with white low-cut socks. Everything else could be discarded and the two pairs of shoes and the two sections of my sock drawer lasted for years. Then one day I bought a pair of sandals for summertime. Then a day came when the idea of multiple color dress shoes, athletic shoes for differing events, slippers, cowboy boots, and casual shoe needs ruined my footwear simplicity. Maintaining a simple life takes diligence. Controlling your thoughts is a continual needed discipline, as the mind searches for things you want. I can go back to footwear simplicity and donate my excess to those that need it far more than I, so if you have ruined simplicity in an area of your life you also can fix it by learning how.

"Simple Life" breaks it down into clarity, movement, alignment, and focus. A quick internet search found other books and websites, like the philosophy book, "The Simple Life" by David E. Shi, or self help sites like www.zenhabits.net or www.aquietsimplelife.com. The point is that there are sources of information other than this blog and the previously mentioned book by Thom Rainer and his son. The first step is the decision to simplify your life and that almost always requires acceptance of less. In my shoe example, my needs did not change, only my wants. Simplicity requires controlling your wants. Many times people will even go into debt to purchase what they want for themselves, which adds to the actual price with interest payments on top of what was paid. With the complexity and speed of technology it would seem reasonable that we would have more time, but in reality the expectations have been increased so you'll also have to control your time. This requires prioritization of what is the most important. If you recognize it is almost all small stuff the old saying makes sense. "Don't sweat the small stuff". Happiness is not found in increasing the things we own, but how what we "own" is used for other people.

In our shrinking world, the increasing number of people we know and the friends we connect with on Facebook or other social media, makes the societal pressure to conform complex. That complexity seems to make the promise Jesus made about abundant life in John 10:10 impossible. A simple answer can be found in Hebrews 10:24-25, "and let us be concerned about one another in order to promote love and good works, not staying away from our meetings, as some habitually do, but encouraging each other, and all the more as you see the day drawing near". An abundant simple life is based on your attitude, not your finances. An abundant simple life is based on your priorities, not your time. An abundant simple life can't happen with personal excess, but doesn't require great deprivation. As Romans says in chapter 13 "pay your obligations to everyone.....the commandments all are summed up by this: love your neighbor as yourself". Relax and enjoy the ride, it's a simple life because you really are not in control of more than obedience. God is in control. Anything more just leads downhill to stress and unhappiness. As if it was needed to pound home the point, Romans 12:3 cautions "for by the grace given to me, I tell everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he should think. Instead, think sensibly, as God has distributed a measure of faith to each one". How are you using your measure?

RISK ASSESSMENT

The discussion about the current Swine Flu pandemic brought up the term relative risk, which is the ratio of the proportion of those exposed to the non-exposed. The raging health care debate brought up the term risk continuum, which is often a graphical depiction of risk compared to other risks. Our recent townhouse purchase on the water brought up the insurance terminology of flood risk, hurricane risk, and other risks described in the policies. The news media covers the risk of a lengthening recession and other possibilities that can be statistically studied. The definition of risk is: the possibility of suffering harm or loss; danger. This blog is focused on how we view those possibilities, and the opportunities presented by those views. 100% of people die but "life" insurance companies still make billions of dollars.

While my memory of statistics class is a little fuzzy, the conclusion is that the application of a formula to a set of data results in a probability. Probabilities are the conditions or quality of the likelihood that the possibility is true. There is even a branch of mathematics dealing with the statistical evaluation of the probability of random occurrences called probability theory. With all this capability to assess the risk of any particular subject, one would think that there would be very few unknowns in life. Alas, the opposite seems to be true. Even advisors we hire to tell us the direction of the stock market average 50% at best. Predictions of the future rarely seem to come true. The media loves to report on the unknowns. The resulting vacuum of expanded unknown can often be offset with insurance, available for a fee. Acceptance of the unknown is easier if the statistical probability is known. Failure of one can be balanced with success of others, making a "pool" of risks.

Insurance operates by spreading the individual risks into large risk pools, lowering the probability while allowing them to charge at a higher probability. Individually we might accept a higher risk on the continuum, which is why the lender required the flood, hurricane, and homeowners insurance on the waterfront townhouse. The lender forced me to a lower risk to protect their investment. The willingness to accept risk is called our risk tolerance. This risk tolerance varies from person to person but over the past few decades has seemingly dropped for the majority in our society. An old saying; no risk, no reward was based on the recognition that accepting risk would result in higher income (or losses) than not doing so. The lender didn't care what my risk tolerance was, they had their own and the forced insurance premium payments would come from me, not them.

The wisdom of accurate risk assessment, along with an applicable risk tolerance, results in more profitable decisions. The life insurance companies essentially make their money betting people will live longer than the term of the policy, or that they will pay in more than the inflation adjusted pay outs. By averaging the lifestyles and medical history of all people they set their premiums at a rate that will make a profit, then turn down those that are unlikely to live that long. However, since I can control my lifestyle and don't have a lender involved I am able to "self insure" by not paying for their product. Acceptance of future risks with a higher risk tolerance can also save me money. High deductible, catastrophic policies are far cheaper. The message here is not anti-insurance, the point is just easier to make with insurance examples. The message is pro-responsibility for each of us to accurately assess risks. This thought process goes far beyond insurance to all life decisions.

Eternal risk assessment is even more important than the temporal subjects mentioned so far. Consider the possibilities that exist beyond death. Hebrews 9:27 says it is appointed for men to die once and then the judgement. Revelations 20 describes the judgement and concludes with verse 15 that says "and if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire". This book of life is as close to the eternal insurance policy as an analogy can describe, but it is not available for money or time. Jesus himself said in John 5:24 "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears my word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgement, but has passed out of death into life". The faith needed comes the same way as Romans 10:17 says "So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ". Even with the Bible available at every bookstore, people more often buy "life" insurance policies.

Living life to it's fullest isn't just an eternal guarantee either, but it will affect your risk tolerance for your remaining days on earth. Hebrews 11:1 says "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen". Relative risk is just a ratio when the God who created the universe is allowed to choose the outcome. The risk continuum is balanced by the directions given for life. 2nd Timothy 3:16 says "All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness". Wisdom allows a divine view of your life and challenges, so that the funds you are assigned stewardship over are not wasted on the perceived risk reduction provided by insurance, but more wisely used on the purposes of the almighty God. Truly assessing risks comes not from the statistical analysis, but from knowing the one who controls the future and spending time listening to Him.

INNOVATION

You may have heard the saying "Everybody wants to go to heaven but nobody wants to die". Innovation is similar because it seems everyone wants to innovate but nobody wants to change. By definition, innovation is "that which is newly introduced; a change". Inventions are innovative and many believe innovation is crucial for long lasting success. Whether changed by discovery or invention, 100 years ago we did not have: Motion Pictures, Air Conditioners, Bras, Zippers, Insulin, Penicillin, X-Rays, MRI, Air travel, Helicopters, Photo Copiers, Microwaves, Television, Computers, or even Credit Cards. 100 years ago there was no income tax and average life expectancy was less than 50 years. Transistor and microchip work in the 1950's and beyond revolutionized the lives of everyone on the planet in just 50 years. The World Wide Web didn't even exist 20 years ago, let alone all the on-line networking activities far beyond E-mail. Many smart business consultants teach "Innovate or Die". The pace of change in all aspects of our lives require that attention is paid to the marketplace of ideas.

Can you imagine owning a business 15 years ago renting VHS movies and deciding that new DVD invention in 1995 would never catch on? All the items mentioned above matter because they did catch on, meaning the marketplace changed. There was a competing format to DVD named Beta, but most people have already forgotten it. Waiting for innovation to become clear or choosing early is often a huge financial decision. Choosing wrong can be a financial disaster for people and businesses. Choosing correctly can be a huge financial gain for them. Creating the innovation, and/or creating the marketplace for innovative items that follow can also be very rewarding. Bill Gates with Microsoft did not invent the computer or software, but he made the most money (so far) from computers. Change occurs so often in business, many corporations have training programs in "change management". Conversions to different methods, systems, or attitudes must occur. That acceptance is as important to innovation as the actual innovation itself.

Influential people are those that have exercised the change or direction of change in others. The recognition of innovations and inventions has to be augmented with the knowledge of who the most influential people are that will steer the change. Becoming one of those influencers is highly desirable (see the May 2008 edition of this blog). As change is constant, leaders and managers react or respond to multiple changes all the time. Unlike the past, which can be researched, reviewed and studied, the the future is unknown. Historians study the past to put the present into context. Futurists study the present to put the future into context. By the way, reform is the same as innovation but more precisely a change to what already exists, rather than an invention or discovery. The wisdom of innovation and reform is understanding that as everything changes around them and as a result change them, people don't want to change. Resistance to change is not something to be overcome, it is something to be leveraged with small incremental steps. Since change involves risk, take on the argument of risk of those steps directly to be influential.

The United States is going through an enormous fight over the future of health care in the country. The influential leader of the CHANGE NOW group is President Barak Obama. He seems to have forgotten the first rule an influencer has to leverage. Risk of change is always greater than the risk of standing still, or at least that is the approach to life that the vast majority of people take. He and his group have failed at describing how life will be more difficult if NO CHANGE takes place. A second key to leveraging resistance is to provide a role model for desired new activity. Those fighting the President's plan provided examples from Canada and Europe where the proposed change caused bad things to happen to people, but no role model of positive change emerged. The third key to understanding resistance to change is that people feel overwhelmed and overloaded by the details of change. Instead of presenting a simple plan with slight adjustments over time, a legislative bill of 1300 pages and growing raised the resistance of the healthy skeptics and caused concern about hidden agendas of the reformers. Innovation in health care coverage is not likely with the current approach. These same rules apply to any other innovation or reform you are responsible for persuading people about.

Laws and principles are beyond innovation. Newton discovered the Law of Gravity, but could not change it. The Golden Rule Jesus described in Matthew 7:12 has been true for over 2000 years, and will not change. Discernment is needed to tell the difference between innovations that will affect the future, and those that violate principles or laws and can not succeed. Looking for a better way to accomplish something can lead to efficiency and is a good thing. The probability of future success can be discerned with study and understanding (see the July 2009 edition of this blog on the subject of framing). Change is constant, but not all change will last. Change is constant, but not all change is good. Innovations are those things that have been newly introduced by you or others. The marketing of the idea (see the April 1st, 2009 edition of this blog) or product is also important to the future success of it. Peer into the future as the futurists do by analyzing the present. Understand human nature as the influencers do. Grasp firmly what you care about and innovate in the marketplace of ideas, as I am with this edition of Wilkins Wisdom.

EDUCATION

Neither my grandparents nor my parents graduated from college, but each taught their children that education was critically important. Like many of my era I went back to school as an adult and completed my degree. I even went on for an MBA, although later in life. That importance was passed to my children who have now all graduated from college. Certainly formalized education is important and with the increase worldwide of college graduates, more jobs require it than ever. This blog, however is a much broader discussion of the wisdom of education. The goal of education is to teach one how to think so that they can be taught to learn. While the purpose of this process may be to teach them how to work, the basics are not as simple as you might think. Factual information has little appeal to the average human, who is searching for self-realization and happiness. An interest in learning anything has to be preceded by a recognition of the value of the information.

When we were each born we learned to breathe in the first seconds of life. There was no teacher and the way we breathed only mattered to the extent that we survived. Later in life we find through some educational experience that there is a better way to breathe. Swimming class teaches you to breathe a certain way. Musical training for wind and brass instruments have a preferred way to breathe. Public speakers learn breath control. The point is there are ways to perform things that are better, and the knowledge of that better way is accumulated through a process called education. You can live without education, but you can live far better with it. By definition, education is the process of imparting knowledge or the obtaining of knowledge. It does not have to be a formal process but it should be continual. Curiosity about a broad range of subjects is important. Remember, the horizons of your knowledge is the frontier of your ignorance.

Arguably, the four most important basic areas are reading, writing, listening, and speaking. Much has been written about a plethora of subjects, but without reading skills you will not be able to obtain the words or numbers off the page. The same concept applies to listening, which is an active process far beyond hearing. The writing and speaking skills are demonstrations that you can apply what you read and heard in a society of many people. In this modern era of digital media, the visual aspects of learning has overwhelmed the verbal and is rapidly creating huge gaps in the lives of many people. Literacy is the ability to read, write and use language. The percentage of people around the world who were illiterate continued to drop over the preceding centuries but is now climbing because of this imbalance. Verbal knowledge is crucial to the expansion of your education. Visual knowledge can assist in the process, but when it is overused you're back to listening and speaking only (illiteracy).

A second area of concern for modern education is a growing notion that self-realization and happiness is more attainable without rules. If one can create ones own version of life, any experience can be acceptable. When applied to basic education the idea that words can be spelled and pronounced any way you want as long as you feel good about it is disastrous. The exponential result of this idea is that any fact is true, even if it is not. Discipline is required in education, just as it is in every area of life. You may feel like skipping school, or answering any way you desire on a test, but the result will be bad. Mae Carden, a great educator in the 20th century said it this way: "Control of emotions because of personal choice is the great lesson of life". Laws do not bend based on our whims. I may feel like I want to throw a rock in the air and have it stay there, but the law of gravity will bring it back to the top of my head in a painful way. There is no such thing as relative truth, just one truth.

The value of the information that brings self-realization and happiness is the motivation for learning, which follows learning to think. Galatians 6:3 says "For if anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself". 1st Corinthians 13:11 says "When I was a child, I used to speak as a child, think as a child, reason as a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things". John 8:32 says "and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free". Jesus said in John 14:6 "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me" and in verse 15 "If you love Me, you will keep My commandments". He goes on in chapter 15, verses 11 and 12 "These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may be in you and that your joy may be made full. This is my commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you". There is an entire Bible to read, study, understand, and internalize.

Maximum learning is always the result of maximum involvement, as long as the activity is meaningful. An ancient Chinese proverb says I hear, and I forget. I see and I remember. I do, and I understand. Education should affect your emotions, your ideas, and your behavior. I mentioned earlier that you can live far better with education that without it. That does not mean that everything you learn has value, even if it is factual. A balanced approach is suggested. Physical, mental, and spiritual subjects cover mind, body and soul. Continually learning is often done in informal ways, so it is not the formal classes that this message is focused on. It is the purposeful activity and prioritization of your time in response to curiosity about things you do not know that I am advocating. As eternal subjects will last longer, I'd suggest starting there. What you will find is that those subjects lead you to that self-realization and happiness that appeal to us as humans. My process has named it Christianity.

FRAMING

Framing may not be a term you are familiar with but it is crucial that you understand it, important that you use it, and helpful if you embrace the positive qualities of framing. By definition it is an inevitable process of selective influence over the individual's perception of the meaning attributed to words or phrases. A frame defines the package of an element of rhetoric in such a way as to encourage certain interpretations and to discourage others according to Wikipedia. An example might be in the question: "Are you willing to stop beating your wife"? Someone overhearing the question starts with a perception that the one being questioned has beaten his wife. Political campaigns must control the message to win. The "message" or rhetoric has been carefully crafted to make the largest percentage of the electorate perceive the positive aspects of the candidate and the positions of the candidate. As an example, is the picture above a door or a painting? Your perspective can be adjusted by a politician describing it as either one. This subject goes much deeper than politics, however. It is your communication plan.

The rapid growth of digital media means future communication will involve far more video and far less written verbiage. In writing, the sentence including the words "she winked" have a different meaning than "she blinked". The framing in the written communication is either physical or social, while the same framing in video form can be easily manipulated to be either. Imagine a video of a person waiting to be interviewed in a theft investigation seated on a hard chair. The individual has their arms and legs crossed legs together, and squirms in the chair as a guilty person might. If the audience was aware that the temperature in the room was 58 degrees they might come to a different conclusion. The mass media of television and video blogging have no ethical constraints that prevent them from leaving out such crucial information so the resulting perceptions can be framed. As you can tell, you have to learn discernment to avoid the manipulation of your opinion. "Truth" as we know it can change. This blog site even has a link to www.snopes.com to help the reader determine the probability of truth. Visual images are powerful communicators.

Word selection has been a component of rhetoric since the beginning of time. Drilling for oil has a different connotation than exploring for energy. Tax relief and tax burden is used for the exact same legislation when communicated to different groups. Names also matter. Recent terms like Bailout and Economic Stimulus didn't actually accomplish either, but did get spending legislation passed in Congress. Social Security implies that our society can rely on it. "War on Terror" was used during the Bush administration for support of the overseas wars following 9-11-2001. Once a frame is established it is even harder to realign it's meaning but it can be done. I wrote last month about the change in actual meaning of liberalism. The addition of photos and videos augmenting the language has an enormous impact. Many historians blame the demise of the VietNam War on the television coverage showing the carnage at the dinner hour. Today we don't have a dinner hour but a 24 hour news cycle that repeats the same story over and over until the rhetoric seems normal. Who controls what you hear? Who controls what you say?

I stated earlier that it is important that you use framing. Social networking has connected millions of people. Recent events in Iran pointed out the power of connecting a world-wide populace and lumping them into two competing "camps" of political position. Videos showing mass demonstrations were spread quickly and due to government restrictions on media became the "factual" reports of events shown around the world. Cell phone video and picture capability along with text messaging linked through the internet will communicate something to dozens, hundreds, or even millions. Please decide in advance what you want that frame to be. Is a video of a child being spanked a message against child abuse or for assertive traditional parenting? Does your Twitter message say about you what you want to be known for? Framing isn't always intentional, so thinking through the ways that messages can be construed shows great wisdom. We all communicate something constantly.

In social science a frame is a collection of stereotypes that individuals rely on to understand and respond to events. In theology, a frame is which documents scholars use for the study of God and truth. The 66 books that make up the Bible come from translations of the chosen scrolls written in Hebrew, and Greek over thousands of years. The core message of the Bible has been proven over time throughout recorded history and today remains the book that has more copies in print than any other since the invention of the printing press. Deception in framing has been around since the Garden of Eden reported in Genesis 3:4-5 through the New Testament in 1st John 2:21-26. Matthew chapters 5,6 and 7 are full of Jesus realigning the framing of the Pharisees. He stated in John 14:6 unequivocal language "I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life; no one comes to the Father, but through me". Two thousand years later we find organized religions and societies in total denial of that truth.

Communication has always been a key to success in life, but is rapidly changing today, requiring us to change. Using the positive aspects of framing will prevent unintentional messages. Often we don't become aware of a frame we are already using until something forces us to replace one frame with another. Applying a frame takes thoughtful and purposeful focus. Otherwise we use the prisms we currently have to perceive the input provided. What is your life message for others? How can it best be communicated to others? You presently influence others, even if by accident. You already have a communication plan based on your relationships with those around you and your chosen lifestyle. The width and depth of the audience chosen can expand far more rapidly than at any time in history with the explosion of internet connectivity. Are you ready with your personal message to the world, framed in the positive direction you've chosen? The internet just brought you mine.

PARTNERSHIPS

The definition of partnerships is an association of partners, or more accurately the relationship between the people that make up the partnership. A partner is a person associated with another ,or others, in some activity of common interest. It sounds relatively simple but can be the most complicated of all relationships. Yes, the connection, association, or condition that creates the partnership is the mode or way that a person is connected with others. A relatively simple partnership is between two people who both made a decision to do something or be mutually responsive for a defined time period. The interaction can be defined through conversation, documentation, or willingness. The fact is that each partner brings things to the partnership that the other (or others) do not have. The recognition and expectation of those differences is the key to all relationships including partnerships. There are many ways people and institutions are connected.

In a business setting an individual proprietor has a partnership with an individual supplier to purchase specific products at a specific price for a specific time period. In a personal arrangement, an individual with talent in cutting hair partners with an individual that cuts lawns and creates a barter partnership. In a marriage relationship, the bride and groom agree on a life-long partnership to live together, raise children, own a home together and other detailed expectations. In all societies there are partnerships with people and a government that define how they will live their lives. There are partnerships between large groups of people, such as political parties or large corporations. The larger the number of people involved in a partnership, the more complicated and difficult the interaction between the people involved become.

The reality of life is we each have many partnerships and are involved in group partnerships out of necessity. I have a partnership with the city to pick up my trash at a set rate so I don't have to drive it to a landfill. I have a partnership with other homeowners in an association to protect a neighborhood and quality of life. Unlike the wild West where a man and a gun decided things, we have partnered with other citizens to pay for a police force and a court system. That partnership means the consensus of the citizens become law and the police follow that direction, even if some of the citizens in the partnership do not agree. The submission of individual personal values and goals to the group majority is what makes partnerships increasingly complex as the number of participants grow. It is also what has produced the system we call politics, where representatives of like minded individuals speak for the groups within the partnership.

The alternative to being part of partnerships is that you would do everything yourself. It would require that no other people would ever cross your path and your lifestyle would include only those things that you had adequate survival talents in. As the population of the world no longer allows such existence, the wisdom of partnerships is the relationship requirements that must be learned. As silly as submitting one to another seems, Ephesians 5:21 says "Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ". The Bible is full of practical ways to do this. Ephesians 4:2 says "with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing forbearance to one another in love". I now have a need to drive a car but I can't manufacture one, or provide the fuel needed to drive it, let alone build the roads to drive it on. A hundred years ago that transportation need could be solved with a horse. Consider how many people, companies, government agencies and countries are now involved in my auto ownership, all partners in my transportation plan. These partners also erected speed limit signs that control the actions I can take on those roads that I share.

Your involvement in each of the many partnerships of life, voluntary or otherwise, should start with the recognition that your performance is critical to others. It should be closely followed by the knowledge that the performance of others is just as critical to you. Jesus suggested in Matthew 7:12 that "however you want people to treat you, so treat them". We now call it the Golden Rule, but it's an important part of partnerships. Influencing the group that you have partnered with as a corporation is up to you. Influencing the group you have partnered with in each level of government is up to you. Living your life so that all the partnerships of life you are involved with are successful is up to you. Despite the increasing complexities of life, the wisdom of partnerships is that the solutions to success have not changed. It's often called people skills, but I submit to you that viewing each one as a partnership is wisdom. How did you treat each person you came into contact with this month?

Recognition that each small part is as important as seemingly large parts keep us humble. Is the work of the airline mechanic any less important than the pilot? Should the honor given to each individual be different? The relationship between the people that make up the partnership includes mutual respect as a human being. The defined time period mentioned in the earlier definition is actually just one of the details that must be worked out for realistic expectations. You are free to choose most partnerships, but a surprisingly large and increasing number include you without your requested input. Your involvement with the various levels of government may be different if you recognize you are a partner. How many partnerships in your life can be better defined through conversation, documentation, and willingness? Jesus summarized the entire subject in Matthew 22:37-40. "And He said to him, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and foremost commandment. And a second is like it, You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets".

LIBERALISM

The political process in the United States of America has had exponential change. It has changed so much that I, as a self-described conservative, am writing this month on the wisdom of liberalism. First, let's define terms and see if the dictionary definition is different than what you imagine. The 1st definition listed under liberal is: having/expressing or following social or political views or policies that favor nonrevolutionary progress or reform. The 2nd definition listed under liberal is: having/expressing or following views or policies that favor freedom of individuals to act or express themselves in a manner of their own choosing. The 3rd definition listed under liberal is: expressing or following a belief in LAISSEZ-FAIRE economic policies. I checked quickly to discover that LAISSEZ-FAIRE is the doctrine that government should not interfere with commerce. Since I'm sure our government needs to be reformed, and I favor freedom of the individual, and I'm sure the market is better than government regulation, it is obvious. Because of governmental changes I am now a Christian LIBERAL capitalist.

Conservatism is defined in the dictionary as the disposition in politics or culture to maintain the existing order. It involves the principles and practices of those who resist or oppose change or innovation. A conservative is averse to and distrustful of change, tending to favor the preservation of the existing order. When the existing order was similar to how it made sense to me, I was a conservative. Not any more. In the first 100 days of the Obama administration (actually the last 100 days of the Bush administration as well) the hope and change discussed in last year's campaign became the reality that has raised this concern. Liberty is the condition of not being subject to restriction or control and we have lost it. A libertarian is someone who believes in freedom of action and thought, especially for individuals. These folks are now referred to in the media as right wing extremists, but they are not conservative at all. The hope and change policies, government power grabs, and spending bills passed that my grandchildren will be saddled with over the past 200 days is mind numbing, and they want them changed.

Last month there were "tea parties" around the country on the day income taxes were due. Hundreds of thousands of taxpayers who thought they were conservatives only a few years ago were in favor of nonrevolutionary reform of government spending. They protested against the government taking over banks and auto companies (sounds like that LAISSEZ-FAIRE non-interference with commerce plan). They expressed concern that their constitutional right to bear arms might be further restricted. By now, a vast majority of you reading this recognize the wisdom of liberalism applies to an entirely new group of people than it did previously. What used to be thought of as left wing people now want even more change and progress with their agenda. That defines them as liberals since they don't want the status-quo either. There are very few conservatives anywhere in the United States because anyone at this point that does NOT want change is insane. We are now a country of right wing liberals and left wing liberals fighting for nonrevolutionary progress or reform, but polar opposites regarding what those reforms are. We all know it can't stay the way it is.

This month makes history as the longest recession in America since the Great Depression. The national debt is planned to increase as much as it has since the beginning of the country over 230 years ago. Unstable governments around the world have nuclear weapons. Pirates on the high seas attempt to take over our ships. We are at war in multiple countries with people we don't even have enough courage to call terrorists. Any disposition to maintain the existing order and resist change, a description of conservatism, is no longer acceptable. The battle is between differing ideologies of liberals who want reform. We can call them left and right for discussion purposes, or perhaps socialists and libertarians. The days of Democrats and Republicans are over, as the compromising of principles by leaders of both political parties have created the conditions we find ourselves in. The executive, legislative, and judicial balance set up by our founders to sustain us through periods such as this, are each conspiring against the populace for their own personal gain. It is past time to do battle, but how?

As regular readers of this blog know, the answer to all questions are found in the Bible. Lets refer to a few verses to determine the best approach for this situation. From Matthew we find Jesus saying: "Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand....Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish, but to fulfill....But go and learn what this means, I desire compassion and not sacrifice, for I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners....Any kingdom divided against itself is laid waste; and any city or house divided against itself shall not stand." From Mark we find His words: "These people honor me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. But in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the precepts of men. Neglecting the commandment of God, you hold to the traditions of men... And what I say to you I say to all, Be on the alert". From Luke we get: "Beware, and be on guard against every from of greed; for not even when one has abundance does his life consist of his possessions.....You too, be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour that you did not expect.....Do you suppose that I came to grant peace on earth? I tell you, no, but rather division.....For everyone who exalts himself shall be humbled, and he who humbles himself shall be exalted." It sounds to me like repentance is the first step we are to take individually and corporately.

Much has been written in the media about the demise of the religious right. The leaders such as Jerry Falwell and James Dobson are dead or retired. The policies they railed against are still law and more laws like them have been passed. Economic conservatives (the old meaning, not the new one) went along with their organizations to get Reagan elected in the 1980's but were not affected by their message of morality. Teaching morality or teaching ethics within the confines of political ideologies is bound to fail. We were all created by God and he yearns to develop relationships with us individually and corporately. Following commands from His Word rather than suggestions from humans always work better. Changing our country starts with each individual, not groups of people. There are obviously many other verses in the Bible than the ones mentioned above, but any red letter edition easily shows the words of Jesus. None makes the point better than Luke 12:31 that says "But seek His kingdom, and these things will be provided for you." As previously mentioned, repentance is the first step. The second step follows automatically for the repentant. Focusing on God and His purposes will create obedience and sharing of the Good News. As we share with those that he placed in our sphere of influence, the correction in the country occurs as exponentially fast as the disaster. If you've read all of this, the baton is being handed to you. Change your country by starting with yourself and the wisdom of liberalism and change. I'm with you all the way, and so is He. /