There have been several times in the middle of watching a movie or TV show during this shelter-in-place season when I’ve thought, “Why are they going to someone’s house? Why are they standing so close to each other? Why are they breaking all the rules?”
The world I’m immersed in right now doesn’t impose well onto the screen.
And sometimes it doesn’t impose well onto us.
We don’t like impositions. We don’t like to be told what is best for us and others. That started early, probably before our earliest memories. We thought we’d grow up and get to make our own decisions, but we soon learned, as adults, there is still structure in place.
Sometimes that structure is wrong, and we need to speak up. Sometimes the structure stinks, but it’s not wrong; it’s just uncomfortable and inconvenient. Sometimes our pride gets in the way, and we cry foul just because we don’t like the imposition. We’re like toddlers throwing ourselves to the floor and yelling, “How dare you impose those rules on me!” We’re like teens breaking the rules with the claim, “You can’t tell me what to do!” But there are still consequences we’ll face.
Our tantrums and rebellion aren’t productive. Our current health crisis is not an attempt to control or micromanage us. It’s not a scare tactic to keep us in some sort of line that proves who has power. It’s not something that a select few have all the answers and anecdotes for, leaving the rest of us helpless. Nor do a select few have the influence to lessen the impact.
This is not an imposition. This is the position we’re in. This is not about your individual rights or mine. This is not about your age, health, and immunity or mine. This is not your crisis to manage or handle or ignore on your own—or mine.
This is ours.
What can you do to take care of your community? Your circle impacts others. And those circles impact more. And more. With a lot of ripples spreading and bumping into others, creating waves.
Each of us is making waves. Are your waves intentional or careless?
We do not live in fear. We live in wisdom, which can be seen in a boldness to consider others and live in ways that protect and serve them instead of a foolish boldness to live the way we want and rationalize our comforts. Priorities are being revealed in each of us, and there are surprises, confirmation, sadness, anger, appreciation, and beauty.
Consider the ripples and waves you are creating—and your motivation behind each one.
Pure Purpose 