Backseat Tyrants

     The title of today's blog is not the name of a new punk band (to my knowledge, anyway).  Sorry for the disappointment.  Today I address the Facebook loudmouths who call for the impeachment of Obama.  Today I address those who call for the downfall of the "tyranny of government."  Today I address those who refuse to learn or consider things from a different perspective.  (Also, I realize this is a Sunday-ish blog, but it is not centered around a faith topic today--sorry to the none of you who are disappointed!) 

The Burden of Leadership

     Most of those who have never held true power in their hands have no idea what it means to be in leadership.  Even the most abusive of leaders can hold that power complicates matters, and the more power, the more complication.  Not all of mankind are quipped to be leaders of men--especially leaders of many men.  No matter what you have to say about politicians, there is a very real reason that they hold a position of authority.  Those of you who are convinced that politicians sit around in an office all day, playing solitaire on their computers, and accomplishing nothing in general hold wildly incorrect views of government.  These are men and women who work nearly all their waking hours.  If they are not catching up on new bills, they are meeting in committees or working on forwarding their own policies or coordinating with the press or interacting with messages from their constituents or a million other responsibilities they find sitting on their desk bright and early the next morning.  Power is not fun and those that have fun with power often find they truly have none.

     Observe with me the case of a class assignment: the teacher assigns each student into a group of five to complete a large assignment.  In the majority of cases, each group will find itself being led by a reluctant leader--increasingly more reluctant if the task requires each member to be assigned a specific task.  You see, no one likes to be the one to make people do things they don't want to do.  No one wants to have that extra responsibility of keeping track of the others' progress.  A true leader with real power performs many extra tasks upon the normal work load and has the added heat of being the scapegoat everyone points to when something goes wrong.

     True, some have the natural ability of leadership, but they too do not always enjoy the mantle of power.  So many times I have heard people complaining about how they were tired of being the leader.  In the adult world, though, leaders are not often given the choice of leadership in their jobs.  It is lead or leave.  And so we find ill-equipped leaders falling by the wayside, burned out by the constant uphill climb that power brings.  Not all are set aside for the task of leadership.

The Backseat Tyrant

     We all are familiar with the tendency of people to yell at their TV during sporting events, directing their heated (and useless) comments at the straw man coaches.  It is both a ridiculous stereotype and an annoying reality.  It is also a symptom of ignorance.  All of these screen-scolders have never had time coaching professional sports (I feel comfortable in this assessment--quite comfortable), but assume themselves to be qualified to correct those who hold arguably the highest positions in their field (pun unintended--but welcomed).  You might compare these situations to someone who has flown a plane on a video game attempting to instruct an air force ace on the basics of flight.

     Take these examples to the realm of politics.  A disappointingly small number of people have some manner of knowledge of how government works.  My Facebook feed is a near-constant source of humor as nearly every one of my "friends" attempt some sort of political commentary.  Various calls to "impeach the president" have lost their humor for me and become a source of disappointment and frustration--seriously people, learn the vocab!  You mean "recall!"  Nearly every American presumes to know how the government should be run and yet we still have problems.  Funny how such a vast source of reasonable knowledge fails to conjure up the solution to the problems of the U.S. government (sarcasm, for those of you who don't know me too well).  Feel foolish for a moment before saying something, that you might save yourself some foolishness in front of others. And remember: those people you seek to correct likely know what they're doing.

The Squirming Underling

     It is uncomfortable to be led, especially when the groups being governed are vast numbers of people.  Not everyone agrees.  In fact, few people agree with me.  And so I often find myself in a minority--on the losing side of majority politics.  No decision will ever be thought of as a good by everyone.  When leading thousands, you make a hundred enemies with every word you speak.  No one wants to be on the losing side; no one wants to be set aside for the satisfaction of the majority.  In group-voting situations amongst small groups of twenty or so, I feel myself getting angry with those that vote differently than me.  Why should they agree with anything but my own opinion?  While I leave as the losing side, I can respect a system that aims to satisfy its constituents.  

     In the same way, I can appreciate the decisions of the leaders who are positioned in government.  In consideration of a million different variables, these men and women have to find solutions to problems that have none.  While I may not always agree with the decisions of these men and women, my first response is not to go crying on the internet.  Sometimes I just have to consider the fact that they know something that I don't; that they have wisdom that I do not; that they are a heck of a lot smarter than I am, especially when it comes to politics.  At the end of the day, I have the ability to have my say in government and Facebook is not it.  If I am unhappy I can tell someone who can do something about it.  If I want someone else to lead me, I can vote and campaign for them.  There are a millions ways of having your say in government, if you have the will to speak up.

      All of this is to say, "Shut up and think," and "Don't like it?  DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT."  The world will not change just because you had a hissy-fit on Facebook.  Also, if you want to be a part of the solution rather than another complainer who does nothing for the betterment of the world, you should aim to learn about what you want to fix.  If you refuse to learn, shut up.  Seriously.        

First-World Christianity

     Having worked in a variety of different work situations, I have had a lot of insight as to the work ethic of the average person.  There are almost always going to be those who slack on the job and fail to invest any amount of effort into their work.  Enter what I'm calling the First-World Christian: he is an excellent student of the Word, likely a leader in the Church in some capacity, probably leads his own Bible study, and in general looks like a so-called "super-Christian."  At his regular job, though, we see a different person.  He grows impatient with the menial tasks given to him and likely considers his job to be below him.  He claims to think it is a misuse of time that might be better spent studying the Word or sharing the Gospel or doing other things "real Christians" should be doing.  Though he works with non-Christians in his work place, they likely have been placed under the category of "Not My Problem" or "Unreachable."  To the First-World Christian, the work of God is done pure through the work of the functions of the Church.  

A Weak Showing

     I am constantly baffled by those that surround me in the workplace.  Now, this is not to say that all those with whom I work are slackers, but there are several individuals who show their true colors in shoddy workmanship and spotty attendance.  Now, especially in this generation, it is not uncommon for people to be bad workers, but what irritates me the most is when those lazy workers claim to be empowered by the God of the universe.  How dare you claim to be strengthened by God, when you shrug off the slightest of burdens before they even have time to settle on your shoulders?  Surely the God who, on countless occasions, used the weakest of a group to perform the greatest of tasks.  Was not Gideon, the mighty warrior of God, considered to be the weakest of the weak?  

     These workers who openly declare Christ do far more damage to the visible image of God (Christians) than they can ever remedy through the work of the Church.  In emphasizing their work in the Church, they have neglected their role in loving and ministering to the world.  

Work as a Mission

     As Christians working in the world alongside those who do not share our beliefs, we hold a considerable amount of power in how they view Christ.  Those non-Christians who commonly rub shoulders with First-World Christians understandably view Christians as sanctimonious and arrogant.  Those who work with Christians who are constantly a benefit to their workplace either have a good view of Christians or at least have nothing bad to say about them.  Do we not have such a great opportunity to witness to others in the good work we do and the care we show in our actions?  I took on a class called Theology of Work and the theme that was underlying in every single message was this: there is no sacred/secular dichotomy.  Meaning the work we do for the Church directly is no more holy or ordained than the work we do for McDonalds.  So long as we are working for the right purpose, we are working in the service of the Lord.  "So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God" (1 Corinthians 10:31).

      So, Christians, I beg of you: treat your work like God commanded you to do it.  Don't forget about it and skip it in favor of churchy things, because that is not what God wants.  God commands us to work and to work well.  So go out and make a good impression.  Go out and save a life.