Is it possible that part of the chaos in our current culture comes from "perfect fatigue"? For any celebrity the media at least thinks we are all hanging on the inferred, the rumors or late breaking story of any person of note with feet of clay and whether a child star running amok or a divorce yet-again rumored or, most unforgivable of all a rude comment. Then let someone who is proud of their 'bad boy' or 'bad girl' image begin a very public slide into rehab or broken families or bankruptcy and it seems we almost cheer as they fall further and further from functional parenthood and good citizenship.
Are we so naive that we believe anyone is perfect? And how exhausting to wear that mask.
We demand our ministers and doctors be perfectly available at any time for our family's emergency but fail to consider that his or her family has legitimate claims on their time too. And their children must be perfectly behaved and their wife always sweet tempered and willing to serve on any board, panel or committee anytime someone "drops out at the last minute."
We are tired from a stressful day of work and balancing kid's needs but we snap at a spouse who is also struggling with balance and getting needs met. We expect our boss to understand how our mother's illness has not helped our work efficiency, but expect perfect courtesy and even tempered, total focus without regard to the boss's conflicting responsibilities. We want our child's teacher to be cheerleader, coach and shrink but are quick to point out that we work and can't show up to help in the classroom or volunteer at the PTA open house.
Do you see a theme here? It truly does seem that we have slithered into a firm "it's all about me and mine" mind-set where we mock other people's pain and judge other people's smallest slip while demanding immediate understanding and full pardon for even our most egregious and outrageous failures to provide a little courtesy or demonstrate a little decency or exhibit a modicum of common sense.
We need more adults to supervise the playground.
Next time we hear or see a public person with a private sorrow, let us lift them and their families up in prayer. When a stressed and wholly human person demonstrates her human imperfection, let us consider how we would like a loved one to be treated in the same circumstances. Let's demonstrate for our children a willingness to respect privacy, being slow to believe the worst and quick to offer compassion.
We got ourselves in this mess. With God's abundant Grace we can make better choices going forward.
Are we so naive that we believe anyone is perfect? And how exhausting to wear that mask.
We demand our ministers and doctors be perfectly available at any time for our family's emergency but fail to consider that his or her family has legitimate claims on their time too. And their children must be perfectly behaved and their wife always sweet tempered and willing to serve on any board, panel or committee anytime someone "drops out at the last minute."
We are tired from a stressful day of work and balancing kid's needs but we snap at a spouse who is also struggling with balance and getting needs met. We expect our boss to understand how our mother's illness has not helped our work efficiency, but expect perfect courtesy and even tempered, total focus without regard to the boss's conflicting responsibilities. We want our child's teacher to be cheerleader, coach and shrink but are quick to point out that we work and can't show up to help in the classroom or volunteer at the PTA open house.
Do you see a theme here? It truly does seem that we have slithered into a firm "it's all about me and mine" mind-set where we mock other people's pain and judge other people's smallest slip while demanding immediate understanding and full pardon for even our most egregious and outrageous failures to provide a little courtesy or demonstrate a little decency or exhibit a modicum of common sense.
We need more adults to supervise the playground.
Next time we hear or see a public person with a private sorrow, let us lift them and their families up in prayer. When a stressed and wholly human person demonstrates her human imperfection, let us consider how we would like a loved one to be treated in the same circumstances. Let's demonstrate for our children a willingness to respect privacy, being slow to believe the worst and quick to offer compassion.
We got ourselves in this mess. With God's abundant Grace we can make better choices going forward.
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