Sunday, May 07, 2006

Initiating Change

One problem I am running into as I seek to initiate change is misperception. Change is threatening. Anytime you ask someone to change, or speak of change that you are involved in, it always implies that the way things have been done in the past is wrong. Over the last 25 years, alot has changed in my short life. When I was in college, all the guys in Sager House wanted to type their papers on my Commodore 64 because you could type it all, then correct later. Who cared if the printer wouldn't print decending characters. It was hot and hip and I was on the cutting edge. Since then, we've experienced so much change, its hard to imagine that 64K was as good as it gets. Now everyone has a computer, email, internet access, more desktop power than NASA in the 60's. We have cell phones, credit cards, Google, and SouthPark. Look at all the change that you have experienced in the last 5 years, the last two years. 40gig is now small for my kids needs. With all that change in technology, the culture has changed with it. New questions accompany all this technology. New ethical dilemnas exist now that we didn't experience. Is sharing software a sin? How about sharing an MP3? Why do you think the Terry Schiavo case got the attention it did? We would not even have heard about it 5 years ago. We live in a different world and we have got to be able to navigate in that world if we are going to be effective as leaders, fathers and men of strength. But change is not necessary if there is not a problem. I am ready to admit the problem as I see it and lead toward change. It does the family no good to not tell Grandpa he has cancer. Cancer is his problem. It has to be dealt with. It doesn't mean Grandpa is a bad person. It just means he's got something he needs to take care of. Rush (the band, not Limbaugh) clearly stated in the song, Tom Sawyer, that "changes aren't permanent, but change is." Those who understand this need to help lead the way. watchman

1 comment:

Global Oklahoman said...

Kevin, thanks for putting your thoughts up on here. Facing a big career change myself, i have been asking the same kinds of questions. I guess the way i think of change is that it is a bit like surfing. you anticipate the swell, and then to catch it, you have to be going in the right speed, and in the right direction. if not, it just washes over you.

may God give us the courage to anticipate the changes, and help to direct them in ways that honor Him and uplift others.