Craziness … our world or the directions?

Yesterday, I was honored to deliver some gifts to a family expecting a new child. So excited to know they had it just a few hours prior to my arrival. I missed them, but I did get to meet some of the grandparents. Congratulations to the family of new baby Kye.

Now I didn’t know where to go. Didn’t know the address. Not even the street. So I reached out to a friend. Big John showed up at the office to share with me where to go. And this is country, rural heartland. So the directions came in a bit of craziness.

You see, my little neck of the woods have street names and street route numbers. So it might be Richmond Hwy. or it might be 460. Every where has two identities. Fortunately the houses have 911 number markers. These are little blue identifiers stating the house number and they are located at the edge of the property’s entrance. I’ve started to get used to all this. But that’s not the way people do it here. We combine a little HiTech and a little country charm.

Big John pulled out his phone, pulled up Google Maps. He had it on satellite mode and told me to pay attention. He didn’t know the number or what the house looked like … so here he goes …

See this line of pine trees, I think they’re still there. Go past the pine tree line. Look for the lady raking the leaves. Now I know 7844. They’re good people. Don’t go there. If you get to that house, you’ve gone too far. Turn around. Watch where you turn around, uncle Bubba takes the second amendment serious and guards his house – if ya know what I mean. Turn around and come back two driveways on the right. And there ya are.

I did find it, but it was the first driveway, not the second.

Now this is kind of a crazy way to give direction. Or is it?

Again I ask … Crazy Directions in a Normal World … or … Normal Directions in a Crazy World?

We have politicians, economist, leaders, sports analysts, business specialists, church growth experts, et al … all giving directions on how to get out of this crazy mess we are in. Sometimes I think they’re the ones who helped us get in the mess we are in. (Another story, another day)

When it comes to giving directions, they’re are a few ways to look at this concept.

The specialists try to show the result, the destination and they give detailed steps to reach the goal they think you should want. But they don’t talk to us, they talk over us. I feel they occasionally look down on you and talk down to you. It’s not a great vision casting. It’s cold, calculated and often demeaning. And if that’s not where you want to go, they don’t care, they think that’s where you should want to go. I see this in a big way in politics. Their way or no way.

But then there is the country charm way. The person giving direction connects with the listener. They point to real life and how it connects with the way we live. Look for the pine tree line, the huge oak on the field, the broken down John Deere in the front yard (not that John Deere’s ever break down), or the field of sun flowers. They talk about things we connect with. They talk the way we think.

If politicians and news talking heads would think about the way people think, and where the rubber hits the road, maybe we would listen more, maybe we would connect better, and maybe, just maybe we would catch the vision they are sharing.

Let’s develop cleaner energy! Sure, everybody wants a cleaner world. But show me how we will do it and how it will impact us during the process.

Let’s address systemic racism! Absolutely. We need to be people of love, compassion, Biblical justice, and respecting each other. But stop with accusations and condemnation. Help me by giving practical and measured ways.

Make America Great Again! That’s a great statement in general, but what is great, how does help our role as world influencer, and how does it really impact us all across America in every city, suburb, town, country road, and farm house?

Crazy Directions in a Normal World … or … Normal Directions in a Crazy World?

I think it’s a bit of both … but what we need are directions that connect, that clearly communicate, and that help us truly move forward with a vision of not only the destination but the practical steps along the way.

So, this week. Take time to connect. Time to listen to others so you can connect better. And if you need to give directions, there is nothing wrong with … head three lights passed Chick-fil-A. Go ahead and grab some nuggets on the way. Take a left in the KFC parking lot. Turn around at the high school, and I’m the the third house on the right. The world would be great if all directions took you past a Chick-fil-A. That’s not crazy at all!

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Post Edit Note – some of the above directions are correct some are not. If you follow them, you may end up at Bubba’s house – you’ve been warned.