Whose job is it?
WMAE SAMUEL e have successfully closed out the Martin Luther King holiday celebration, however, still ringing in my ear is one of the messages delivered by a speaker that weekend.
He said there comes a time when one must wake from the dream and deal with the reality of the situation. He called for the community to rise up and get out of their comfort zone. Most people realize that in our most comfortable positions nothing gets done. He stated that we can sit and marvel over the work that needs to be done, but until action is taken the job remains undone.
When he said that I thought about my husband, who said that he is fascinated by work. He said he can sit and look at work all day and then get up and go to bed. So many of us know what must be done and yet we sit each day marveling and even stressing about the work before us, just as my husband admits that he does.
What are some things that must be done? The list is very long but can be done one step at a time. If not taken one step at a time, just the thought can be overwhelming. There is always something that each person can do.
The speaker shared a story about four people named Everybody, Somebody, Anybody and Nobody. There was an important job to be done and Everybody was sure that Somebody would do it. Anybody could have done it, but Nobody did it. Somebody got angry about that, because it was Everybody’s job. Nobody realized that Everybody wouldn’t do it. It ended up that Everybody blamed Somebody when Nobody did what Anybody could have.
The story may be confusing but the message is clear: No one took responsibility so nothing got accomplished.
This type inaction is all around us in our homes, churches, community, and our state. It plays out wherever there is culture that lacks accountability. Each of us has been one of those characters at some point in our lives. We need to not play the same role forever — but some of us do.
The No. 1 thing that must be tackled is open dialogue. Tough topics must be debated and discussed. People must get to know each other and the only way to do that is to spend time communicating with each other truthfully.
I am reminded of the situation shared by a minister from India. He and most of the family were in this country but a few were still home in India. He had an older brother who returned every summer to visit with his uncle. Benny said his brother would return every summer filled with joy and excitement.
One summer the older brother was moving into the work field and was not returning to India. Benny asked his dad if he could go visit with Uncle Hinn. Dad agreed and Uncle Hinn gladly said that he was more than welcome to come and spend several weeks with them. The summer could not come fast enough for Benny. He was filled with joy just thinking about the happiness he was going to return home feeling and sharing with his other sisters and brothers.
He arrived at the airport in India and was met by this person who resembled his dad. They greeted each other with glee, which was shortlived. The luggage was packed in a small strange car. Uncle Hinn asked about the flight and the family back in the states. Benny answered in as short a sentence as possible. Benny was a loquacious individual, but not today.
After a few questions from the uncle, the ride to the house was uncomfortably quiet. Benny was recalling all the times that his brother returned just filled with excitement about the time that he had spent with their Uncle Hinn. The thought of what could be wrong made him unusually quiet. He went into a disappointing and contemplative mood. The uncle was emotionally somewhere else as well.
For years before maturity set in, Benny Hinn said that he was puzzled about that visit. He later came to realize that in order to develop a relationship, individuals must get to know each other from the inside out. That is accomplished by not only having a relationship but fellowship. He realized that even though he had the same relationship blood-wise with the uncle, he had not fellowshipped with him. They knew nothing about each other’s likes and or dislikes. They knew nothing about each other’s ups and downs. They truly did not know anything about each other.
There must be an understanding through fellowship and conversation. One must become vulnerable to develop a relationship that may, or may not, lead to a friendship. Some relationships can be for a reason, a season, or a lifetime.
So, I say to those who are sincerely attempting to improve the relationships of people in our city and county: Everyone who sincerely wants to improve the divide must be willing to become vulnerable enough to discuss tough topics. The divide is wide and we are the only ones who can fix it. We cannot solve the problem if we continue to be thin-skinned or are walking with a guilt trip.
I call what we must do healthy dialogue.