Tag Archives: Life

Navigating Unfairness in Life and Work

A sense of justice is hard-wired into the human psyche. Without training, a three-year-old will say, “Unfair!” We are rightly outraged at abuse, prejudice, and violence. But what about the more daily, subtle ways unfairness comes into our lives?

A colleague and I sat down with a leader and shared some of our creative thinking for a new product. We were met with condescension and kindness and the meeting ended well. A year later, we discovered that our ideas had been rebranded, and met with public favor!

Our first responses were incredulity, anger, and resignation. It was maddening to see another get credit and our efforts be ignored. We both thought, “Self-denial is hard when he advances, and we are ignored.”

It is frustrating when others are celebrated, and we feel unheard and unseen. Our first reactions are not yet sins. The next moments determine whether we wallow in self-pity or cultivate godly character. When unfairness happens, our hidden religiosity comes to the surface.

Three insights help us endure these moments. First, remembering God’s mercy in our lives helps us extend grace when life is unfair (Rom. 12:9-21). Second, we ultimately work for One Master, who will reward more lavishly that human leaders (Col. 3:17-25). Finally, God uses these moments for our transformation (Rom. 8:28-39).

Life will be unfair. But we can turn our circumstances into character development and wisdom. We do not celebrate victimhood; however, we can refuse to wallow in commiseration and chose the high road of forgiveness.

Life and Death

Life and Death.
In my posts, I aim for love, kindness and thoughtfulness. I have convictions, but I value hearing all sides and discovering some common good convergences. I will work hard to avoid personal attacks while affirming the right to dissent on ideas. 
But.

Recent abortion laws enacted or proposed represent a clear and present danger to vulnerable life. The occasional tragic moral choice is one thing but discussing the fate of a viable person being born is inhumane and morally repugnant. 

I oppose abortion in principle; however, the New York and Virginia laws move from President Clinton’s, “safe, legal and rare (and he opposed partial-birth infanticide)” to celebrating the destruction of a human life. 

Some progressives celebrate science when speaking of climate change or evolution but ignore it completely when abortion or infanticide are mentioned. Becoming the defenders of the weak and vulnerable in and out of the womb will help validate other compassionate concerns.
When exceptions become the rule, finding common first principles becomes challenging and the loudest voices win over sanity and truth. We can do better than this.

Friends of conscience of all political persuasions, please pray, reflect and humbly love every person from conception to coronation.

Defending the West

I desire that all others enjoy the opportunities, privileges and rights I enjoy. “Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” is not a guarantee of outcomes, but a call for access and justice for all. Life is not a zero-sum game. There is room for all to fulfill their callings and develop their capacities.

Our deeply flawed President is correct when he challenges all lovers of freedom to consider the structures and values that contrast the best of the West with the totalitarian threats of Islamicism and radical global-secularists.

I am not defending the egregious actions and words of our leader(s).

I am asking that all of us look deeply into the first principles of virtue-based liberty and take responsibility for the moral and spiritual condition of America and Western Europe.

From the French Revolution to today, we see the tragic effects of removing reverence for the Almighty and replacing it with elitist scientism and technocracy.

I am NOT aiming to reify a prior age, but crying out for humility, reflection and renewal…and liberation from the anger, fear and hatred that spoils discourse and debate.