Some people always gotta swim upstream
Posted on 26. Oct, 2009 by Nick the Geek in All, Youth Pastor
Just a note for birthday well wishers. Thanks for the visit, you will find that I do not have a birthday pos tup. Yeah I didn’t feel like writting about birthdays. It’s not that I feel old or anything. I am 31. I just don’t have anything to write about. If anything interesting happens today I might post it tomorrow. Anyways, thanks for dropping by, enjoy what I did write about, and leave a comment. I am one to respond to all comments The thing about crowds, though, is there is the outlier. The ones at the edge of the pack that don’t really fit in. There are two basic places these people fit in. They are either the villains or heroes when you get right down to it. Look at the fringe of society, you have on the one hand the people who go to extremes to help others when the crowd is afraid to act or you have those that work against the crowd. In both places you find variety. Some heroes are political figures, while some are villains. Regardless, though, the ones at the real fringe are leaders. They inspire the more corporate minded to follow them to whatever end they are working towards. They are the freaks that either bring or stop change. I think that is why Jesus spent so much time with the fringe of society. The ones who work so hard to fit in and run things are afraid of change, but without change we can’t move forward. He calls the freaks of society, the ones who are ready to bring the revolution. He is calling us today. Too long we have sat and watched our country go to hell in a hand basket. Too long we have focused on our legalistic judgment. Too long we have allowed Hollywood tell us what it means to be a Christian. I have been hearing for years about a countercultural revolution that is growing underground. People who think like me. People who are sick of the status quo, but it is time to act. We must stand tall and let the crowd either follow us or get out of the way. If we just sit back and talk about change without bringing change then we are no different. If we are going to bring a revolution to the church, then it is going to be costly and painful. I am willing to pay the price. What do you think? What can we do to make change? Are you willing to pay the price?
Sure, it might be easier to just go with the flow, and I have to admit there have been many times in my life I’ve tried to just be like everyone else, but I’m just not the kind of person that feels comfortable doing whatever the crowd is doing. Actually I’m not all that into crowds for that matter. They make me nervous. Crowds form a herd mentality. This is a proven thing. If one person starts to panic everyone starts to panic. In fact, you can make a whole group of people think they are sick to the point of exhibiting symptoms and everything. Want to mess with a crowd? Next time you are in a large crowd just start looking up. Soon enough everyone will be looking at whatever you are looking at.
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Nick the Geek
Peter_P
Oct 26th, 2009
Yes
MarniW
Oct 26th, 2009
Happy birthday!!!! Great post too!
@katdish
Oct 26th, 2009
Happy Birthday, Nick. Why do I suddenly have the urge to sing Michael Jackson's "Man in the Mirror"? Good post.
Helen
Oct 26th, 2009
Happy Birthday, Nick. You are right about herd mentality. I went to a conference last week that I really loved. The speakers had me crying, but in a good way. You know what I mean. I listened for several minutes to people complain about the message. No one came forth to say something positive. It seemed as though everyone around me agreed with the complainers. Finally I couldn't take it anymore and said "What were you listening to? I loved it! Am I the only one from this parish who actually needs to improve?" I was amazed to find that then over half of the group I was with said something along the lines of "I agree with Helen. I was moved…" Until then, I really thought was the only one. I really thought I was some lone freak who maybe couldn't tell the difference between a good speech and a bad one, or maybe such a horrible Christian that I was the only one who needed to hear what was said. People are afraid of being the lone voice. Boils my Hungarian blood… Oh, your question. What can we do to bring about change. Not be afraid to be the only voice shouting "WHAT?!" Once people see that a someone else is thinking as they are, they will be less afraid to speak up for and particiate in change.
Helen
Oct 26th, 2009
Oh, I almost forgot, your title fits with a quotation I have on my blog's sidebar. “A dead thing can go with the stream, but only a living thing can go against it.” G.K. Chesterton
Nick the Geek
Oct 26th, 2009
Thanks, and thanks
Nick the Geek
Oct 26th, 2009
Thanks and probably because ur kind of a nerd?
Nick the Geek
Oct 26th, 2009
Yeah there are often people waiting to follow someone they agree with but in the absence they will go with the crowd opinion they don't agree with. Oh and thanks
Nick the Geek
Oct 26th, 2009
I love that quote.