DEFINING MOMENTS

From My Perspective - - -

In a competitive world, how one is defined is important. Another factor pertains to who does the defining. In the area of politics, the more effective campaigns have been successful at defining any or all of their opponents. It is painting a portrait of an individual and the tactic by an incumbent is to have the opponent spend his time and resources on arguing and defending against a negative. That is the plan and ploy as one candidate’s staff (usually the incumbent), rightly or wrongly, frames the discussion by forcing the adversary to discuss what they wish to have discussed rather than discussing policies and/or failures of the incumbent.

In other instances, profiling of a person or ethnic group occurs based solely on the language one uses or a suspicion about behavioral possibilities. Profiling is defined as: “using specific characteristics, as race or age, to make generalizations about a person, as whether he or she may be engaged in illegal activity.” It can occur in the public school system when a teacher or administrator becomes frustrated with a difficult student and enters into defining that student as incorrigible or one who will never amount to anything. If one teacher gives a student a D for his or her deportment, each seceding teacher observes that label or profile and probably give a similar opinion about the student’s behavior regardless of whether or not that is accurate, fair or correct. A person is defined by others. When it occurs when a child is young, it leaves one with a sense of “what’s the use of trying” and they begin to live up to the image that has been created, as well as the expectation that has become established. Is it fair? No! Should it be allowed? No! Can the student overcome the psychological scar and be more than what others have defined him or her to be? Yes!

An interesting example of one who has been defined by the Media is occurring with Tim Tebow and his association with the New York Jets football team. In his attempt to defend himself, Tebow stated: “I think the only thing that’s been disappointing these last few days and frustrating is people saying: ‘Oh, you quit on your team, or you’re not a good teammate.’ For people who do not know the situation, and then start to bash your character and say you’re a phony or you’re a fake or you’re a hypocrite, I think that’s what’s disappointing…You work your whole life to build a reputation…Then people try to tear you down when they don’t understand even what happened.” CBS Radio, the source of the story is undaunted and will not be confused by the facts states at the end of their article: “Do you believe that Tim asked out of running Wildcat plays, or do you think be did and is now trying to protect his image? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section…” In other words, CBS Radio will now allow a survey to either confirm their premise and profiling, or the reader/listener to define the character and reputation of a person! Shame on them!

In a narrower sense, there is a profile for one who claims to be a Christian. There are Character Traits and Expected Behavior. At the outset of His Ministry, Jesus Christ gave one of the characteristics in John 13:34-35: “A new commandment I give you, that you love one another, as I have loved you. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” This characteristic of love and a place for one to begin is stated in I Corinthians 13:4-8 (NLT), “Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. Love does not demand its own way. Love is not irritable, and it keeps no record of when it has been wronged. It is never glad about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. Love will last forever…” Does this define who you are and what you consistently practice and display? When others are in your presence, do they have a sense that this is who you are or just an image that try to maintain when among “christians” who expect you to behave in a certain way? Jesus meant what He said! Do you desire His requisite to be perfected in you? Consider these things with me.