Ministry in Motion

Previously I dropped a post with some thoughts about rigidity: Political, Cognitive, Social and Religious inflexibility.   In this post, we read of Christ’s encounter with the religious and political movers and shakers of his time, the Pharisees, Chief Priests and Scribes all  illustrated in Mark’s Gospel . Fast forward to 2019, in America, and we see, and are experiencing, an amalgamation of unyielding ideas and attitudes that is becoming deafening and defining. What causes a large community people to move towards societal rigidity?   Experts opine that while each person is unique, several causes may be common.  Two are: An early-childhood experience, trauma , can lead to the unwitting, unconscious, need to control other people and situations. Another consideration for excessive rigidity can be seen as an attempt to make an unpredictable world safe from confusion, doubt, and pain .   Author and psychologist Andrea Umbach wrote: " Adults and children must

How do you manage interpersonal relationships? I asked that question recently and to no surprise the answer I received was....poorly. An interpersonal relationship is a strong, deep, or close association or acquaintance between two or more people that may range in duration from brief to enduring.   The context can vary from family or kinship relations, friendship, marriage, relations with associates, work, clubs, neighborhoods, and places of worship.   Your interconnection with others is customizable,  with God it's vital to your Christian walk. Consider that social life, the health of your marriage, and your family relationships all reflect on your personal walk with the Lord. I'm motivated by these verses of scripture from the Greek Testament : "... And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live....Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other,

In 2017 Pope Francis reportedly said:  “…many young people in the Church have fallen into  the ‘temptation of rigidity’…” Catholic Herald   What does the adjective  rigid  bring to your mind when describing a person?  Rigid  can mean unbending, strong, unyielding, righteous, fanatic, immovable, and/or stiff. These qualities can be assets or liabilities, depending on the situation.  Politically rigid  ppl often view facts and evidence as simply inconvenient road bumps to their political ideals;  Cognitive rigidity.  The technical definition of cognitive rigidity is “difficulty changing mental sets.” Simply put, this means switching from thinking about things one way, to thinking about them a different way. This trait is not unique — we all have it or express it, some more than others;  In psychology,  Social rigidity  refers to an obstinate inability to yield or a refusal to appreciate another person's viewpoint or emotions characterized by a lack of empathy