Good morning! Have you ever sat in confusion as you watched someone try to do something? I’m talking about something that you have done many times over and have found a specific way that works best for you; but they are struggling to do something that seems so simple to you?
I have had many opportunities to train people on the job and it has taught me so much about myself. For most of my life, I would expect people to do things the way I would do them, or think the same way that I would think. This is frustrating and exhausting – and more importantly, unfair to the people that I was placing expectations on.
While training a coworker, there were certain processes that had to be adhered to, but some tasks could be completed in a different order and a different way. When I was completing a ticket to troubleshoot a network problem in a neighborhood, I would always start at the node – this is the main piece of equipment where the signal was generated for each area. Other people would start closer to the home that was visited by a technician and referred to our team for repair.
It wasn’t wrong, it was just different. I remember saying to myself, “Why? Why would you do that?” It didn’t make sense to me, so it frustrated me to watch because my way was “better.” But was it really? There was one guy that actually questioned the way that I was doing things because he thought he could do it more effectively in a different way. Whether he did or not is debatable, but he was able to accomplish the task, following the required processes, in a different way.
This was an eye opener for me and showed me in real life how everyone is different and it doesn’t make them wrong. Even closer to home (actually in my own home), I would always put my expectations on my wife to do things the way that made sense to me. Boy have we come a long way – Mer always tells me, “I’m different than you!” And I think after all these years together, I finally realize that and actually appreciate it!
In Paul’s letter to the Corinthians, he talks about how he approached the people around him.
“Though I am free of obligation to anyone, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible… To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some.”
1 Corinthians 19, 22
This does not mean that he compromised his belief in Jesus or lived in a way contradicting his belief, it means that for the things that could be done in a different way or a different order, he allowed people to be different than him.
My mind thinks about it like this: If I am trying to introduce someone to Jesus, the requirement is believing in Him! The way to grow in a relationship with Him can be done in different ways and in different orders. If I like to start my day by praying and reading my Bible, it’s ok for someone else to start their day by listening to worship music. Believing in Jesus is non-negotiable, but the way we grow can be different from person to person.
Last weekend we had my parents come to visit! We had lots of fun, as always – golfing range, ice cream, card games, board games, a freezing opening day for Little League – but the best thing of the weekend was my mom making her peanut butter fudge recipe!
But when my mom makes her recipe, it’s impossible to follow! Everything she does is in her head and seems to be different every time – but the result is always the same – smooth, delicious, peanut-buttery goodness!
I’m much different when I bake, I like to follow the recipe to the “T”, and it usually ends up tasting wonderful. Neither one of us is wrong, we are just different!
Jesus is the ONLY way to salvation, but each person will have a different relationship with Him and that is great! Let’s not try to force others to think and act like us, instead let’s allow the Holy Spirit to work in and through each person individually so that we can learn and grow from one another!
Heavenly Father, thank You for teaching us to appreciate the differences in each other. This world would be so boring if we were all the same. Thank You for providing the way for salvation and giving us freedom to interact with You in different ways! Help us to never compromise Your Word in how we live, and to learn from one another’s differences to grow in our relationship with You! In Jesus Name – AMEN!
Be Transformed 