Respect and Curiosity

"Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others."

Philippians 2:3-4

The third complaint younger leaders have about older leaders is that they think they know everything. What is not surprising is that this is the same complaint more senior leaders have about younger leaders. So, what is going on here? Young leaders say, "Their way is the ONLY way. They rarely understand what I'm saying. They lack curiosity – they've figured everything out already." Older leaders say of younger leaders, "They are disrespectful and expect to do everything their way. They don't understand the importance of life experience and don't let those with more speak into their lives." I think this all boils down to a matter of respect and valuing the experiences of another.

Our world is so polarized today because we have been raised with the notion that the world can be seen from only one place and one perspective, from my location and frame of reference. Few people today are curious about the perspective of another. If another sees something differently, we assume it is wrong instead of wondering if there might be something to learn by standing in someone else's experience.

Religions stand against each other because we use different languages to discuss similar experiences. Politicians oppose each other while working on the same problems because they think there is only one solution, theirs. Culture and nations see global problems like climate change from different places. If you live in Bolivia, the poorest country in South America, climate change presents a clear and present danger as floods erode farmlands, contaminate water, and contribute to food scarcity. Melting glaciers and wildfires threaten their water supply, while in the U.S., hurricanes, floods, tornados, and wildfires are not yet threatening our very existence.

Is it proper to deny the seriousness of climate change in Bolivia because we can weather it more efficiently? Is a young leader's experience less valuable than an older leader's experience? We can agree that, while they may be different, we live in the same world with the same problems, the same church, and the same challenges. What if we listened a bit more and tried harder to stand in each other's shoes? I bet we would find more in common and learn something valuable from each other. What good is it doing the church for us to pretend we know everything? God created diversity to expand our individuality with community. Curiosity and respect can go a long way toward improving the church's life and ministry.