This week I started a new challenge- the Insanity workout. Yes, I'm giving it a shot. It's definitely challenging (okay, it's VERY hard). Apparently I'm still in the easy workouts, and let's just say that it's no picnic.
However, doing this workout has gotten me thinking. The people on the DVD, Shaun T in particular, is a very fit-looking guy. You might say he looks like a professional athlete- totally ripped, six-pack abs, etc. So are the people behind him that are doing the workout with him.
I've heard people say many times about someone, "I just can't relate to that guy." Pastors are always talking about being able to relate to unchurched people. Pastors are always encouraged to tell stories about their wild youth so that the average unchurched person can "relate" to them. We are told to tell stories of our failings and mistakes so people can "relate" to us.
I totally agree. I definitely connect with people when I know they are not perfect. However, I think that we as a culture have taken the desire to "relate" too far and we have stopped aspiring to be something better.
For example, the reason I am doing Insanity is because Shaun T is someone I am not. He's fit, he's in shape, and I aspire to be in the kind of shape he's in. I'm not looking for some middle-aged guy with a muffin top to lead me in a fitness program. I want someone leading who I can aspire to be like. In other words, I'm not looking for someone to relate to in the area of fitness. I don't want some guy who every other minute is talking about the time he went to CiCi's pizza buffet and destroyed his diet, or the time he slept in and missed the workout he committed himself to doing. I want someone that is worth following, not because I can relate to him, but because I can aspire to be like him, and in the process, becoming a better person myself.
I remember as a kid watching thousands of hours of soccer videos of players like Pele, Maradona, George Best, Beckenbaur, Gerd Mueller, and many more. I watched them and learned from them because they were better than me. They had accomplished things that I hadn't (and probably never would) and were on a different level than me, but so what? Just because I couldn't relate to them didn't mean I couldn't aspire to be like them, and in the process, become a better version of myself.
However, I believe this is disappearing from our culture. People don't want leaders in front of them that they can aspire to be like. They want leaders in front of them that they can "relate" to.
The recent presidential election showed this to a large degree. I was no fan of either candidate. However, Mitt Romney had accomplished things that were pretty amazing. He had amassed more wealth in his lifetime (something that takes discipline, wisdom, and hard work) than most people will ever see. Yet, that was the thing that turned people off. They couldn't "relate" to a guy with that much money. Obama won the election because, among other things, the nation was able to "relate" to him better than Romney.
When people stop aspiring to be like people that are better than us (and walk away from them because we just can't "relate" to them) we do ourselves and our country a major disservice. When pastors and Christians minimize their strides forward in their faith because we want people to be able to "relate" to us, we do a disservice to the Kingdom of God.
So, here is the question- what is your reaction when you see someone who is better than you at something? What is your reaction when you see someone who is better at managing money than you are? Do you say, "I aspire to be like him, and in the process, become a better version of myself?" Or do you write him off and say, "I can't relate to that guy?"
What is your reaction when you see someone who has conquered sins in his life that you struggle with in yours? Do you aspire to be like him? Or do you write him off as unrelateable? What is your reaction when you see someone who is excellent at prayer? Do you aspire to be like her, or do you write her off as "unrelateable?"
Today, when you find someone who is better than you at something, turn away from the American cultural tendency to "not be able to relate to that person" and instead aspire to be like that person. Study that person's life, habits, work ethic, and decisions. There is a reason that person is like that, and there is a reason you are where you are. Stop worrying about whether or not you can "relate" to a successful person. Instead, aspire to be like that successful person. You will see a lot of positive motion in your life if you change this one thing about how you perceive successful people.
However, doing this workout has gotten me thinking. The people on the DVD, Shaun T in particular, is a very fit-looking guy. You might say he looks like a professional athlete- totally ripped, six-pack abs, etc. So are the people behind him that are doing the workout with him.
I've heard people say many times about someone, "I just can't relate to that guy." Pastors are always talking about being able to relate to unchurched people. Pastors are always encouraged to tell stories about their wild youth so that the average unchurched person can "relate" to them. We are told to tell stories of our failings and mistakes so people can "relate" to us.
I totally agree. I definitely connect with people when I know they are not perfect. However, I think that we as a culture have taken the desire to "relate" too far and we have stopped aspiring to be something better.
For example, the reason I am doing Insanity is because Shaun T is someone I am not. He's fit, he's in shape, and I aspire to be in the kind of shape he's in. I'm not looking for some middle-aged guy with a muffin top to lead me in a fitness program. I want someone leading who I can aspire to be like. In other words, I'm not looking for someone to relate to in the area of fitness. I don't want some guy who every other minute is talking about the time he went to CiCi's pizza buffet and destroyed his diet, or the time he slept in and missed the workout he committed himself to doing. I want someone that is worth following, not because I can relate to him, but because I can aspire to be like him, and in the process, becoming a better person myself.
I remember as a kid watching thousands of hours of soccer videos of players like Pele, Maradona, George Best, Beckenbaur, Gerd Mueller, and many more. I watched them and learned from them because they were better than me. They had accomplished things that I hadn't (and probably never would) and were on a different level than me, but so what? Just because I couldn't relate to them didn't mean I couldn't aspire to be like them, and in the process, become a better version of myself.
However, I believe this is disappearing from our culture. People don't want leaders in front of them that they can aspire to be like. They want leaders in front of them that they can "relate" to.
The recent presidential election showed this to a large degree. I was no fan of either candidate. However, Mitt Romney had accomplished things that were pretty amazing. He had amassed more wealth in his lifetime (something that takes discipline, wisdom, and hard work) than most people will ever see. Yet, that was the thing that turned people off. They couldn't "relate" to a guy with that much money. Obama won the election because, among other things, the nation was able to "relate" to him better than Romney.
When people stop aspiring to be like people that are better than us (and walk away from them because we just can't "relate" to them) we do ourselves and our country a major disservice. When pastors and Christians minimize their strides forward in their faith because we want people to be able to "relate" to us, we do a disservice to the Kingdom of God.
So, here is the question- what is your reaction when you see someone who is better than you at something? What is your reaction when you see someone who is better at managing money than you are? Do you say, "I aspire to be like him, and in the process, become a better version of myself?" Or do you write him off and say, "I can't relate to that guy?"
What is your reaction when you see someone who has conquered sins in his life that you struggle with in yours? Do you aspire to be like him? Or do you write him off as unrelateable? What is your reaction when you see someone who is excellent at prayer? Do you aspire to be like her, or do you write her off as "unrelateable?"
Today, when you find someone who is better than you at something, turn away from the American cultural tendency to "not be able to relate to that person" and instead aspire to be like that person. Study that person's life, habits, work ethic, and decisions. There is a reason that person is like that, and there is a reason you are where you are. Stop worrying about whether or not you can "relate" to a successful person. Instead, aspire to be like that successful person. You will see a lot of positive motion in your life if you change this one thing about how you perceive successful people.
Excellent blog, I used to be the type that could not relate. I was negative in my thinking and my aspirations went as high as just getting out of my slippers on any given day.
ReplyDeleteToday, after having been put through the "spiritual grinder" to squeeze out the "fat," I aspire to be the "next George Whitefield." I was shooting for Billy Graham until I started studying George Whitefield.
Now there's a guy I can relate to, impatient, a quick temper, in a rush to do God's work, a fighter, stubborn, determined, and with a fire in his belly. Relatively speaking, Billy Graham is "small potatoes" to George Whitfield's Iowa spud due; speaking relatively to the time era difference.
So, in this day and age we live in, "Lord, make me/us a "George Whitefield, an Elijah (without the emotional roller coaster ride), a King David. (people after your own heart;without the 'Bathsheba factor'), a Moses, (Some of us need more help on the verbal communicative end), a Rahab,(a woman of great faith) and best of all, an Esther: "For such a time as this!"
Blessings and thanks David!