A Vulnerable Suggestion

At Christmastime, most Christian churches recognize and celebrate the belief that God came down to be with us humans. As the story goes, Jesus came as a lowly infant in God's swaddling clothes.  Like all babies, he was vulnerable, at first unable to hold up his head - a remarkably humble in-breaking.  That vulnerable way didn't change throughout his life.  Even at his trial with Pilate and the moments of his death reflected his open vulnerability to all aspects of the human lives around him. When I look at Jesus, it invites me to look at people differently, with a more discerning sympathetic eye. 

Being vulnerable is not something that is valued in American culture. Vulnerability is not seen as an attribute in the business or industrial world.  It's challenging to outfox one's competition with vulnerability.  Sports also do not encourage holding your opponent in mercy or compassion.  The word "success" immediately calls us to win at all costs.  To see the U.S. political climate, one quickly grasps that winning comes by doing whatever it takes, including cheating, lying, and even breaking the law if that helps you achieve "the goal."

When we look at Jesus' life, however, we don't see this kind of success or winning at play. Another set of values is at work: compassion, careful listening, and empathy for another's situation. He doesn't view a relationship as transactional—"I'll give you this if you give me that."  Jesus doesn't see "losers," and even among those of the times considered social "winners," Jesus sees them on the same even playing field with their own "logs in their eye" to be understood and healed.

The majority's extraordinarily high levels of stress are caused by the innate pressure to succeed and get ahead. Daily life is geared toward being in competition to achieve something - grades, life partner, income, career, outward appearance, power, among so much more.  What would our life be like without pressure on that level and only Jesus' goal to be kind, listen, and offer a hand?  Obviously, we would still need to consider our basic needs - food, shelter, clothing, etc.  But what would society look like without the "dog eat dog" mentality?  Without going whole hog off one's rocker, how could you start working to develop the simple habit of noticing others and offering the kindness of letting them know they matter?  Would the world be different?  It would be different for that one who is noticed, person by person until it hits a critical mass, which is how reality is changed.