Relevant is such a weirdy word
All in the name of relevancy so much has been done over the past 10 years. Populist politicians (heck even the slower than molasses ones) have picked up the Twitter game to get their messages out. Churches have attempted to break down some crusty old traditions in order to relate to their communities by incorporating new media into their outreach. Even schools are being pushed up against the wall to let in a little change as students began to speak a completely different language than their teachers. (Turning in English papers with the letters ‘lol’ in them…) Relevancy has taken the helm and change is happening. Right?
But we people… We’re still the same. Our beauty and our ugliness are heightened as we jump into global networks. As we try to let others know, “Heck yeah I’m a cool kid,” by dropping Facebook status updates every other minute, the funky, scared little person inside us is hoping that we’ll be noticed, that we’ll somehow connect.
It’s nice to see content out there that is directly targeted at my demographic. Yes, people have spent time and money to be relevant to ME. But it really doesn’t fulfill me as a human being. What does? To start, connections and relationships with real people I think is where it’s at. Where we’re not trying to rip each other off. And then I think it helps to have an end point, goal, place that we’re all headed toward. The same place. That’s important.
There’s been a lot of crap happening lately with so many friends of mine, which leads me to this question: What’s relevant in a marriage? Well that could be answered in a million different ways. Love, hope, self-sacrifice, self-control… The list can be endless. But I also think a lot has to do with two people who are connected and have decided to moved in the same direction and will do what it takes to help the other get there. The two individuals can be completely different yet they totally become the same life force (yes, I said those words) when they choose to connect to each other and head out into the world together, as one entity. A husband is relevant to his wife when he really wants to help her get to where she should go. His actions, advice, prayer, words, touch, etc, all are for her benefit to see her light up when she gets closer to where she wants to be. And of course a wife can be relevant, timely, accessible, helpful in the same way for her husband. But don’t you think relevant is such an odd word to use when it comes to marriage? Maybe not.
Sometimes I think the word “relevancy” has a tinge of insincerity to it. Like big mega corporations or churches or whatever are trying to pull a fast one. They seem like the know what their talking about, but peel a few layers back, and all you’ve got is the same humanity that the rest of us share. It can be ugly. But we can redeem the word relevant or relevancy, by putting it in its proper place. Yes, relevancy is totally important. But what is more important is that we’re bound by humanity. We’re all people, and we are due dignity and honor and respect. All of us. Having right motives and intentions and understanding that we’re here to help each other will naturally make us relevant. No hidden agendas, total acceptance and love should do it. An honest pursuit for truth so that we can be free. Heck, let’s have some grace for one another!
We will never completely agree with one another. We will never get people to conform to our ideas 100%. Thank God. (We need to be about conforming to One to transcends all of us!) But our living will only be relevant when we get our hearts and minds straight. SNAP OUT OF IT!! Wake up and see the world around you. You can learn about the fancy clothes and media tools any time. For now, it’s time to unlearn what you think will “work” on others and start to see them as the unbelievable people that they are. How can YOU help them? Let’s appreciate all the beauty and strength in our community, then let them know it!
In the words of a very old rap (yes in the 80s): “Check yourself before you wreck yourself.” You’re the only one who can change you. So let’s get busy!
Michelle – you wax so perspicaciously (wisely) … That was one RELEVANT post!