Reflection Required

What time is it?
1830 hours.

How far is it to Rochester, Minnesota from Cincinnati?
1,022 km

How are you?
Bien.

By necessity, our brains are wired based on culture and circumstances.  Since it's not 'normal' for me to hear an adaptation of the anticipated reply, I briefly hesitated during a recent conversation while decoding the response in my mind.

The questions above are just examples and I admit that it was necessary to look up that kilometer thing.

Since that conversation gave me reason to examine what happened, I began to consider what my culture, circumstance, background, upbringing and experience might be doing to my spiritual thoughts and expectations.  There won't be any answers here other than scrutiny for some kind of personal clarity.  I began with a few questions:

• Am I set in my ways?
• Might personal bias predict each decision?
• Are my typical conversations rooted in knee-jerk iterations based on ingrained viewpoints?
• Do I speak 'truth' from the center of closed-mindedness?

Those are frightening questions on a very personal level.  I want to be open-minded, non-judgmental and loving in all situations.  That is how we are to live as Jesus lived.

If I'm being honest, it takes me no time at all to realize that too often, answers to those probing queries are yes.  That being true, how can I say that I follow Jesus?

I've heard people say that one must first recognize the problem and then name it. Until this happens, little can be done to change the outcome.

Alright.  Owned and Named.

Perhaps now, I can consider each interaction in a new way.  I can practice a simple pause during any conversation providing time to test whether or not I'm allowing my world-view to interfere or unduly influence open dialogue and honest communication.

While I'm reviewing my own perspective, I also need to consider how these very same conditions are probably affecting the others involved.

Whoa.  This is sounding like an awful lot of work.  I wonder if I'm up to it.

• Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions.  Proverbs 18:2
• My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry...James 1: 19
• Do you see someone who speaks in haste? There is more hope for a fool than for them. Proverbs 29;20