Just be Different

[Personal Ramblings following warning]

OUT OF THE BOX THINKING

This is one of those social status conversational terms that is a coined phrase to try to help describe people, the way they act, etc. It has been a buzz term & still is to some degree. It is usually used to describe (amongst other things) the life, vitality, energy, leadership, designs, creativity of people. When people here it they form a mental image of what that is.

However, that image & description is different for everyone. Everyone has their own picture of what "out of the box" is because everyone has their own preferences & stereotypes of what it is. Some people can be thrilled to have this label on their life, other people run from it.

None of that applies to where i am going with this post...
What i really needed you (the reader) to understand is that i don't like this term "out of the box" because it creates a connotation that you move from one "box" of life values & way of living to another.

Why not just be different?

Instead of striving to create a new box/perception/way of going against the 'normal' grain why not just do things different?

• In the past 2 season the NFL has seen a surge of new formations dubbed as the "WILDCAT" formation. It basically is a play where there is NO set Quarterback position. It is different than the normal way. It isn't new, it is just different than normal. It doesn't create a new way the NFL teams play offense, it is really just a small difference that creates and advantage.

• Digital age is different way to communicate than the past. As a social society we have moved from oral communication with conversations in person to over a phone & now a computer screen. It is still a from of communication but it is different. Even in the digital communication there are new forms of it (Facebook, Twitter, Blogging)

Our lives are constantly evolving into "new". New relationships, new friends, new jobs, new experiences, each day does bring something new. But we tend to try to find a constant so we feel comfortable. But sometimes those comfortable feelings can lead us to boredom. That boredom leads us to search for something "out of the box" almost to try & help us re-energize.

But instead of moving "out of the box" why don't we just be different?

Why don't we just structure our day differently?
Why not date our spouse differently?
Why not spend our money differently like here or here?
Why not just stop our 'normal' to be different?

I spend more time with teenagers than adults. Don't cry for me, i love it! I love seeing an entire culture thinking differently about life. Part of my roll is helping them understand what a life lived with Jesus Christ is all about. It means they have to think for themselves.
They have to think how to handle situations, circumstances, conversations, family, friends all centered on "how do i live life the way God intended me to?"

It is not an easy task, but it is different.

Back to the beginning. One may argue that "out of the box" is a different way to live. I would say...for a limited time. That "out of the box" way of thinking will turn into a normal & that normal will turn into a boredom.

I once heard the term "create a new normal". Don't be typical, be normal.

What a thought. For people to look at your life & go "he/she is typical" but if they go "dang, he/she is normal...i wish i was that"

Which has a deeper impact?
Which type of person do you want to be around?

Jesus created a new 'normal' for how people understood to live life in relationship to God.
Jesus wasn't typical. Jesus is the model for how i want to live.

Maybe, just maybe, my 'normal' is really "out of the box" for others and different all at the same time :)