Joseph, Joseph, Joseph

Hey Family,

Our community has been hit hard by the factories disappearing like moochers when the dinner bill comes. And that is disturbing and creates an enormous amount of anxiety inside of us, doesn't it? When we realize that a friend, a family member, or even we are losing a job, we get anxious, panicked, stressed. It's natural. But what happens if we find out through the news instead of being told face to face? How does that affect us?

How do we do with bad news? Tragic news? Terminal news? Do we lose all perspective? Or do we deny it? What? No one, i know, is immune to having to hear tragic news at least a few times in their lives. Loved ones pass away. Relationships end. Jobs go overseas. And even Seinfeld came to an end. So we are going to get terrible news, right? Is there anyway to soften the blow? Is there anyway to keep the news from destroying us? I say yes.

What would happen if we found a humane, or dare i say, Christian way, of relaying tragic news? What i mean by that is this: Joseph had to tell the baker that the baker's dream meant death for the baker, right? But did Joseph avoid telling the baker? Did Joseph have the warden tell the baker? Did Joseph leave a note, like the Dear John letter i got from my high school prom date? No. Joseph did the most loving thing he could. He was honest. He went to the baker and told the baker the full truth. Regardless of how tragic the news was.

For me at least, to know is better than not knowing and being surprised, out of the blue. For the employees of NCR, who found out through the press, how did they like finding out about their futures through the Dayton Daily or News Channel 7? Probably not much. But its how heartless people, unloving people, operate. They choose dishonesty and passive aggressive means to get what they want. They are too afraid of facing the object of the bad news, so they avoid it, all together. And it creates more victims than if they were just willing to be upfront and honest.

But to give bad news, no matter how painful it is, must be done in a loving way. We have to be honest, but we have to be gracefilled as well. That, my friends, is a difficult path and balancing act. However, if we are to call ourselves Christian, it is an act we must engage in, fully. To not do so, is to honor the king of this world: Satan, while denying the power of the King of kings: Jesus. I would rather honor the King of kings than align myself with Satan. What about you?

Shalom,
jerry