Rise of the Karen

If you are taking note of different cultural phenoms right now you have probably heard the phrase attributed to certain behaviour, these people, generally ladies called "Karens". 

I have to admit I feel a bit sad for the Karens out there who are genuinely nice people. Their name is being used in such a derogatory manner.

A few definitions might help if you haven't come across this term?

Wikipedia defines a "Karen" as ... someone as entitled or demanding beyond the scope of what is appropriate or necessary. This seems to be the nice version in my humble opinion.

My definition is as follows ... someone who may or may not have been wronged and yet over reacts verbally, physically or both to a situation that triggers them.

Even last night I was suggested a new YouTube channel to watch in my suggestions section entitled "Karens in the Wild". It is not for the faint hearted of those offended by verbal tirades using "colourful" language choices. In fact it is kind of an embarrassment...

It highlights that level many seems to think is ok to stoop to, when life is difficult, or there is a sense of being wronged in some way.

It certainly has made me think...

As someone doing what I can to live my life to glorify God, is being a Karen justified on any level?

Should we be different from the culture - well the answer is yes.

If our "saltiness" as scripture tells us has become the worst form of saltiness (bitterness, anger, rage) then how will any one believe our message. Our lives are saying the opposite of who we want to be.

So here I am today reminded of two things:

One, to make sure as much as I can, to handle myself well, to seek to help where I may be struggling.

Two, to show grace to those who have let the "Karen" of their flesh bubble up and then define them. That maybe I shouldn't be entertained by their struggles, but instead desire to offer them something better.

It seems ultimately to me that being a "Karen" is a cry for help. Not a label for us to further push them away from the love they so desperately need.

Something to think about...

Accepting the process

The very nature of life itself follows process...

I am wondering if accepting it is half the battle?

You are not born an adult and well adjusted.

You don't even wake up to be a totally different person to who you were the previous days.

Even before that you had 9 months of what we called gestation. A hidden away process to develop you from conception to your first first birthday.

Butterflies have a change process in a cocoon as they metamorphosis from a caterpillar with insane amounts of little legs.

Frustration is magnified I think for us when forgot that there is a process that even God is working to in our lives. I have been fully and sorely reminded of this during the change process 2020 has brought pretty unexpectantly to our lives and ministry.

In the corner of our garden is a plant, a bush, some might say it has been an eyesore.

We have left it alone for 3 years and talked more about dealing with it than actually dealing with it.

I began to wonder a few months back if I was not playing my part, not following the process for its life and development. And besides it looked like it was dead and worthless.

So armed with a quick gardening tutorial via our friends on YouTube I pretended to have a green thumb and pruned it to within an inch of life itself. That pruning confirmed our very unqualified gardening fear, it was a dead stump now with dead brown stalks presenting itself sadly to the world.

Had I made things worse?

Was the video a have and a shame?

I actually decided to walk away and forget this shameful experiment had even happened. Resigning myself to digging out the carcass in some sort of pre holiday season ritual.

So here we are right now and honestly stunned by what is now proudly displaying itself.

This stump of doom is now a thriving bush of glory.

It is beginning to live up to its name and identity as a Hydrangea.

(Some of you reading this will even be shocked I even know its name LOL)

What changed in this plants life is something we can learn form...

We need to accept that life is a process that God is orchestrating on our behalf.

We might think we look dead, but God knows with His care, there will be new life.

We might think we are fully grown, as messy as we might feel, and yet God prunes away what is holding us back.

Don't fight the process my friend!

Your life is about to change.

There may very well be a brand new season about to open for you if you just accept the process?

Something to think about...