Activist vs. Reflection

For many years I considered myself an activist, and I suppose I still am. Cranking the next thing. Launching new programs. Find a need and fill it. Raise funds for this project and recruit people for that new initiative. Organize for effectiveness. Talk vision, mission, passion, getting involved and making your life count. If you fail to plan you plan to fail. These are all the mantra's of the activist. Change the world. Now.

In this recent time of my life, I find myself less an activist. It's been about reflection. Thinking about life, Christ-followership, how I'm doing as a human. What's it like to be around me, and how am I experiencing the world. It hasn't been an easy time. I think it's easier to be an activist. You don't have to change, you just ask others to - or at least give the illustion that if they get on board with your ministry they will grow.

Reflection is about personal change. It's about living life away from the fast lane, more working on your heart - to keep it soft and sensitive. It's about feeling more than thinking. It's about feeling other's pain and watching how you respond to other people. It's about asking the questions that take yourself deeper ... into areas that are difficult, confusing and not worked out. It's quite messy.

I've found you can be an activist without being reflective. But only for awhile. The train may derail. I've been there. For me, I'm in a season of reflection. I don't know when I'll pick up the activism again, but for now I'm very happy to be in the slow lane called reflection.