Must we
disgrace the professional because of the criminal? We don’t need police reform. We need a culture of continuous
improvement. Everyone is so busy fixing
blame that nobody wants to fix the problems.
Why do you
buy a new phone every two or three years?
The old one probably works, but the new one is better. Kaizen—continuous improvement—has been at
work in the commercial sector for decades.
Which companies don’t have it?
Not many because most that didn’t improve disappeared.
We don’t
need to defund, dismiss, disband, or disrespect the police. We need to reinforce the most professional
practices and procedures every day and every year. We can do this without hate and without disrespecting
the many who are now receiving the scorn of the few.
We need to practice
law and order. Do you want Derek Chauvin
prosecuted and convicted? If you defund
the police, do we just let him go?
There are
people doing evil things in this world.
The police are often the first or second line of defense for many. When police break the law, the offenders must
be prosecuted swiftly, but must we throw the baby out with the bathwater?
The
disrespect for the many honorable men and women in today’s law enforcement agencies
has gone too far. This reeks of the days
of people spitting on Vietnam Veterans when they returned home.
This is hate
arising from the human heart. It has no
place in America. That last statement
purposely has no qualifiers.
It’s not, hate has no place in America, but…
It has no
place. Hate has no place.
Do we want
to be better or do we want to satisfy the hate and anger that can only be
reconciled through Christ Jesus?
Neither
human law nor practice, protest or pontification, or any other proposed remedy
of human design will get to the heart of the problem.
Do we want
to fix the problem or live in ongoing hate and disrespect?
What is your
goal?
Here is a
term that we all need to know. The word
is efficacy. It means the power to
effect the desired change. It is a word
that I insist people know if they are committing to counseling or any sort.
It is a
rudder and an anchor simultaneously. It
is a filter and a paradigm meter. It
challenges us to ask the question: Is
what I propose going to get me any closer to my objective?
Protests and
posts and other peaceful forms of redress get some attention.
Riots and
lawlessness get more, but do they move you closer to your objective or put more
obstacles in the way?
How do you
make it harder to get what you want?
Loot a Target or Walmart or your neighbor’s store that was barely making
it as it was. These make big statements
but generate more resistance than support.
Do we want
to accomplish what we set out to do or must we satisfy the hate in our hearts?
But… There’s
that word that keeps us from reaching our goals and objectives. But, peaceful protests are slow to make a
difference. But, replacing elected
officials takes time. But…
We must ask
if the change we desire is worth our continued effort over whatever period of
time it takes, or do we give in to our hate and hope for the best as we
alienate more and more people who were once with us?
Efficacy
asks us: Do we want allies or
enemies? If we are willing to disrespect
honorable men and women, we are creating more enemies than you realize and you
will not reach your objective.
This is called
selfishness. This is self-gratification. This is I must satisfy my hate even at the
expense of the cause I claim.
If you are
loyal to your cause, this is called treason.
How did we
get from disrespecting police officers to treason? It’s a journey of very few steps. I do not recommend it.
Let’s keep
our heads, our sound minds if you will.
Let’s agree
to seek solutions not barter a tenuous peace treaty.
Let’s kick
fear to the curb (it’s not from God) and courageously make our nation better
than it was yesterday.
Our history is
a rollercoaster ride of highs and lows, selfishness and sacrifice, abundance
and scarcity, but our future must be one that values and respects each other
and desires a better America for our children’s children.
