So I am a Ted Talk fanatic...that's a confession. I am a nerd! Some folks listen to hours of music on long road trips, I lull my family to sleep listening to challenging messages from a variety of different fields. There is a reason behind this madness. I am fascinated by the world around us, by the voices of those far different from me and those who see the world differently from the limited ways in which I see the world. I really believe that we become a more accepting, embracing, informed community as we learn to see the world from the angels of others.
This desire to stand in different places affects nearly everything I do, how I counsel, how I lead, even how I read the Scriptures. I can't say I arrived at this craft easily. One of the challenges we all face is coming to terms with our biases and prejudices. We love to say we have no prejudice or bias. I don't know that's fully accurate. We have a natural predisposition to certain worldviews that we've been raised under, inherited, or have influenced our lives unconsciously. To make matters worse, we don't always realize the damage done through bias and prejudice.
Occasionally, I will connect you with sources and experts that will challenge our assumptions. I would encourage you to take a look at a Ted Talk delivered by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. During this Ted Talk, you will come face to face with some of the assumptions and preconceived ideas that influence your engagement with others. Until we deal with those assumptions, we can't possibly conceive of how we connect with people of difference that walk through our doors and those on the margins of our community. I hope you take time to view this Ted Talk.
The Danger of a Single Story
So what are some of the single stories you tell?
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