...one thing leads to another.

Good and bad are not always mutually exclusive...are they?

What about the Stockholm Effect? Ever hear of a hostage who develops an attachment to his captor? In the early seventies, two ex-convicts held three women and a man hostage during a robbery in Stockholm, Sweden. They held them hostage for six days. When it was all over, the hostages actually defended the actions of their captors--two of the women even became engaged to the men who had held them and threatened their lives.

There are a variety of theories on this kind of phenomenon...
-emotional transference,
-misidentification of kindness,
-emotional damage on the part of the captive;
Perhaps on some level, all of these are true.

You want to hear my theory?

We all want romance. Love. Tenderness. Passion.
We want the adrenaline rush of the bad, and to still believe that good wins out over evil. That good people are incapable of doing bad things. Which we all know is a load of crap. "The hostage perceives what she misidentifies as small kindness from her captor...despite the ongoing terror."

I think good and bad often come wrapped in the same package. We just lean one direction or the other, depending on circumstances and personality. Sometimes good people do bad things, and more importantly...sometimes bad people will do good things.

Romans 7: 17-25
I know the law but still can't keep it, and if the power of sin within me keeps sabotaging my best intentions, I obviously need help! I realize that I don't have what it takes. I can will it, but I can't do it. I decide to do good, but I don't really do it; I decide not to do bad, but then I do it anyway. My decisions, such as they are, don't result in actions. Something has gone wrong deep within me and gets the better of me every time.

It happens so regularly that it's predictable. The moment I decide to do good, sin is there to trip me up. I truly delight in God's commands, but it's pretty obvious that not all of me joins in that delight. Parts of me covertly rebel, and just when I least expect it, they take charge.
I've tried everything and nothing helps. I'm at the end of my rope. Is there no one who can do anything for me? Isn't that the real question?

The answer, thank God, is that Jesus Christ can and does. He acted to set things right in this life of contradictions where I want to serve God with all my heart and mind, but am pulled by the influence of sin to do something totally different.

Anyway...

I've been accused of being too open and honest about things. I'm usually the person who friends and family come to for advice or comfort during times of transition. I enjoy helping others and genuinely care about them. I always try to do the best that I can to support and encourage them in whatever situation they may find themselves. Lately though, the shoe has been on the other foot and I find myself needing support and encouragement.
I know that the people in my life genuinely care about me, but I think that most of them don't really know how to handle me when I need them to be there for me. It's not "normal" for me to ask for help and when I do, I think I catch people off guard...here's why.

I honestly try to do what is right and I truly try to have nothing to hide...and most people don't know how to deal with that. I'm finding myself being told by several people that, because I don't' play the "politics" game at work, I am not going to ever get ahead. Because I try to be completely honest, I am often taken advantage of by others and I don't come across as a strong leader.

I've had to deal with those statements a lot recently...and they don't hurt any less coming from the people you love. So the question becomes...what do I do about it?

I'm going to remember the following...

People are illogical, unreasonable, and self-centered.
I will love them anyway.

If I do good, people will accuse me of selfish ulterior motives.
I will do good anyway.

If I am successful, I will win false friends and true enemies.
I will succeed anyway.

The good that I do today will be forgotten tomorrow.
I will do good anyway.

Honesty and frankness make me vulnerable.
I will be honest and frank anyway.

I know that the biggest men and women with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest men and women with the smallest minds.
I will think big anyway.

I realize that people favor underdogs but follow only top dogs.
I will fight for the underdogs anyway.

What I spend years building may be destroyed overnight.
I will build anyway.

I will remember that people really do need help, but may attack me if I do help them.
I will help people anyway.

If I give the world the best I have, I may get kicked in the teeth.
I will give the world my best anyway.

I may not always succeed...but I'm going to keep on trying anyway.