Life Principles from Humor, Really?

Years ago, while a member of the US nuclear Navy, I first came upon a single page copy of engineering humor. It a sketch of a mid-level, middle aged engineer complete with all the statistical norms anyone in the technical field around large companies would recognize in a split second: pocket protector full of pens and pencils, dark pants, white shirt (slightly rounded near the middle), receding hairline, and, true to the 1960's, a drawing board in the background. The man had an extremely stressed look on his face, his hands holding both sides of his head and his mouth wide open in exclamation. The text read "Oh my God! They did exactly what I told them to!"

To any one in any leadership capacity, especially in technical fields, this was immediately, and simultaneously, chilling and very funny. Why funny, someone may ask?

It was what is called "situation humor." That means select others could immediately identify with the emotions and ramifications of the situation because they had most likely been in similar situations in their past.

Because many have shared in making near classic errors of judgment and/or direction, many of us are all too aware of the consequences our leading can have on a project, or even an entire organization’s, immediate future. If we survived the situation, it, eventually, becomes "funny." Obviously there are other possibilities that are not at all funny.

Unfortunately far too many people do not seem able move from newly acquired knowledge, even gained as a result of crisis, to wisdom. Even fewer seem able to apply things learned in one situation to new situations in apparently unrelated fields.

This lack of ability to project wisdom, or even common sense, cross the disciplines of life seems to be multiplying. It is an especially visible characteristic in the lives of those schooled under the influence of modern educational institutions. It appears that the modern educational motivations and goals fail to truly prepare one for the trials of reality. I cannot “prove” it is cause and effect, but then neither can I prove horse manure always makes a poor tasting sandwich… obvious likelihood is... rather obvious (unless one has vested interest in not “seeing” what is plainly before them).

Doing a little projecting of my own, what happens when in a family, or a community of families (says a congregation of followers of Christ) is given an incorrect implication or an outright false teaching dealing with critical life issues and urged to apply it? After all, we “pay” the pro to be… well, professional do we not?

In the ghetto-like, professional-speaker/follower-listener mentality the last thousand years has seen structured into and reinforced in the various groupings of mankind, especially the religious – including the so called academic and scientific – groupings, who is going to stand and question the professional teaching? The naive possibly, say a person who has no idea that the claims of openness and truth-seeking among leadership are merely that, claims. Or, possibly, an intent and concerned person, if brought up in an environment cherishing confidence and initiative, perhaps they would dare to ask the important questions. In any case, the person who wants an honest and well thought out answer for what is being held to and/or taught will quickly find him or herself being manipulated, intimidated, and closely inspected for “moral” qualifications, or outright bullied into submission. If none of the usually effective way of silencing the questioner produces the desired result, one can always be excluded emotionally, socially or even physically.

It is vital to note there is one other group of people who will question, but they do it for genuinely wicked reasons and only help muddy the water further. These are the genuinely rebellious and/or seditious people. The result of all of this is visible on every side.

The ordinary man or woman on the street, regardless of educational achievement, has been “trained” into never seriously and profoundly questioning the “professional.” I submit for your consideration that the result is the utterly incompetent and/or corrupt leadership structure the modern world is saddled with.

Injustice and incompetence at all levels of leadership is sucking the hope for a future out of the lives of our young. Where it cannot stop someone by robbing them of hope, it seeks to convince them they are powerless or incompetent themselves. Should the system fail in that, systemic manipulation, intimidation, character assassination and domination are the next tools to be employed. At the end physical violence will be routinely employed to silence the “troublemaker.” Mark this: this will soon be as openly visible in many congregations claiming Christ as Lord as it already is in the non-believing world around us.

Two things to think about: First, do you see any reality in what is written here? Second, what do you think can be done to help the situation? Going further, do you think there is an answer? Do you see yourself being or becoming a constructive piece of the healing answer?

However you answer the above questions, take a moment to consider why you answered the way you have. After a moment’s thinking, what led your mind along the paths it took? What prompted you say to yourself either “Yes!” or “No!”

You do not have to, but it would be helpful if you could take time to share some of your thinking here for me and others to read.

Have a great life,
Bill L.

Just a Natural Man

Two young children lost in play together outside in a neighbor’s yard when one happens to cast a glance into a heretofore unvisited corner of the yard. A dark bluefish glint of light catches his eye. Leaving his friend, the boy made a beeline for the flash of promise that grabbed his attention moments earlier. It was the work of moments to find and extricate from the tangle of Bermuda grass a beautiful crystal of deepest purple. It was wonderful, faceted clarity appearing to store the sun’s light and reflecting it back in fitful, guarded flashes, not exactly a rainbow, but beautiful purple with hints of the beauty hidden in natural daylight.

Who would not want to immediately share such a find with his or her friend? Moments later, two heads bowed in rapt attention as the jewel was turned this way and that, catching the early afternoon sun just right to expose its every secret to four hungry eyes. They could scarcely contain themselves their joy and excitement was so boundless.

Almost at the same moment the desire to show their treasure to their siblings and certain special friends, and perhaps strut a little in the process, formed in each of their minds. Now a problem arose, one had found the treasure, but the other had been grandfathered into ownership, at least in his mind. That had been perfectly okay with the finder until he had visualized his glory waving the gem under the nose of his bossy sister.

It is of note that neither youngster thought a second that the yard belonged to neither of them. It scarce touched them that such a beautiful crystal had to have been polished and lost by someone, and that someone what not either of them. The excitement of the find, the value of the treasure, these rendered such thinking almost too much to hope for.

Credit where it is due, though the finder was holding the stone, his friend formed the thought to add to his dignity and stature around the neighborhood a split second sooner; and he was a little bit larger than his playmate. Soon a struggle ensued.

The battle was epic! Scuffle here, roll there; the air filled with imprecations, grunts and many gasps. Arms and legs could not be clearly assigned ownership. And more than once an elbow met a rib or a jaw producing a howl of surprised reaction. Up and down the yard the pair ranged. Flowers were trampled, as was more than one pile of doggie waste carelessly left lying in the grass. Shirts were torn, shoes lost and friendship forgotten in the heat of conflict. In the midst of the valiant effort sweaty hands lost grip and the beautiful crystal sailed in a grand arc directly into and through the drain grate at the street-side of the yard. Both boys heard the "splash."

The battle was over, but the recriminations had only begun.

The test of determination and youthful strength and endurance over immediate ownership had been basically a friendly skirmish fueled by youthful, but grand, dreams of wealth and prestige, but this, the assigning of blame for the loss of the treasure; this was quickly becoming harsh and mean-spirited. A young friendship hung in the balance.


Twenty-two years later, both the initial venture into university life and two years of graduate work behind them, two young men were unwinding at their favorite nightspot when one of them caught a glance of a young woman, a rare beauty, in a previously unvisited corner of the room. In his mind he suddenly saw the envy of his friend and other acquaintances as he strode slowly onto the dance floor with such a treasure on his arm…


What do you think is the rest of the story? Why? Is it to end in broken hearts and severed friendships or is there a possibility that this could go a different way? But if that is to happen, how should this story end? Again, why?