Hard to Hear

“You’re not going to nag people into behaving the right way. Even if you’re right, you will be very hard to hear.” @davechappelle on the @joeroganexperience

Ok, I know this isn’t my usual thing. Usually I draw Christian people talking about Christian stuff. This one is personal to me though. It’s not the first time I’ve been given this advice. I caught a video clip of this podcast on YouTube with this quote and it shot right through me.

Flashback to the late 90’s – I’m a newly promoted Sergeant E5 in the United States Army and boy did I know my regulations backward and forward. Friends…I was insufferable. I would correct anyone about anything at anytime. Big issues and nitpicks, it didn’t matter. I was right and I had the manual to back me up.

I remember one day I was pulled aside by SGT Dansler and given some advice I’ve never forgotten. He said, “You’re always talking and for the most part you’re right; but nobody wants to hear it. You’d be a better leader if you just shut up once in a while.”

I’ve never forgotten that. And Dave Chappelle is so right here. In my personal life it seems like any time I’m ready to show judgement I’m better off by showing grace. The core of my judgement wasn’t righteousness but a thin cover for my own insecurities. It was that way in the Army and sometimes it’s that way now. Jesus didn’t seem much to be into the pharisees that loved to nag – so I should probably do my best to not go down that kind of road again, even with the manual in my hand.