More Lessons From Derek

I don't know if it's his developmental stage or just his own little way of seeing the world, but Derek does a funny thing when he talks.  Most people I know describe objects using some inherent quality:  "The big table" or "The red ball" or "The soft pillow".  Derek will do this occasionally, but more often he'll describe objects--particularly complex ones--by explaining what they do or the purpose they serve in his relationships. For instance he'll say of one of his toys, "Mommy, where's the sword I'm not supposed to hit you with?" or, "I'm playing with the tractor that turns with the wheel in the cab."

It's a funny habit because you get to hear just how he perceives the world.  It's also not a bad habit to take up.  Too many of us tend to think of things or people around us as static entities.  We slap the easiest label possible on something or someone and never define them any other way.  People do things!  They're vibrant, they change, they move.  Objects serve purposes.  How much different would our perception be if instead of defining our cars by color and features ("That's my green Honda with a stick shift and the nice stereo!") we defined them by what they did?  ("That's my Honda.  It lets me pick up my kids and take them to get ice cream which makes them smile and reminds me of the good times I had when I was a kid.")

We'd certainly have less materialism for materialism's sake if we perceived the world this way.  We'd have a far easier time prioritizing what's important and what isn't.  (This is the other thing about Derek.  Don't ever think you're going to get him a collection of anything.  He'll like Figure A from the set because it does this, but he'll want nothing to do with Figure B because it does that.  "I like the black car with the scoop.  You can give the red one to Ali.")  We'd also have a far greater appreciation for the good that people and objects bring into our lives...a lot less taking things for granted.  When your perception of what something is stems from what it does you can hardly miss the quality inherent in its actions.

I don't know...I think it's a pretty good system.  It's probably similar to the one Jesus employed.  He didn't give a rat's patootie for guys dressed in robes with fancy titles and generations of precedence.  Nor was he really big on feasts, ceremonies, crowns, or pretty buildings.  He tended to like two types of people:  those who do good in the world and those who desperately needed good to be done for them.  He eagerly talked to the poor, despised woman drawing water at the well.  The pompous monarch?  Not so much.

Food for thought.

--Pastor Dave (pastordave@geneseelutheranparish.org)