Porous People

Over the last 48 hours, I've been told time and time again that people are porous; that despite our strong need for autonomy, we absorb what we are around and our behaviors and actions will take on similarities to those around us. Josh Radnor, who plays Ted on How I Met Your Mother recently gave a talk at conference similar to a TED Talk. (For those of you who don't know what TED talks are, you're missing out, go look them!)

Radnor's entire premise was on the visibility he experienced as his fame increased, and how it is comparable to the interwebs visibility we all have through various social media accounts. And his suggestions were very simple. Make the conscious choice to do the good thing in situations that allow for a negative. That's simple enough, right? And then Provbers 31's emailed devotional took it one step further. You can have all the potential in the world and still be "rotten". Why is that?

It is because we are porous. We absorb the world around us. Not just as small children, but as adults too. Way, waaaay back, when I was a freshman in college, I was dating this guy who spoke differently that I or my family did. He had just a touch of a twang when he spoke, and during the period that we were dating, my speech patterns gradually began to match his, and his began to match mine. For example, when saying patronize, I would make it a long "A" sound, like in Patrick. And even though this was incorrect, a few years after our break, a close, mutual friend said it the way I do, and then laughed, and explained he had been spending a lot of time with my now ex, and his speech pattern was showing it.

If our speech patterns can be that easily affected, image how are mood, attitude, and even morals can be influenced by others? The plant metaphor serves this purpose well, just like anything green, where we are planted matters.

Jeremiah 17:7-8, "But blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit." 

We are rapidly approaching what can be a very stressful time of year. Holidays, finals, travel, they all start to stack up. But if we take the time to surround ourselves with the god stuff, the good people, and the Good News, we can be a positive influence on those around us in return. Like a fuzzy blanket on these cold, upcoming nights, wrap yourself in those good things, things that fill you up and make it easier for you to share the "good stuff" with others.

Tota tua, and happy November,

LeAnn

P.S., here's Radnor's Talk if you would like to give it a listen!