Duality

There is a saying that I recently learned and like.

Consider the power of the AND verses the tyranny of the OR!

The word AND indicates two things.  Not either or, but both.  And if it is both, then it is two things at the same time, thus duality.

Duality exists all the time.  People are wonderful, loved by God and sinners.  God is sovereign and man has responsibility.  We are no longer under the law, but if we break the law, with out fail, the law will break us.  We cannot be sinless, but by faith we cannot disobey God because of freedom.

There all all of these things that are AND.  In Galatians, it says I have been crucified with Christ, it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me......AND the life I live in the FLESH, I live by faith in the son of God, who loved me and died for me.

So as I consider how to live, how to lead, how to love, I think the system that we build in our mind has to include the duality of life.  God knows the end, yet it matters what we do, because if we don't do it, whatever it is, it won't happen.  So God knows, AND we matter.

We are holy, righteous and blameless before God AND we are sinners.  I other words, we are saints who sin.

I find in my work settings, that when someone talks about leadership, they often leave this little duality part out.  The part that you can't lead perfectly.  That you can do nothing without mixed motives.  That our selfishness is always present.  And yet, we can lead in powerful ways, trusting our creator to cause who we are to be sufficient for our purpose on earth.  It is a spiritual life, and one with great adventure.  But this understanding of duality is what will anchor our lives with the humility that we will need to be successful.

I have a saying, you cannot be humble without being humiliated.  Leaders cannot be successful leading with competence and strength.  They do not have enough of it and yet our culture and all of mankind for all of history continues to look for a man that does.  It is why the USA has been so prosperous, we recognized that all people are corrupt and the only government that can survive must have checks and balances to offset this duality that exists in all people.  Our founding fathers were not looking for a good king.  They were wanting people to have to struggle to get along.