I’m passionate about quite a few things. It seems as I’ve gotten older that I’ve been able to refine the list of things I am passionate about. For example, when I was younger (11-12 years old) I was passionate about the color purple and the TCU Horned Frogs. Fortunately I’ve evolved and the color purple is generally avoided.
Today my passions include:
- God & making him known
- my wife
- helping my children see that God is about a relationship, not about a religion
- Mac’s (really all things Apple)
- Ecclesiology
- cycling
- helping others to see that we’ve got it all wrong - the church should be the primary force behind missions, not some para-church organization
I’m sure there might be others, but these are the ones that instantly come to mind when I think about things I’m passionate about. Here’s my question: how do we get others to be just as passionate (or even more passionate) about the things we’re passionate about? How do we sell our passion?
Now, I think passions have an inherent hierarchy built into them that has a bearing on whether you “sell” them to others. For example, I’m not too interested in helping others to get as passionate about my wife as I am. The passion for my wife is a private passion. But those things that I’m publicly passionate about (making God known & Mac’s), what’s the key to helping others catch the passion?
And there’s something else to think through as well…isn’t there an inherent risk in selling those things I’m passionate about? What happens if my passion about Mac’s causes my friends to all buy Mac’s and then they end up having problems with their computer? Isn’t some of the blame placed on me for maybe over-hyping Mac? And can’t the same thing happen when I sell God to others (I know some of you might have a problem with the wording I just used)? If someone is journeying toward God and has a bad experience because of it have I done more damage to the name of Christ than I have good?
I think I have some answers to my own questions, but I’ll save them for another day. I just wanted to throw out some thoughts I’ve been having the last couple of days.
-shorty
June 16th, 2008 at 4:31 pm
How is having a passion for Mac’s somehow better than having a passion for a school?
Fortuneatley you have evolved? More like disolved.
June 17th, 2008 at 10:09 am
Hi Thomas. Welcome to Cultural Dichotomy. I can tell that you’re passionate about TCU (and probably purple as well). My comment wasn’t intended to disparage TCU. I happen to like the school. As a Ft. Worth native I still try to follow TCU (primarily in football). And at no time did I intend to imply that being passionate about a computer is of greater significance than being passionate about a school.
My evolving has to do primarily with the color. You see, I can’t wear purple. It just doesn’t look right on me. I’ve tried to pull if off before, but I look really ridiculous. So relax a little. I wasn’t attacking your Horned Frogs.
To be honest, I was trying to ask the bigger question…regardless of what one is passionate about, how do they transfer that passion?
Thanks again for stopping by.
June 19th, 2008 at 4:18 pm
Shorty, thanks for the post. The thing is, passion is genuine, and people are drawn to authentic passion. Something you are passionate about is usually something you are consistent with. If someone has a bad experience, they will continue to see that you still believe despite problems, and they will be more encouraged to work those problems out (I.e. Marriage, The Lord, Mac’s, etc.). People that are inspired by Tiger to play golf, and frustratingly shoot over 100, are more likely to try again when they watch Tiger win the U.S. Open after 9 painful weeks off.
Thanks for the post.