Buyer Remorse

Everyone wants a revolutionary until they get one.

I've sat through so many meetings where people clamour over the ideas that bring life to something only to have them turn into the biggest enemies of change once it begins to happen. 

Revolutionaries don't leave things the way they are.  They cut to the quick and get to the real issues.  That's when all the excuses start coming out.  "We've never done it that way before.  Good luck on that one.  I've been trying it for 16 1/2 years with no success.  I'm glad someone finally wants to take an interest in that! (but don't ask me to help)"

One of the things revolutionaries bring is conflict.  They don't take excuses.  They don't take lame answers.  They don't let people slide by.  They confront old habits.  They question someone's sacred calf idea.  They ask why we continue to do things this way when they don't produce the results we want.  The revolutionary quickly becomes the bad guy who wants to interrupt everyone's little party.  Then begins the stream of whiners to the "parents" of the organization.  "He's not playing right.  Why is he so frustrated?  Can't he just relax?"  The organization is dying but don't even think of bringing life.  We'd rather die a slow death than change.

The revolutionary experiences loneliness a lot.  People are afraid to trust someone bringing in new ideas.  So many have gone before that they have gotten attached to but didn't last.  They hold back to wait and see if this one can pull it off.

Revolutionaries are like stallions.  They buck and kick and break down fences.  They run off into the sunset with their manes trailing in the wind.  They are not easily tamed.  In fact, as John Eldredge has stated, the only way to settle down a stallion is to geld him...but then he can no longer bring life.

We had some friends who did their thing with horses once.  The oldest of their mares was old and didn't seem to have much life...until the young stallion from across the street got loose and came to visit.  That old mare suddenly became a young honey who was thrilled to see the young stallion with life.  It was quite a task to get them apart.

Life.  We're like the frog in the pot of boiling water.  We'll sit there as the heat is turned up until we die, never thinking about jumping out of the pot.  We'll stay in a situation, criticize the revolutionaries and stallions until we die.

Having a revolutionary around is hard.  It brings conflict but I have seen conflict produce some of the closest relationships I've had as the conflict is worked through.  In conflict, someone drops all their guards and the little kid inside comes out.  Then you can connect.  It isn't pretty.  In fact if you are a peace-lover don't ask a revolutionary home to dinner.  They'll get you to real peace but it will take conflict to get there.  Most of us don't have the heart for that.

I'm a revolutionary and although I'd like to retire from the battles I still get into them without hesitation.  I'm more cautious now, letting people know what they are in for but it still seems to go over their heads.  They really don't know the price or the benefits of having a revolutionary around.

Anyone need life?