IT'S TIME TO WAKE UP (Bringing the stakeholders together)

Do you remember when $42 brought two big brown paper bags of groceries? In those days, you could credit your groceries and pay at the end of the week. Today, $42 can only buy 11 things at the grocery store, and depending on where you live on Earth, it will buy you less. To expound on this point further, we now live in a time where $100 will buy you a small plastic bag of groceries, which is half the size of those old brown paper bags. How things have changed. 

What has happened to our beautiful communities when we looked out for each other? How did we allow such a downward spiral where the rich get richer, and the little that the poor men have it's taken away? We live in a time where price gouging has become the thing of the day. WHAT A SHAME! How can people eat if they spend all their money on the care of a roof over their head?

As the Lord has shown me, the train of price gouging left the station a long time ago, and it's out of control. The big question for all is, "How can we stop the train, without causing any further casualties?"

Locally and internationally, “prices have gotten even higher since the start of the pandemic. Whether that’s the gas you pay at the pump, the light bill, Gas for your stove, house rentals, car rentals, bike rentals, all types of rentals, concert tickets, the groceries, etc. etc. 

Whoever, it is not funny or a laughing matter for people to pay $4000 plus for a two-bedroom apartment? When it comes to a one-bedroom apartment, people are paying anywhere from $1800 to $2000. This is not funny. People are paying rent for apartment homes at market levels, which are too high from the start, and have already been paid for, or are debt-free. This is wrong on all levels! Where is the rant control of our countries? 

In some countries, "Inflation began to surge in 2021, reaching a new 40-year high of 9.1% in June 2022. Economists have attributed rising prices to a combination of various causes, including the stimulus checks distributed at the beginning of the pandemic, high demand, and low supply." 

Today, people are worrying about where their next meal is coming from. They are concerned about their children's future and how their children will survive tomorrow with such a small income and a high overhead. The government can't always come to the aid of the people's needs as long as the price markets continue to remain high in all areas. 

People are dying, and it is not work that is killing them; it is worry. The only way to avoid worry is to take every trouble to God. First Peter 5:7 encourages us to, "Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you." 

Let us not look on the dark side of life. Let us cultivate a spirit of cheerfulness. Sadly, some people are finding themselves always fearing and borrowing trouble from tomorrow. Despite people being surrounded with tokens of God's love; and enjoying the bounties of His providence; they still overlook His present blessings. Their minds are continually dwelling upon something disagreeable which they fear may come; or some difficulty may really exist which, though small, blinds their eyes to the many things that demand gratitude. The difficulties they encounter, instead of driving them to God, the only source of their help, had separated them from Him, because they awaken unrest and refining.

"You have a duty to perform, which is to make yourself cheerful and to cultivate unselfishness in your feelings until it will be your greatest pleasure to make all around you happy... Cheerfulness without levity is one of the Christian graces.

Do not allow the perplexities and worries of everyday life to fret your mind and cloud your brow. If you do, you will always have something to vex and annoy. Life is what we make it, and we shall find what we look for. If we look for sadness and trouble, if we are in a frame of mind to magnify little difficulties, we shall find plenty of them to engross our thoughts and our conversation. But if we look on the bright side of things, we shall find enough to make us cheerful and happy. If we give smiles, they will be returned to us; if we speak pleasant, cheerful words, they will be spoken to us again."

Today, it is important for us to look to God and think positively. As a people, we need to come together to collaborate and tackle the complex issue of rising living costs and other issues. Yet, when it comes to solving complex problems, collaborating is not enough; we need to put our hands to the plow and get involved. 

"Bringing stakeholders together is absolutely essential if you want stakeholders to better understand a system, define their goals, and design a solution. Collaboration means stakeholders have an opportunity to be heard. The system benefits from diversity of thought. It can also help people to resolve conflicting views and potentially reach consensus. But it's just as important that there is a change in mindset toward thinking systematically because even when stakeholders convene, there is a risk that they assume that the best way to improve the system is to focus on their individual part.

"Consider the elephant 

One way to help ‘think systemically’ is to consider the elephant.

You might be familiar with the ancient parable of the blind men and the elephant. In the story, several blind men interact with a different part of the same elephant, assuming that what they are interacting with is the whole elephant. They do not see that they are interacting with one piece of something bigger and more complex. 

For me, it illustrates the challenge of enabling diverse stakeholders to see the bigger picture.

To optimise the performance of the entire system, stakeholders need to shift from trying to optimise their element of the system to improving relationships among its constituent elements. They need to shift towards thinking systemically.

Use the iceberg

Another concept for helping stakeholders develop an initial picture of the true elephant (any complex system) and beginning to look at things systemically, is the iceberg metaphor. It is a simple means of distinguishing problem symptoms from root causes.

The iceberg distinguishes:

Events (what happened)

Patterns of behaviours that link events over time (what has been happening)

System Structure, the hidden element of the iceberg that causes the most damage because it shapes the trends and events (why has it been happening)

The root causes of a chronic, complex problem can be found in its underlying systems structure – the many circular, interdependent, and sometimes time-delayed relationships among its parts.

When stakeholders have a common goal and a shared understanding of not only where they are now, but also why, they can then establish a creative tension, which they are more likely to be drawn to resolve in favour of their goals.

Stakeholders often agree on where they are at the top of the iceberg, but fail to see the underlying systems structure that they are affecting and affected by." By Adam Jones. 

It is time for stakeholders to work with the public and develop a shared understanding of why the current reality exists; using something like a systems map, is essential to addressing the issues and challenges of the day.

My friend, "The coming of Christ is nearer than when we first believed. The great controversy is nearing its end. The judgments of God are in the land. They speak in solemn warning, saying: “Be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.” Matthew 24:44..."

The assurance of God's word is, He is working on our behalf; there is no need to fear! He says, "Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.” Isaiah 41:10.

"Having undertaken our redemption, He will spare nothing, however dear, which is necessary to the completion of His work." "We are living in the closing scenes of this earth's history. Prophecy is fast fulfilling. The hours of probation are fast passing. We have no time—not a moment—to lose. Let us not be found sleeping on guard. Let no one say in his heart or by his works: “My lord delayeth his coming.” Let the message of Christ's soon return sound forth in earnest words of warning. Let us persuade men and women everywhere to repent and flee from the wrath to come..."

"The Lord is soon to come, and we must be prepared to meet Him in peace. Let us be determined to do all in our power to impart light to those around us and seek to help them even in practical ways. We are not to be sad, but cheerful, and we are to keep the Lord ever before us. The coming King is at the door. He is soon coming, and we must be ready and be found waiting for His appearing. Oh, how glorious it will be to see Him and be welcomed as His redeemed ones! Long have we waited, but our hope is not to grow dim. If we can but see the King in His beauty, we shall be forever blessed. I feel as if I must cry aloud: “Homeward bound!” We are nearing the time when Christ will come in power and great glory to take His ransomed ones to their eternal home..."

Please give me your feedback as we seek to help our country during this time. 

Have a great day 

By GARDEN MINISTRY 

Afterglow:

Look at the video by Bernie Sanders. He is an American politician and activist who is the senior United States senator from the state of Vermont.

In the video, he points out serious concerns that are impacting his country and will impact the world. 

Copy the link and look at the video. 

Bernie Sanders Brings 'Fighting Oligarchy' Tour to Bethlehem, PA

https://youtu.be/-QW9lfLT_vQ?si=qBistRsbl7jvNeVd 

Please listen to all of this speech and then send me your comments.