You've heard me before say that being numb to the pain of the world is something to beware of. Pain causes numbness, a lack of feeling — we all know this. But is being numb always bad? Maybe not, argues my friend Matthew.
Maybe sometimes, this is the only way we can do any good. When we dry the tears and stop feeling bad. When we pull up our sleeves and get to work.
Of course, we need an experience to begin this work of making a difference in the world, but it certainly doesn't end there. Or at least, it shouldn't.
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About our guest
Matthew Paul Turner is a full-time writer and author who also works with World Vision. He travels the world, facilitating trips for bloggers to help others learn about the work World Vision is doing in the developing world.
In this episode of the Wrecked Sessions, we talk about why being numb to experiences can sometimes be a good thing when our responsibility is to lead other people into having paradigm shift.
Because it's not enough to be shocked or stunned, asking ourselves, “How can people live like this?” We need to take action. The world doesn't need your tears; it needs your hands and feet and heart, too.
The emotions can be helpful, but as Matthew says, they need to drive us towards something. Otherwise, they're useless.
Highlights
- You can't stay wrecked. You have to move past the emotions and do something.
- Awareness is not action. It's the beginning of making a difference.
- Truly being “wrecked” requires us to commit to a cause bigger than an experience.
- We are not only responsible for our own subjective experiences but also for objectively helping other people get “wrecked” and have their lives changed.
- We must be present to our experiences but also consider what happens next.
- We have to work towards staying compassionate.
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Do you think being a little numb to the pain of the world can be a good thing? Why or why not? Share in the comments.
