Once I was discussing superstitions with a co-worker who mocked anyone trusting in superstitions.
“I just don’t get it,” she said. “Black cats. Ladders. All that stuff. I don’t get it. Except for spilled salt, of course.”
Spilled salt?
“Well, yeah, when you spill salt, you toss some over your shoulder, or you’ll have bad luck.”’
Photo by Erika Lanpher on Unsplash
We live in a superstitious age. We have lucky shirts. We knock on wood to keep away a bad idea.
Superstitions are generally accepted. Think about the athlete who hasn’t shaved for weeks while his team is on a winning streak. Or the one who has to get new socks because her team is losing.
Although I’m not sure what force needs a beard or new socks to influence a game, many people trust those things.
Those beliefs can get modified from a “sure, why not?” effort to a rigid rule in time. That challenges a leader.
Christian leaders may see these rules in several ways. A man writes a check to his church, expecting to get a better job in return. A woman gives up coffee – or new shoes or manicures, hoping to see her daughter in church next Sunday.
I knew a man who came to every church gathering for over a year because he wanted a better-paying job for his wife. When it didn’t happen, he told me that “God just didn’t work out for me.” He quit coming, and I imagine he’s trying a new plan.
People can buy into magical thinking. “If I do this thing, something will happen – or not happen.”
And what does a leader do?
First, what’s wrong with magic thinking? It seems pretty harmless on the whole. But leaders think bigger:
[bctt tweet=”Magical thinking keeps us from pursuing something that might really work. #leadership https://wp.me/pahZ3c-4o” username=”kathybrasby”]
Magical thinking keeps us from pursuing something that might really work.
Maybe the athlete should work on his technique rather than growing a beard. Maybe she needs better conditioning rather than new socks.
Magic thinking lets us take shortcuts that seem to work but don’t. I know, plenty will defend the broken-mirror/bad luck connection, but have they really charted out those seven years?
Rather than looking objectively at the circumstances, people indulge in magical thinking, which lets them see what they want to see.
So… superstitions keep us stuck
Magical thinking blinds us to the bigger picture.
The man who wanted his wife to find a better job had a worthy goal, but he didn’t look at the bigger picture. Maybe she was sabotaging job interviews because she had self-esteem issues. Maybe her job skills needed brushing up. Maybe her husband needed to go find a job to supplement the family income.
Maybe she was exactly where she belonged because it allowed her the time to care for her ailing mother.
There could be many more significant issues involved.
Magic thinking keeps people stuck. They resist joining a team effort. They ignore painful effects on their own family or their circle of influence.
A Christian leader wants to step in, to guide a person out of magical thinking and into wisdom.
How to do it? A man’s magical thinking drew Jesus in. And Jesus helped. We’ll take a look at that story from Jesus’ life next week.
Have you ever indulged in magical thinking? Do you find it helps you?
