Adaptability

When I look at a baby, I tend to talk baby-talk. When I speak with a hearing-impaired person, I talk louder. I try to adapt to the occasion. Communication is most effective when both parties understand how each other thinks and adapt their words and concepts to the other person’s level of understanding. An inability to adapt will handicap your ability to communicate effectively. So we try to adapt to the situation.

Why is it easier to adapt when you are in virtual control of the circumstances, in contrast to trying to adapt when you have no control over what is happening? When you have good health, it is easy to adapt to being with a sick person, but it is hard to adapt if you are the one sick. Why? Because of your minimal control over how the illness, be it physical, mental or emotional, will affect your mind, body, or what your future holds. Control becomes the pivotal issue.

I have watched those gifted with strong leadership skills and serving as such all their life, unable to adjust well to retirement or otherwise lose their leadership role. I was concerned about how I would adjust to retirement after serving in leadership roles for over 50 years. From all I had observed, I knew it might be possible that I would drive my wife crazy! The same is true in the role affluence plays in one’s life. Those experiencing these transitions are prone to make very unhealthy choices in what they say, do, or how they think. They are miserable themselves, so make others miserable as well. It brings to the surface just how much of a role control plays in our mental, emotional, and spiritual health.      

Imagine Jesus leaving Heaven, becoming a very vulnerable baby who had to have everything done for Him. Then, living as a servant leader and being crucified. He had to be emotional and spiritual maturity to do that. Paul revealed his level of maturity when he wrote… for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little Philippians 4:11-12 (NLT2). The Bible character Joseph is a classic picture of a person with strong leadership skills having had to adjust to being a slave or servant. What a superb model for us.

The temptations of a person in control differ from a person who has never been in control of much. It makes me wonder if the Holy Spirit does not position us in various roles in life just to teach us how to manage our attitude towards controlling and submitting. These tests or schools where we learn to be Christlike could happen in marriages, work, assignments in life, or such things. The story of Jacob, whose name meant supplanter or what we might think of as a manipulator. That type of character was clear in his lifestyle—until he met the angel of the Lord (Gen. 32). After first wrestling all night, the angel wrenched his hip out of its socket, then changed his name to Israel. Jacob’s life was forever changed, having to learn to live physically handicapped. God used this handicap to deliver Jacob from his life of controlling others.

Life has been much more satisfying, as I have adapted to retirement and growing older. We also experience the most fruitful life when we adapt to God being our king instead of trying to be lord over others or our situations. Might you need to have a wrestling match as Jacob experienced to live the best life possible?

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