Ingenuity

I grew up being taught stories and seeing black and white movies of people like Thomas Edison, Alexander Graham Bell, and later, Audie Murphy (WW2 hero) who all had something they put to work. Ingenuity. They had an idea, developed it, worked hard, very hard, made mistakes, but kept going - eventually overcoming obstacles to reach their goals. Back then we called it, "The American Way."

On this side of the planet, China, I am seeing these same attributes at work; average people, going about their work and bringing to the surface that wonderful ingredient - Ingenuity. They don't expect someone else to do their work. They do not seem to complain about the lack of power tools, safety equipment, or long hours. They simply seem glad to work and take pride in it.

My wife, Debbie, called me to tell me that she was startled to suddenly see a man outside her office, about six floors up, sitting on a little board with a single rope - being lowered down the side of the building to paint. He had no major safety equipment; just a board with a rope pushed through a hole in the middle of it which he straddled. He had a paint can, brush, and someone above to lower him, and one below who would fill his bucket when he lowered it by another smaller rope. Ingenuity.

I know, I know, what if he fell? What if he spilled the paint? What if, what if, ...but he didn't. He took responsibility for himself and his work and got the job done. Is that being too hard on someone? Maybe - but maybe not.

A man came to my door, this morning who had been hired to build two sliding screen doors for our townhouse balcony doors. I realized that this man had not only built these personally, but had then built a small framework to carry them on his only means of transportation - his bicycle. He had two full-size, well-made screen doors, all the frame work, a sack with his electric drill, hack saw, and screws attached to his bike. And this wasn't a ten speed - just a normal Chinese bicycle like we see thousands of people using every day in Shanghai.

He came to work. He did a fantastic job. Seriously, what wonderful, solid screen doors. They work perfectly - and look great.

The American Way? I wish that were true all over America - but I'm concerned that some expect far less from themselves. "MORE MONEY- MORE TIME OFF - LESS WORK HOURS - MORE BENEFITS - I DESERVE THEM, I WANT THEM, AND YOU NEED TO HAND THEM TO ME."

I'm not saying everyone thinks like that - but let's face it. We've changed as a nation, haven't we?

I used to hear about how cruel and terrible other countries sometimes were to their people, and that ours was the best way, the way that brought out the best in people. I've seen the news, too, that says that there are countries that ARE cruel to their citizens. And I am proud to be an American. I love my country.

But what I'm realizing is that even in the midst of cruel regimes in the history of the world, people still had the choice to rise above it - to work hard - to be creative - to take pride in a job well done. In fact, they had to make that choice every day. It was true for the Jews under the Roman Empires' rule, and it's true for wherever people live on the planet. We choose how we will respond to life.

Detrick Boenhoffer, who was a Christian imprisoned during WW2 for helping the Jewish people, described being brought to a concentration camp, being stripped of all his clothes, having his wedding ring yanked off his hand. His family had been killed or imprisoned. He had no idea how long he would be alive. But in the midst of that situation, he formulatedwhat would be a great resolve in his life - He said, "You can arrest me and take me to a prison. You can strip me of all my clothes so that I am naked, you can beat me without mercy, but there is one thing you can never take fron me - the freedom to choose how I will respond to what you do to me."

Some might say, "Why go out of your way if you have to live in a country that isn't like ours?" OR "Why work hard if I'm not going to get top dollar for my work?"

That kind of thinking may well cause the downfall of all that we hold dear as a nation. I am hoping - I am praying for a rekindling the American Way - of ingenuity and honest labor for the pure sake of pride in workmanship.

We have a tree in our front yard. Everyday, two women come down every lane in our complex with hand-made brooms, to sweep up the leaves that have fallen on the walkway the day before. They are friendly, talk as they go about their task, but seem to have a single mindedness about getting the job done. Think of that - everyday - sweeping the walk and lane to keep the leaves off of it! Some might say, "Why bother - the leaves will keep falling?" But they just go about their jobs every day - every day making certain the leaves are picked up and thrown away.

Ingenuity - Hard work - Pride in one's self.

The (American?) Way.