Living in a Bubble

If the company you were running lost $10 billion this year, then you asked for a $10 million bonus, you'd be laughed out of the room, right?

You might even get fired over it.

Not unless you work on Wall Street, where the CEO of Merrill Lynch says he deserves $10 million because the company would have lost more if not for his leadership. Maybe true, but he was not very smart (stupid) to ask for $10 million when he already makes an enormous salary with amazing perks while nearly everyone thinks his industry is already overpaid and reckless with money. His bubble prevented him from sucking it up on a $750,000 salary until his company was profitable.

Before Detroit's Big 3 CEOs first showed up on congress' doorstep asking for monetary help, public opinion was about 50% against bailout help. With half of the country thinking the Big 3 don't deserve a nickel. Then we learn that each CEO took an expensive company jet to Washington to ask for money. The symbolism of cluelessness couldn't have been more obvious. After their first appearance before congress, public opinion against the bailout surged to 61%. Their bubbles made them oblivious to the obvious.

As I think about the local church being the last and only hope of the world, I wonder how many times we become comfortable living in our bubbles, that we just don't see what really is happening. I believe it is true in most of our family systems, as we just don't see our dysfunction until someone can point it out. Not that we want anyone to point it out, but if we are to grow as Christians, as people, then we need to see the good along with the not so good.

Have you recognized any bubbles in your life that need to be popped?!