Approaching the problem

As I’ve prayerfully considered the difficulties that face the region, I’ve focused in on Monroe County. When I’ve asked others what the problems that we face as a county are, the answers are always complex, covering a range of interconnected topics that range from culture and family structure to education and economics. The image that comes to mind is a tangled knot that is made up of many strings.

So how do we begin to look at the problem in such a way as to find a solution? I think that the answer lies in addressing each strand of the knot separately, bringing as much clarity and focus to the situation as possible, and then begin to vision and dream what we can do to bring resolution to the problem.

I’ll be the first to state that many of the problems that we face both as a county and as a larger region as a whole have no simple solution. Any quick fixes or short-term solutions will only tighten the knot of problems. Instead, we need to ask ourselves what we can do to move the problem towards solution. Many of the little things we can do as individuals, churches, and civic/social organizations will not solve the problem, but they will loosen the knots and move us towards a solution.

Ultimately, praying and looking for the little things (or even the bigger things) that we can do, we can improve the quality of life in our area. Over the next several weeks, I will be posting spots on specific issues. I will try to include links to the research that I am looking at, and where possible suggest some of the things that we can do.