I was recently teaching a course on professional ethics in the counseling field.  As we become an increasingly diverse nation, one of the chapters is devoted to the importance of appreciating and understanding the values of different cultures.

Years ago, when my son Tyler was a teenager and had his first job working at a pizza place, he was talking to our next door neighbor who happened to be of Chinese origin.  They were comparing notes and the boy acknowledged that he, too, had recently been hired to work at a Chinese restaurant.  When Tyler was talking about how he was spending his paycheck, the neighbor acknowledged that in his culture, he was expected to turn over his paycheck to the head of the household.

When I suggested to my son that I thought it was a great idea for him to turn over to me his weekly paycheck, you can imagine the reaction I got.

Eastern cultures have a collectivist perspective, valuing the collective above the individual.  Eastern cultures tend to think about what is in the best interest of the group as opposed to what is in the best interest of the individual.

It seems to me that there must be someplace in the middle, some place where the needs of the individual and the needs of the group are valued equally.

Jesus taught, “Love your neighbor as yourself.”  As a matter of fact, there are over sixty verses in scripture that reference loving one another.  Maybe Jesus is that place between Eastern and Western culture.  What he taught values both perspectives equally.

In this time of uncertainty, spurred by all the unknowns connected with the Corona Virus, it is a good reminder that we are all in this together.  Whether it is toilet paper or chicken breasts or sheltering in place, we are all challenged to think not so much about how I can take care of me and my needs, but how can I balance that with acknowledging that the needs of others are equally important.

This is a remarkable opportunity to be honest with ourselves about the values we hold, the values that shape and drive our behavior.

So, here’s my invitation:  In all of life, no matter how scary, resolve to live from that place where we are able to balance our needs with the needs of others, and the needs of others with our needs.

The extent to which you accept my invitation is the extent to which you’ll be able to say,

“I feel good about being me!” … and that’s a promise!