What Mode Are You In Today?

 

Well I have been remiss in publishing the Wednesday Words! Sorry, Words fans.

Today I would like to talk about the word MODE.

This past week I have seen at least half a dozen posts on Facebook encouraging people to “just be yourself”. Just be the person you are and not try to adapt to the surroundings or change due to circumstances or similar advice.

To be perfectly honest, it annoys me.

We are called to adapt to the circumstances and surroundings. It doesn’t make us a different person or require being fake. It means using various parts of our personality and specific gifts.

Recently I purchased a new flashlight. By pressing the switch a successive number of times the light is bright, medium, or soft. By twisting the base I can change the beam from broad to focused. This changes the mode in which I am using it, yet it is still a flashlight.

Such is the case with humans.

We are all called to fill various roles in life, right? Child, friend, parent, sibling, spouse, employee, leader. We are still the same person.

Thus it is with various modes in which we are called to function: In a meeting we might need to be in executive mode or professional mode. With kids it might be parent mode. With friends it might be casual mode.

It is even reflected in the language we use: in casual mode we can use slang when hanging out with friends, whereas we should use proper words and sentence structure in professional mode when making a business presentation.

Yet in all of these places we can stick with our personality, our beliefs, our integrity. We simply adapt to the proper mode for the occasion. (Remember the scripture that says “…whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” (1 Corinthians 10:31)

Just like my new flashlight, sometimes you have to refocus your beam or adjust the level of your light, yet you can still be your true self.

What are the modes required of you today?