Passivity is strategic if applied in particular specific scenarios. It’s the ‘let it slide’ kind of approach. It has its place. Many may interpret it as a lazy do, but intentionality positioned for a specific outcome or result as desired it delivers. One fundamental technique in the growth trajectory is taking on choices, chances and cherishes on things that are intended. Upon invitation to pursue issues that contradict with the growth goals one has a deliberate choice to say no or better still act as though they seem disinterested.
This may sound like a true oxymoron by definition. When did passivity become valuable? It is often associated with failure, retrogression and diminishing in nature. On the contrary it is very strategic in nature. What is being passive by definition? Being passive is by definition not reacting visibly to something that might be expected to produce manifestations of an emotion or feeling. Not participating readily or actively; being inactive.
Its place in the construct of strategic intentionality is to observe, conserve and maneuver. Not every demand has to be fulfilled. Not every call to action has to be adhered to and not every question has to be answered. You will agree that in every facet of our lives we encounter people of diverse character and behavior. As Christians we have been warned to keep watch and test the spirit. Not everyone is who they claim to be. As a matter of fact, we have been reminded by scripture that the devil disguises himself like an angel of light. 2 Corinthians 11:14 ‘And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light’
‘By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles?’ -Mathew 7:16.
We see a number of places where passivity is utilized, – not used but utilized. Anything that is utilized is considered with a valuable result.
Jesus Christ himself used this strategic skill. In this incident a crowd had arrested a woman found committing adultery and were ready to stone her to death. The crowd was flaring with emotions and rage. A rampage they had created. Jesus meets them and possess some very strategic questions. He wanted to know what was going on. John 8:3-8. “And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst, they say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou? This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not. So, when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. And again, he stooped down, and wrote on the ground.” Jesus Christ’s action was a passive one. He acted as though he had not heard the crowd that had ganged up ready to stone an adulteress. He had heard them loud and crystal clearly.
Guess what happened next. He stooped down and began to passively write on the ground! What business did the Son of the Living God Almighty have to do with writing on the ground better still dirt? Strategy is the answer. Observe, conserve and maneuver. He observed their erratic behavior intently and closely, conserved himself to size the possible outcome. Remember they wanted to trap him by quoting the law. If he had given a response without thought, he was possibly also going to be stoned in the incident. Then guess what he does. Jesus Christ moves in with a very profound tactical maneuver. His question to them was a very nice disarming execution. John 8:9-11 “At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” No one sir she said”. Where did the crowd disappear to? They all voluntarily withdrew and scattered they were. They had been disarmed and out maneuvered by Jesus Christ. A true strategic victory.
For clarity it was not Jesus’s response that was passive but his action of stooping to write on the ground as though he had not heard them. Wake up Christian. What is hitting you hard? Are you observing intently? Are you conserving yourself when provoked to anger or jealously? Are you ready to outsmart and out class the temptations and condemnations with a grand maneuver?
One of my close friends once told me that is a known fact that there are some ladies, he knows who have mastered the skill of passive execution. They do not just say yes to anyone who comes their way with a proposal from those that are claiming to be genuine suiters. They apply the skill of passivity to observe, conserve and maneuver their proposers with intent to establish if they are jokers, time wasters of witty and rife con men who this generation calls hit and run experts.
The supreme art of passivity is to subdue the enemy without fighting. Know when to apply passivity but with a prepared and well-planned outcome. It is however very imperative to note that passivity has to be tamed and made fit for purpose. If it becomes habitual then it can become a real problem of inaction and a real problem to progress. It has to be well understood to be applied after weighing the outcomes of the intent one desires in the outcomes.
Till next time.
