Grab the Initiative...

In To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee writes this great line:
I think there's just one kind of folks. Folks.

That's a great line.

And over in Matthew's Gospel in The New Testament, there are these words, written to the Folks of This World:
Don't pick on people.
Don't be flip with the sacred.  
Don't reduce holy mysteries to slogans.
Don't bargain with God.
Be direct.
Here is a simple, rule-of-thumb  guide for behavior:
Ask yourself what you want people to do for you, then grab the initiative and do it for them.
(The Message translation.)

Got me to thinking...about some possible ways for Folks to Grab the Initiative.

Came up with four.

First One:
Take into account that there's just one kind of folks.  Folks.
-Because there are obvious differences among folks...Grab the Initiative of Diversity not Division.
-Because there are obvious inequalities in life...Grab the Initiative of Opportunity not Opposition.
-Because there are obvious anxieties among peoples...Grab the Initiative of Advantages not Adversaries.

Second One:
All of us can be on the way to becoming better than we are.
-When things are on the way to getting worse...Grab the Initiative and Plan Ways for things to get better.
-When dreams fall apart...Grab the Initiative and Dream Big Dreams all over again.
-When failure happens...Grab the Initiative and Try Smarter the next time.
-When it would be easy to give it all up...Grab the Initiative and Be Enthusiastic about can come next.

Third One:
Good Character is a good thing.
-When faced with the options of revenge, bigotry, manipulation, disdain, disgust, power, control, profit, and alienation...Grab the Initiative and opt for Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Community.

Fourth One:
Human Redemption will come when we recover our Connections with our selves, others, and God.
-When tempted to pick on people;
When tempted to be flip with the sacred;
When tempted to try bargaining with God...
Ask yourself what you want people to do for you,
Then Grab the Initiative and Do It For Them.

Nelson Mandela said this: It always seems impossible until its done.

Grab the initiative...
grab it by the throat, if you have to...
grab on for dear life...
grab on and don't let go...
and let's just see what will happen.