Special note for blog readers: Since my blog also appears as a column in a few local newspapers, many of my readers receive the content that way. If you are reading this on the blog, you may not have the context of a small town newspaper available to you. My encouragement to you is to find applicable ways to engage in your community that are consistent with the values I am highlighting here.
This week, I thought maybe I should write about something big that is going on in the world. That is, until I remembered that there is a lot going on in the world to which I am completely oblivious. The fact is that I don’t keep up much with what is going on in the world. I intentionally don’t spend much time consuming “news,” particularly of the world and/or national variety. My only newspaper subscriptions are to local, small town newspapers which (not coincidentally) carry my column.
As I pondered that reality, today’s topic clicked. So, my intent today is to give you two compelling reasons why your local, small town newspaper is better than the big news outlets.
1. It is more closely aligned with your circle of influence. Stephen Covey, in his book The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, described the difference between a “circle of concern” and a “circle of influence.” Your circle of concern can be huge. These are the things that you are concerned about, but over which you have almost zero influence. How much influence do you have over the actions of ISIS, the nuclear capabilities of Iran, SCOTUS rulings, or the latest actions of the current president?
Your local, small town newspaper (especially if it is a weekly) doesn’t spend much time covering those things because they are “old news” by the time the paper goes to print. The local paper reports things that are within your circle of influence. You can read about people you know, issues in which your voice can be heard, and events in which you can actually participate.
The more energy you invest in your circle of concern, the less energy you will have to invest in your circle of influence. The more you intentionally and enthusiastically engage with your circle of influence, the larger the circle becomes. When I meet someone for the first time and they ask about Mrs. Sweetie, I realize that my circle of influence is bigger than I thought.
2. It can be a resource for rediscovering the lost treasure of community. I am significantly into social media and online community. The fact that my blog and podcast are accessible to anyone in the world with an internet connection is amazing to me, and I love hearing from people whom I will likely never meet face to face. But in the local paper I can hear about and from people whom I could meet at the local coffee shop and talk about how we could make our corner of the world a better place. When my friends’ children are celebrated in the paper, I celebrate with them because they are my people. When there is a sorrow in my community, I can be a part of the gracious response.
Your life matters to God. There is no place where that is more evident than in the place where you live it. How can you engage more in your community of influence?
