The G-C-F-P Factor

Within two hours from now I will stand with another couple to perform their marriage. As an Ordained Minister it is my joy to conduct this formal part of my official duties.

The couple is young and ready to take on the world. In their relationship together they now have three little girls to take care of… and today is the day they wish to get married… to ask God to bless their future together.

I am so happy to help them through this important step.

What should I say? What words will they hear me share? Will their family and friends hear what I say? Will anyone care what I say?

In our present generation the failure rates of marriage is about 55% or higher. Will this couple make it to through this statistic?

The audience listening to today will be made up of older folks and younger folks… in fact two worlds will meet because of the ceremony. Two worlds that are entirely different in so many ways.

This is where the G-C-F-P factor comes in to play.

The problem will be however in today’s way of thinking it is really – the P-F-C-G Factor – completely backwards from the way it once was.

Now that I have your attention and interest – what is the “G-C-F-P factor”?

Well it is, “God – Community – Family – Person”

And the opposite is “Person – Family – Community – God”

With this modern inversion of life style conduct the participants have many struggles that are at times very difficult to cope with… if not impossible.

In the very old days people stopped on a Sunday, went to a church, met with friends, and then took care of their families.

They went to church to talk to, hear about and care for God. God was a major part of that weekly meeting. Sunday was considered to be that day of rest – the first day of the week on most calendars. God was pre-eminent in all that was done.
At church you connected with the Community – because that was the one place that all the Community – all your friends – met… each Sunday. The rural setting that most of our country lived in needed that one connecting point where all would meet.

Sunday church services were followed by Family Times around a large table where you savored the best food ever. There was no restaurant open in any community. No one served you food in a place that you didn’t know by people that you had no connection with. You knew the cook and the server – you were related.

Following all of that you rested. You took care of yourself. Sunday was your day of rest. You mattered to you. But that was after you did all the other stuff – where God was First, Community was Second and the Family was right after that….

Things have changed in my life time.

Today…
What matters most is my Person… me, my and mine is totally important. The ultimate high is to have a Facebook Experience – where I can tell about me… and look in on you – from time to time if I care to….but what really is important is for ME to be ME in front of a world that may not really give and ding dong… because they are totally involved in their own “me-ness”.

Person matters most in my world. Making “Person” happy is all that matters. I want it now. I want what I want because I deserve it. I want more money so I can get more for me – and I better have it now!

When Person is first – strikes over really big issues of money and time off and sick pay and whatever Person would need is all that matters. In my boyhood days the Garbage Man would never have gone on strike – because his job mattered. He took what he got paid and was thankful. Person was not NUMBER ONE… community was.

What matters next is Family… those that have happened along as I satisfy Person. Often Kids are an addition to this two Person coupling. It happens. We have Family because it is what makes Person feel good… or sometimes it is an Ooops when Person is being satisfied.

We may take care of Family – if it is convenient. But break up a Marriage and well … maybe … we will take responsibility. But remember Person or ME is all that is important.

Community is what we need when we get into difficulties. Canadian Tire takes care of my car, the Hospital takes care of Health Issues, and the Government will take care of me if I can’t or won’t or don’t want to do it myself.

Community today can be satisfied by playing On Line Games, My Space, Facebook and the popular idea of Networking. But often it includes people that are just as self absorbed as the Person is… a cohort group – same age – same goals – same life.

Community is not that important – unless Person needs something… but it will be there to Serve Person… not Person serving Community.

Community will be begging for more and more money through charities that need to be registered with the Government… to serve more and more Persons that have nothing… are broken and alone.

And God… well God is an Old Idea from the Old and Odd days. Today when Person is so busy – who has time for Old Ideas that are so out of date.

But God is not forgotten in our modern P-F-C-G Factor. He will be blamed when something doesn’t go right. He will be cursed when something doesn’t go Person’s way. He will be a point of Anger when some one dies or is taken from us – when Person will not want it to happen. AND SHOULD PERSON GET SICK – or face DEATH – God might be asked to help… ‘might’ is the operative word here.

Now if only we could return to the G-C-F-P factor… days that were different… days that had it in a different order… if only.

Well I have to run now… only one hour left until they stand before me and God – to ask his Blessing on their two Persons. I hope they can get it right… and be among the 45% of success stories… Oh do I ever hope for them.

~ Murray Lincoln ~
www.murraylincoln.com