Slaying the Slargon Dragon

As a used-to-be avid reader (unfortunately, I don’t have much time for leisure reading anymore…I’m too busy writing ), I gained some skills that I have used throughout my life, particularly while working in the administrative world.

I am a good speller. Stick a red pen in my hand and ask me to proofread, you got it. Tell me your last name and I will often pronounce and spell it correctly or get close, as I’ve worked a lot with names.

But, there’s this funny little habit of mine…I love to make up words. They don’t warrant much thought. Nope, they usually just pop out of my mouth. If I had ever thought to capture them all and write them down, I’d have a fun little dictionary by now, including some gems coined by my children when they were toddlers.

My latest vocabularic creation is found in the title: Slargon . The combination of slang and jargon.

What in the world does that have to do with spiritual and leadership development? I’m glad you asked…

My answer is a phrase in keeping with this post – life by lingo . No, not bilingual (I wish I was but my French from 8th grade is limited to jeune fille, le lait, petit and oui! ). Life by lingo  serves as an outlet while not having to look beneath the surface issue, confront the attitude, or ask the deeper questions.

From a coaching perspective, when I hear “It is what it is,” I want to reply with “And your point is?”

First of all, what is ‘it’? Naming ‘it’ and defining its characteristics or factors is a step toward knowing what you are dealing with and why I.I.W.I.I.

Secondly, “It is what it is” may be a true statement but I’ve often heard it in the context of an unspoken sentiment – tinged with no hope for change, disgust, disappointment, stress, etc. “It is what it is” is simply easier and more acceptable to pop off with. But it hurts and hinders when it’s the driving outlook on something that just might be a candidate for some positive change or spiritual growth God is after.

From that one example, you might have lots of other slargon  coming to mind. The possibilities are endless…as proven by the constant stream of social media. I love to LOL, but when slargon  lends itself to frustrated verbalization without real conversation, we’re reducing important things to life by lingo.

There’s also the fact that as long as we are living we can all say, “We’ve never been this way before.” Life is always bringing us something new to deal with just down the block or around the next corner.

It’s when W.N.D.I.T.W.B. becomes the standard answer instead of asking W.W.J.D.? that we set limitations in place.

Weighing “We’ve never done it this way before” with asking “What would Jesus do?” might be the very fertilizer needed for another spiritual growth spurt or enlarging as a leader.

I’ll admit that I tend to roll my eyes when I see W.W.J.D used in marketing or advertising these days. Like much of the slargon  long gone downstream (thankfully ), that acronym was over-jargoned and tossed around like a sofa throw cozy’d up in one minute and shoved off because it was too hot the next.

Honestly, I’m all for slaying the slargon  dragon. Let’s ask the questions that are worth asking and form a conversation around them. Maybe all that the fire-breathing dragon is trying to convince you of is simply a smokescreen to persuade you I.I.W.I.I. when Jesus has A.F.B.P.

But Jesus’ priestly work far surpasses what these other priests do,
since he’s working from a far better plan.
Hebrews 8:6 MSG

I’d love to hear your examples of slargon … feel free to share in the comments section!

~ Nancy

H.O.L.L.F. 🙂