Misdirection

In football terms, linemen and linebackers call it "stunting" when they want to fool the offense. They try very hard to make it look like they are going to rush the passer and then drop back in coverage. Or they line up between the tackle and guard, only to go around the end when the ball is snapped.

Their entire point is to keep the offense guessing and to not let them have a clue as to what their plans are. They want to frustrate the offense into making mistakes and hopefully into overcompensating for the expected action. Often you'll see the offensive line barking out instructions and pointing directions, all in a vain attempt to thwart the rush.

Stunting! It's an excellent tool in the NFL, college and even high school football. But does it have a place in Christian radio???

Think about it.

Do we REALLY want to fool our listener? At any point, for any reason, by any means? Do we really want to get them looking to the left, when we fully intend to rush from the right? Do we REALLY desire to frustrate them? Do we want them talking about our incorrect "plans" to their friends and co-workers?

Really??? Or are we so focused on "creating a buzz" that we are forgetting the main thing?

Remember the illustration from Firehouse 12? The fireman's job is to put out fires, plain and simple. But he has other tasks too! He has to cook the food, clean the trucks, feed the dog, grease the pole, sweep the floor, etc. LOTS of stuff to take up his day, all vital, all important, all necessary in the life of a fireman.

But his #1 job is to extinguish fires. And he can never forget that. The day he takes his eyes off that mission, someone could very well die. It's that serious.

I believe that our job in Christian radio is equally as important. If we lose our focus, get distracted and begin majoring in the minors, the consequences could be deadly. We spend 365 days a year trying our best to convince the listener that we are her safe place, her place for encouragement, and that we take that oath seriously. When we choose to "stunt," I believe we say that our word really isn't that important to us. That it's "OK" for us to take a couple days off from our promise to her. And that we will make up for it when the stunt is over.

Well hopefully she will be there when we get back to our real job. When we finish stunting. Because it's cool. And it attracts a lot of attention.

Her name is NOT misdirection, you know. That title is reserved for what we are doing. Is that really what we want her to be thinking and talking about? The ref just blew his whistle and signaled that play has resumed. The quarterback has started his cadence. The ball is about to be snapped. What are you going to do?

Billy