Crab mentality

The Lord is king forever and ever. The nations have vanished from his land. You have heard the desire of oppressed people, O Lord. You encourage them. You pay close attention to them… (Psalm 10:16-17 GW)

[I saw this story online, but I do not know who originally wrote it.]

“A man was walking by the sea one day and saw a fisherman with a bucket full of crabs. He noticed there was no cover on the bucket. “Aren’t you worried that the crabs will escape?” he asked the fisherman. 

“No,” replied the fisherman. “Sometimes a crab will try to escape, but as soon as the other crabs see one trying to climb out, they pull it back down.”

“When I heard this story, it felt like a punch in the gut.  Humans are not so different from crabs. We see this “crab mentality” at play all the time.  When someone is trying to do something new or they experience some measure of success, instead of cheering them on, often the people around them will try to “pull them back down” by shaming them and challenging their confidence. Sometimes, we unconsciously pull others back down because we’re envious. Or jealous. Or resentful. Or feeling judged for our own choices. Or sad that we never were able to accomplish what they are doing. 

“I think we’ve all experienced this in our lives. You share an idea, a hope, a dream with your family members and friends…only to have them quickly point out all the things that could go wrong. All the reasons it could never work. All the ways your plan is flawed.  So you stop. You let the dream die.

“Or maybe you want to create a new legacy, a new story, a new way of living for your family…only to be met with shame, judgment and accusations like “Who do you think you are?” and “You think you’re better than us?” So you lose your courage. You go back to the way everyone expects you to live.  

“But here’s what I want you to hear… there is no lid on the bucket.  There is no actual physical barrier holding you back. There’s no barrier except the one in your brain. You can allow everyone else to have their thoughts and opinions about you. You can feel fear, judgement and shame. You can love, honor and respect your family and friends. AND you can do the new thing. 

“Climb out of that bucket, friend.  There’s a big wide expansive world of freedom waiting for you out there.”

God,

You are King forever and ever. You encourage your people, standing with them in the circumstances of life. Help us to realize the freedom, creativity, and success that you have planned for us. Help us to encourage others to seek you and your plans, so that they, too, can live a life of encouragement and growth, we ask in Jesus’s name, AMEN.

But when a person speaks what God has revealed, he speaks to people to help them grow, to encourage them, and to comfort them. (1 Corinthians 14:3 GW)