I stopped by a fellow bloggers page today and ran across this post by Dfly. Whoa, seriously you can't keep reading this post with going over and reading the other first...it won't take long so go ahead....really you need to or the rest of this post may not make any sense. :)
Alright, we ready. After reading what Dfly had to say, I began to chuckle a little bit and thought, "That was a really random, but true post". How many times have we all had the exact same thing happen to us? Then it began to make me think. How many times do we allow ourselves to BE the exact same thing? Just stay with me a moment.
Whether it be with friends, family, at church, at work; how many times in life do we really allow how we feel on the inside to reflect on the outside. Now don't get me wrong, I am not saying that if you feel like a mess that you need to walk around with your hair sticking in all directions and half your shirt not tucked in. I'm just asking a question: How many times in life do we feel that we can really let our guard down and let people know how we really feel?
Let me say it this way:
We can't reflect whats on the inside at work...because we need to be professional (and lets face it, we may not have our jobs long if we let that happen)
We can't reflect whats on the inside at church...because everyone expects you say "Fine" or "Great" every time they ask you how you are doing. (Even though that is the place to do it if any, but I have already mentioned this point in another post)
We can't reflect whats on the inside with friends...because lets face it, if you start to complain to much they are not going to want to be around you for very long.
We can't reflect what on the inside with family...because most family members can't handle hearing the truth, or just don't really want to hear it.
We all go through our hard times in life. Whether it is a situation that others feel is justifiable in getting you down (illness, financial, etc) or it is just "one of those days" (or weeks or months), we all have times in our lives that we are just like Dfly's nectarine. We walk around looking like we have it all together, but if someone tried to find out what was on the inside...they would find someone hurting.
I'm not sure myself, but I think that the point I am trying to make is this (and I am pointing just as many fingers at myself): Christ has called us together to be there for one another. Can we say that we are truly unified in Christ if we do not have patience and the understanding to give those that are hurting the opportunity to speak freely? (I know, there is also the responsibility of the one hurting to want to find and take advantage of the opportunity when given...but that is another post) If we do our part to change the atmosphere around us and make it one of understanding and patience, we might find that some of those that we thought would never "come out of their shell" begin to feel safe and begin to open up. Then, we just might find that the nectarine becomes fresh again, right before our eyes.
Alright, we ready. After reading what Dfly had to say, I began to chuckle a little bit and thought, "That was a really random, but true post". How many times have we all had the exact same thing happen to us? Then it began to make me think. How many times do we allow ourselves to BE the exact same thing? Just stay with me a moment.
Whether it be with friends, family, at church, at work; how many times in life do we really allow how we feel on the inside to reflect on the outside. Now don't get me wrong, I am not saying that if you feel like a mess that you need to walk around with your hair sticking in all directions and half your shirt not tucked in. I'm just asking a question: How many times in life do we feel that we can really let our guard down and let people know how we really feel?
Let me say it this way:
We can't reflect whats on the inside at work...because we need to be professional (and lets face it, we may not have our jobs long if we let that happen)
We can't reflect whats on the inside at church...because everyone expects you say "Fine" or "Great" every time they ask you how you are doing. (Even though that is the place to do it if any, but I have already mentioned this point in another post)
We can't reflect whats on the inside with friends...because lets face it, if you start to complain to much they are not going to want to be around you for very long.
We can't reflect what on the inside with family...because most family members can't handle hearing the truth, or just don't really want to hear it.
We all go through our hard times in life. Whether it is a situation that others feel is justifiable in getting you down (illness, financial, etc) or it is just "one of those days" (or weeks or months), we all have times in our lives that we are just like Dfly's nectarine. We walk around looking like we have it all together, but if someone tried to find out what was on the inside...they would find someone hurting.
I'm not sure myself, but I think that the point I am trying to make is this (and I am pointing just as many fingers at myself): Christ has called us together to be there for one another. Can we say that we are truly unified in Christ if we do not have patience and the understanding to give those that are hurting the opportunity to speak freely? (I know, there is also the responsibility of the one hurting to want to find and take advantage of the opportunity when given...but that is another post) If we do our part to change the atmosphere around us and make it one of understanding and patience, we might find that some of those that we thought would never "come out of their shell" begin to feel safe and begin to open up. Then, we just might find that the nectarine becomes fresh again, right before our eyes.
And besides, we might be the nectarine tomorrow.
God Bless and Keep Looking Up!
2 comments:
wow i'm so glad i read this - and thanks for reading my nectarine post! :-D
but what's really crazy is i JUST wrote a post about this yesterday, no joke! and i hadn't even read your post - amazing.
to be perfectly honest, i had a conversation with a fellow Jesus-follower that kinda ticked me off because i can tell he's hurting about so much stuff, but he paints on this plastic "it is well with my soul" face like he can't express his sorrow because he's in Christ. i want to scream to people, it's OK!!! it's ok to hurt and to tell people about that hurt sometimes. it doesn't make you any less Christian. Jesus does not want us to pretend that walking with Him means that we have to always look and act like we're so put together - because we're not. cry, scream, yell, do something human. sorrow does not necessarily equal sin.
:)
"cry, scream, yell, do somehting human"! That is a great quote.
Just so you know I will be using that one on a regular basis.
I'm glad you liked the post, because I sure liked yours.
Blessings my friend. :)
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