Endurance and Patience part 4
We all have baggage. I think that's a big part of what I'm trying to say in this Rant series. And because we all have baggage, we all need to give each other a break. We need to stop putting our own ideas of how other people should act (or react) to things out there. And we should focus on how WE act (or react) to things. We need to start patiently enduring each other. Giving each other--and ourselves--room to grow. Space and opportunity to be who we are. Because behavior modification does not work. Not in any real, lasting way. If you apply enough pressure, you might have some limited results. But real, true, lasting change comes from within. It comes from the heart. And I think the best way to bring that out of people is by watering the seed that has already been planted within them. Train up a child in the way he SHOULD go. Stop telling people what's wrong with them and start telling people what's right with them! The part about all that that can be frustrating (if we forget about the being patient part) is that you can tell someone the truth--the freedom bringing, life giving truth that God is love and He loves them--and they can completely ignore you. They can keep looking for love in all the wrong places. They can keep being who they think they are instead of who they really are. But let me try to encourage you: Its not your job to change people. Its your job to love people. Look at 1 Corinthians 3:6 (NLT), "I planted the seed in your hearts, and Apollos watered it, but it was God who made it grow." You might not see those immediate results that you're looking for. But how foolish would it be for a farmer to plant a seed and then immediately dig it up and then hollar at it because it didn't bring forth fruit yet? Good things take time. Even baby steps forward are important because that's how you make progress sometimes. And sometimes you have to take two steps forward and one step back. But in the grand scheme of things you're still a step forward. You're learning and growing. That's what endurance and patience are all about: Learning and growing. Doing the learning and the growing ourselves AND letting others learn and grow. Letting people be who they are even as they find out who they are. I think we put way too much pressure on people sometimes to be who we think they should be. And I think that's why so many people are unhappy. They feel like they're out of place... because they ARE out of place. Almost every autobiography I've read that was written by somebody successful had two things that were very important: 1. The person was given (or took) the opportunity to follow their dreams. 2. They had a lot of help along the way. Remember we've been talking about whether what you're doing is helping or hurting? Sometimes the biggest help you can give someone is to just get out of their way. Let them be who they are. Endure the things you don't necessarily like... be patient when things don't go the way you think they should... and love the hell out of people regardless. You don't always have to help someone unpack their baggage. But just acknowledging it and being sensitive and compassionate about it goes a long, long way. Give people a chance and they just might surprise you.