Team Player part 2
Love is giving. I hope if I've established anything through these Rants... its that. But you can't give what you don't have. You can only give what you do have. So when you give and give and give... when you love and love and love... sometimes it feels like you give all you've got, and you have nothing left. Now, listen, we're connected to the unlimited supply of love. The God who IS love lives inside us. So we can never give so much that we actually run out of what we've been given. But I'm a realist. I know that we CAN get to the point where it FEELS that way. I've felt that way many times. Because I try hard. Well, I either try hard... or not at all. So if I DO try... I try hard. Maximum effort. And while we don't do what we do (or, I should say, we SHOULDN'T do what we do) for a pat on the back, when we give maximum effort and it gets taken for granted... that's hard. That's hard to accept. That's why I was talking about knowing your worth. And not settling for less. Its on thing to be a team player. Its something else entirely to be a doormat. To let people walk all over you. If you don't stand for something, you'll fall for anything. And I believe there's a big difference in turning the other cheek (not retaliating), and letting people continue to use and abuse you. Now let me say this: If you do something for someone--or they know you're willing to do something for them--they probably will take advantage of it. And, to a degree, I think that's ok. Because people need help. And you can't be a team player without being on a team. We're all in this together. If I can help you, chances are I will help you. But there has to be a line. Because we are called to live out of our abundance, not to burn ourselves out. If you have TWO coats, give one to someone without one. But don't freeze to death by giving away your only coat. Know your limits. Stay in your lane. Do your job. And if someone expects you to go above and beyond what you can do... learn to say no. No is not a four letter word. Its not a bad word. Setting limits is ok. Because burning out doesn't do anybody any good. That's why they tell you to put your oxygen mask on before you try to help someone else get theirs on, right? Because you can't do anything if you're passed out on the floor. But what I really wanted to say tonight was this: When you feel like you're empty... fill yourself up. I like 1 Samuel 30:6. I think it says it better than I can. "And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was greived, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the LORD his God." We all need encouragement. Even cheerleaders need cheerleads. So while we don't do what we do for the recognition, or the applause, or that pat on the back... sometimes we need encouragement. And sometimes we need to encourage ourselves. And the best (the only?) way to do that is to go to the source of our love. Remember the words spoken over Jesus by His heavenly Father, "This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased." Because the approval of the Father will always empower the Son. When we fill ourselves to overflowing with what we've already been filled with... that's when we can keep on giving. Keep on loving. Keep on living!