WHEN OTHER PEOPLE HURT US

Let’s be frank, our honesty in suffering is the greatest gift we can give each other. Not that I have a big airing of dirty laundry or anything particularly juicy or radical to write about (at this given moment). But in general, writing….er, being in a place of authenticity...fearlessly, totally uncensored is what I both strive to be and am attracted towards in others.

I wish I had known then what I know now. I wish I had known the promise of Jeremiah 1:5, where God says: “I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb. Before you were born I set you apart” {NLT}.

Isn’t it easy to neglect ourselves to meet the needs of everyone around us, and call it self-sacrifice? It sounds godly. But in doing so we risk shutting down a place in our soul where God has gifted us and set us apart — to serve and thrive.

Changing gears.

I have this little nack for attracting kids. It suits me just fine right now. There are two particular little girls I have befriended at my daughter’s volleyball games. Anyway so today the one little 4-year old is sitting on a bleacher in front of me soaking up my attention, expressing hurt from another child, and I’m feeling moved to be a guru from my world weary and wizened place. And so I clear my throat and tell her in my most impassioned yet gentle tones about how when other people hurt us it’s only because something inside of them is missing or hurt or broken. It’s not about us at all. And that life is generally easier the sooner we realize that and believe it. (PS: Hypocrite Alert!  But you know…do as I say….not as I do..) Anyway, this kid is just taking it all in, her head is cocked to the side, her blue eyes piercing through to my soul, and I feel like our souls are connecting and I’m thinking,  “I may not have much to offer this world, but I think I just changed this kid’s life forever!” Finally, she says thoughtfully, “you know what I think?” “What?” I eagerly ask with a wise and benevolent smile. “I think that when it rains, it’s because God is sweating a lot”.

It’s possible I could have saved a lot of money on therapy if I’d met this kid sooner.

Don’t sweat the small stuff, friends.