You’re Not Winning

I see two ways you can read this headline: Wow, you’re right I’m not or You’re crazy, I’m killin’ it.

To be clear, I’m not talking about sports or things that actually are competitive. I’m talking about life and of the two reactions above the first is the honest one and the second is a cover up. Deep down there’s a part of each of us that feels like we’re losing, maybe not always but certainly at times. The saddest thing about this is that we’re doing this to each other. This world has a way of pitting us against each other under the illusion that if I can prove I’m better than you or at least convince others I am, then maybe I’ll start to believe it myself and If I really dominate, it may even come true.

The truth is, you’re not winning but the great news is you’re not losing. Life is not a competition, it’s a collaboration. We have nothing to lose by lifting people up. Caring, supporting and valuing others is infinitely more fulfilling than spinning our wheels trying to be superior. If you want to feel great about yourself today, make someone else feel especially loved.

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The worst mistake anyone can make is to perceive anyone else as lesser. – Andrew Solomon

Jesus said, “If I honor Myself, My honor is nothing.”

Why is one of Christianity’s most conspicuous characteristics superiority?

What’s Best?

What’s best isn’t the same as what’s best for me.

When God Moves

God’s always moving, always at work but much of the time we don’t get to see it. It’s best that way. On those occasions when it’s clearly Him there’s nothing better, especially when He uses you to touch someone’s heart. One sure way to have your view obstructed again is to start to think you’re all that. Special and unique, which you are, is not the same as better.

Unlike Him

We’ve been talking about being like Jesus lately and today I came across a thought from E. Stanley Jones, Mr. Jones contends that if our standard of goodness is Jesus (and it should be), then any departure from that goodness is sin or in other words anything that is un-Jesuslike is sin. Which brings us back to abiding; He’s in us we just have to get better at less us.

Directions

Be secure in who you are, sure of how much you are loved and confident in your future. Set aside whatever your insecurities look like, while thinking less about you. Don’t be easily offended and think highly of others. Repeat vigorously.

Father Issues

We all have them. I often apologize to our children for whatever their father issues are going to be. None of us are perfect, even Adam and Eve rebelled and they did have the perfect Father. I hope the key to minimizing the pain and damage our children experience because I’m unable to accurately represent the same perfect love their Heavenly Father has for them, is the ability to admit it. To own up to my shortcomings and point them to The One who truly is able to love them in the completely unique and totally fulfilling way their hearts yearn for.

He Digs Us

“Jesus hardly talked to anyone about what He’d done. The Bible never depicts one of those end-of-camp slideshows where Jesus goes over all He had done with His disciples. Instead Jesus modeled that we don’t need to talk about everything we’ve done. It’s like He was saying, what if we were just to do awesome stuff together while we’re here on earth and the fact that only He knew would be enough? If we did that, we wouldn’t get confused about who was really making things happen. Not surprisingly, we’d get a lot more done too, because we wouldn’t care whose looking or taking credit. All that energy would be funneled into awesomeness. Even then, though, don’t take the bait that if we do incredible things Jesus will dig us more. He can’t. He already digs us more. And more than that, our pictures are already in His wallet.” – Bob Goff, Love Does

Weakness

God’s strength is made perfect in our weakness. When we humbly give our weakness to Him it transforms us into people with compassion for others. When we are aware of our shortcomings it frees us to see beyond the faults of those around us. It’s common for us to try to hide our weakness by amplifying the flaws of others, which only closes us off from God and the people He wants us to love. But people not afraid to share their weaknesses are a demonstration of His power.

Arrogance

One more thought on the street corner guy. When you stand on the corner berating people that you know absolutely nothing about, all you are communicating is that you think you are better than they are. People like this frustrated Jesus more than anyone.