As I sat in church this past weekend I was yet pleased to hear the sermon that I did. For some reason it is just what I needed to hear. It was about being humble. I have struggled with what that exact meaning has meant for some time.
Dictionary.com: Humble: adjective;
not proud or arrogant; modest.
having a feeling of insignificance, inferiority, subservience, etc.:
low in rank, importance, status, quality, etc.; lowly:
But what does that mean, I mean really, what exactly should that mean to us?
In Father Leif's words: "To be humble does not mean to think lowly or less of ones self, but to not be thinking of ones self." YES!
We live in a society that promotes more. MORE, more and even still MORE! We need to make more money, we need to buy more things, we need more friends, more things to do, more attention, we need to better ourselves, MORE. All for what? That instant gratification and ability to say we've done something more than someone else? I struggle with that. Are we not ALL deserving of having the basic things? Are we not all deserving of having happiness and love? Yet we are being taught that we need to DO more to HAVE more. More of what? It's also a culture of, "Hey, look at me!" and those five minutes of fame or the notoriety. That culture of chaos.
I have observed a culture on a daily basis that is constantly searching for this more. People work more hours, more days. They are buying more, trying to show that they have been able to do more with what they have accomplished. I see people list off their accomplishments like a laundry list that they want to be recognized for. Where is that getting us as a whole? In the end I feel it has left us all empty and still wanting MORE.
More what? I want more moments. I want more time, time with my kids and family. I want more love, more feeling of doing the decent thing, to recognize that people ARE what is important in this world. I want to do more, bring my family along to do more as well. Do more of what feels right instead of just good. Yes, these things we are starting to do are above that proverbial "good deed list" that some like to keep track of. I want to make my kids think, "ugh, I'd rather be doing something else than THIS for that person." I want them to feel out of their comfort zone. I want them to grow, I want their hearts to be the more in this crazy life. I want them to have that feeling of doing for someone else.
I do want to do more. Truly I do. But I have found the more I do for me the less I feel better about life in general. Now, I am not saying every person does not deserve time or things for themselves, no, that's not it. We all need to take that time to recharge and to just be. We need to ask the why to what we are doing, the who are we really doing things for. Is it for ourselves or is it so we can be a better person for those around us? What I am saying is when you do more for others you actually do have more for yourself. The more love I give, then more I receive in return. I have found that investing in people has been the greatest return on that initial investment. Some times it isn't about that "to do" list. It isn't about what YOU need to get done for yourself, but it IS about what you need to do in order to be there for someone else.
I am not looking for the pat on the back, I don't want an award or recognition. I am trying to simply encourage each of you to do more and be more, WITH me! Start by taking an active interest in those around you, or perhaps it's a more honest look at yourself. Ask your own why. When you do ask someone how they are, really listen. Wait for the answer. I need to remind myself that it isn't about listening to respond, but to actually LISTEN to what the person is saying. Acknowledge those around you. Extend a hand when you can, even go out of your way to do a little extra, not because you are being watched or for the recognition, but because once again, it is the decent thing to do.
Live your life with purpose, live the life of abundance.
With Love,
Stacey
No comments:
Post a Comment