Monday, July 7, 2014

The Dirty, Muddy, Torn-up Doormat.

                                                                                                                                             (Photo from tumblr.com)

I like to think I'm good at a lot of things. Things that I'm really terrible at. Like listening with every part of me when a friend is talking, always centering my life around God completely, praying about anything and everything, putting others before myself, being optimistic, being the perfect pastor's kid, and the list goes on. I'm really terrible at the stuff that a "good" Christian should rock at.

But there is one specific thing I'm really good at... letting the words of other's destroy me.

There's no doubt that you should take what others say and give it some thought. Not doing so would be pretty careless, cruel and arrogant in my book. That is, if the words spoken are out of concern or love. I cherish opinions and advice from people that have the right hearts; I know that their words will more than likely improve my character in some way.

And then on the other hand, we find the fine line between thinking about what others say and living what others say. I like to call these people doormats.

A doormat is someone that let's others say what they want, do what they want, and all the like, and they just take it. People walk on them like a doormat. It's like you're there saying, "No, it's fine, I'll just brush off all of the dirt later," and that dirt is the harsh words they throw on you over time. And here's a confession...

I am a dirty, muddy, torn-up doormat.

My edges are frayed and unraveling, heaving into a slight roll from the wear and tear; my exterior is roughly torn and scratched from the constant sweeping of feet and dirt upon me; filth is impacted and matted into my being from the lack of TLC and proper cleansing; I'm wearing thin. The dirt shed on me is never turned over to the One that can properly cleanse me and make me new because the feet spreading the destruction are never turned away. This rotting doormat keeps welcoming them.

To make a long story short, I let people control me far too often. If I think it will make them happy, I sacrifice my own joy to keep myself free from confrontation and conflict. Sure, it makes sense. But sometimes God wants us to experience that joy and push aside the harmful words that make us inflict suffering on ourselves by sacrificing it.

I'm writing this because just yesterday I let another person's words tear me apart so badly that I almost gave up a giant opportunity that I have been wanting for years. Just because someone was too selfish to be happy for me. And as hard as it is to say that, it's sometimes okay to want people to be happy for you. It gives you a much needed boost of self-approval that everyone needs here and there.

So in closing... get off the floor, go to the One who can fix you and heal you, and stop being a doormat. Joy is too precious to give up for the people that boast in your weakness. You need to boast in your weakness because you know that He will make you strong.

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