Petty Road

I once loved the taste of a balanced meal. A dash of neglect, a teaspoon of indifference and a pinch of you did it first. I wasn’t good at not holding a record of wrong. I’m still working on it if I am being completely honest. I loved to live on petty road. Where I only gave what I received because I got tired of being taken advantage of. I thought I was smart. I made friends with aloofness and numbness to protect my ego from hurting. I stopped explaining my needs until I was satisfied with not needing anyone. But the truth was I was lonely, angry and then bitter. Truthfully, the choice is yours. The world won’t hurt less. People won't stop failing you because just like you they’re imperfect. The truth is the only way to live a life that doesn’t completely damage you is to learn forgiveness. Learn self-control. Learn disciple. Learn boundaries. Give grace. Be kind and love. When I accepted that showing up fully as myself in situations wasn’t weak. I realized that if someone had ill intentions towards me it speaks about them not me. It speaks about where they are in life and where I am and reminds me that keeping my heart pure is something worth protecting at all costs. Don't harden your heart because someone hasn't learned to deal with some form of their own brokenness. I learned that being generous, loving, attentive, seeing someone’s heart, speaking life into the king or queen inside of someone is not weak, it’s brave. It’s my inability to conform that keeps me hungry and meek. It keeps me soft hearted and prayerful. Jesus said it best, “the greatest among you shall be your servant”. Because to truly serve means sometimes you get stepped on. You may be overlooked. You may be tried more times than others. You may speak and not actually be heard. You may not be valued for all you are. But in truth, our reward isn’t the applause of others. Though I won’t lie it’s nice to have from time to time. Someone who is a servant is strong willed, compassionate, determined and courageous. They’re not regular. Because even though servitude can cause someone to experience ache, they still choose to know that being trusted by God is powerful. Him using you as a blessing for someone who needed to encounter someone like you is an honor. They choose to sacrifice so that they can understand Christ’s love. They have truly stepped into their identity in Christ. They have learned to be who he has called them to be not because of someone but in spite of them. And that is the full mirror of the image of Christ. It’s how He too loved.

When’s the last time you served someone?

When’s the last time you didn’t let your anger make your decisions?

When’s the last time you checked on your boundaries?

When’s the last time you stopped being who hurt you?

Matthew 20:28 ERV

"Do as I did: The Son of Man did not come for people to serve him. He came to serve others and to give his life to save many people."