Education, possessions, and financial status can make a person feel elevated, giving them an air that goes a long way in creating an impression of superiority. The longer I live and experience life, the more I am convinced how little I know. Just being able to admit this has given me the freedom to express myself frankly, which has made me accessible to others. It has removed that pretense that can overwhelm you, giving that false sense of being above others. Liberating because it gives you a desire to listen more intently to what others are saying, opening a window into what is really being said.
This world is full of uncertainties and often the only way people can truly cope is by finding something that they can cling to that offers a diversion. That diversion, or distraction, becomes an outlet that presents a necessary escape to the mounting fear and insecurity that is building within them. A fear that for some can be easily hidden, while for others it is always in the forefront of everything that they do, often prompting decisions that may not be in their best interest or others.
What do you do when you are confronted with someone who has a pretentious sense of self worth that is meant to challenge your professionalism, and actually causes offense with his or her outspoken behavior? These people all too often cushion themselves with their knowledge and perceptions, where the intensity of self- importance and self-preservation continues to grow. This self-preservation speaks volumes as to the depth that individuals will strive, survival at all costs, to maintain an illusion that all is well.
For believers who are seeking to walk in a deliberate direction, we are fully aware that the Holy Spirit is involved. It is His involvement that sets us apart from performance and instead invokes a spirit of excellence and grace, giving us needed discernment to see those held captive by worldly pursuits. We have an opportunity to speak life into hurting people, who actually expect that they will not be liked, having experienced it so often. For so many people who are pushing themselves and others beyond reason, it can be like a war zone where the injuries can become lethal.
As I write the Holy Spirit has begun to speak about referred pain, pain felt in an area remote from the site of origin, and I feel sure I understand the direction that this is going. Frequently there are times when I know that the behavior that I see in front of me is not necessarily related to me. I might be told it is about me; the case presented may look like it is about me, but as things unfold it becomes obvious that it is not about me at all. Instead it becomes clear that the individual is battling pain that is personal, often relational in nature with past failures and judgment being a cornerstone. For me I know it demands an understanding that looks beyond the event and into the heart of the person. The message here is simple. l need to be better at looking beyond what I think I see, and give way for my spiritual eyes to convey truth.
John 8:31-32 NKJ Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him," If you abide in My word, you are my disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."