I have been struggling for quite some time with this whole notion of "rising above" or taking "the high road" when it comes to interacting in a situation I find uncomfortable or with a person I believe "should" be acting in a different way.
I realize what I see in another that I don't care for may be traits in myself that I don't care for. Instead of expecting the other person to change or the situation to improve I have come to realize I need to make changes. I need to take the high road, make the right choices and above all LOVE the other person.
At first I resented this notion and was pretty bitter I had to do all the leg work, I had to make the sacrifices. Why me? Why did things have to be so hard all the time?
I got to thinking about how the greatest commandment is:
"Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself"
I haven't been a very loving neighbor. I have been incredibly judgmental and isolated my neighbor through my own selfish actions.
I was falling short on the love my neighbor business. It is not love thy neighbor you like most or have the most in common with...it is love thy neighbor PERIOD.
Many of us choose the path of least resistance because it just feels so much better. I have been guilty of this because nobody enjoys being uncomfortable or confronting those parts of ourselves we don't really want to see. It was easier to blame the other person for their "faults" as opposed to embracing my own shortcomings when it came to faithfully and tactfully interacting with this other person.
I needed to step back and look at myself ~ truthfully and honestly LOOK at myself. I was being so unkind and unfair to someone because they communicate differently than I do, their view on the world is somewhat different than mine, and our personalities are dramatically different.
Instead of seeing this as an opportunity to build a bridge or to bridge a gap in our relationship, I allowed our differences to drive a wedge between us which is not a very Christian like thing to do.
It is not acceptable to turn away and write someone off just because I don't want to follow a commandment that I know in my heart I should. Shame on me. I will no longer allow myself to be that person. I will joyfully take the "right" road from here on out.
I thought long and hard about this over the weekend. I prayed for positivity, perseverance and patience. I wanted to be positive towards this person. I wanted to be more patient with this person as well as with myself. I wanted to be able to persevere because I knew it would not be an easy task and I may fall down repeatedly along the way. I have struggled with my interactions with this person for months and finally I found my answer ~~ LOVE your neighbor.
It isn't always easy to love - it takes courage, fortitude, strength and above all Faith. I challenge you during this "season of love - aka Valentine's Day" to truly LOVE with all your heart and soul.
