Am I that person?

Recently I started a YouTube channel. When playing back my videos to edit I was surprised at what I saw. Not the physical appearance, I see that everyday...the jowls, the turkey neck, etc...lol...what I'm referring to are some of the mannerisms. The pursing of the lips, the constant touching of the face, and the sound of the voice. I was truly surprised! Now I already knew that we hear our own voice differently but I never realized I was doing some of those other things. I've always tried to be a "what you see is what you get" sort of person. I never wanted to be the type of person who was putting on an act for someone else. It's just too hard.

Anyway, so I was talking to a friend of mine who had watched the videos and asked her, is that really me, am I really like that? Much to my pleasure, and my chagrin, she said, absolutely, that is totally you, anyone who knows you would know that is not an act, that is who you are. Well, like I said, I was happy to hear that I was not "putting on" but was surprised to hear that some of those things I was doing I do all the time. So let me clarify a little....it's not that I was "oh my gosh, that's horrible, how can I do that!" sort of thing, it was more just a realization that I do things without realizing I'm doing them, lol.

So here was my lesson, what else am I doing that I don't realize I'm doing? I prayed about it and this morning, on my way to work, I was talking to the Lord just about random things and I realized that probably one of the biggest things I do is complain to Him about things that other people do, yet I am actually doing those same things. Wow! It was as if He just put the thought in my mind, look in the mirror. Not, look in the mirror at your physical appearance, but look and see yourself, your true person. I complain to Him about other people complaining, but I'm complaining! Does that make any sense? I talk to Him about other people being so wishy-washy and then the next minute I take it back....being wishy-washy, lol. I tell Him about how frustrated I get with other people's negativity and then I go home and nit-pick every little thing. You get the point. I am what I complain about!!!

This is kind of a bitter pill to swallow but one that is absolutely necessary for me. If I want to be surrounded by positive, happy people, then I need to be a positive, happy person. If I want others to uplift me, then I need to uplift them. If I want compassion, I need to be compassionate. The Bible teaches us we reap what we sow:

2 Corinthians 9:6-7 New International Version (NIV)

 ⁶ Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. ⁷ Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

 

I know a lot of people have referred to the above scripture in the context of giving money but I also believe that it applies to everything...giving of our time, or compassion, our heart. I believe this because of this scripture:

 

Galatians 6:7-10 New International Version (NIV)

 ^{7 Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.}

⁸ Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. ⁹ Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. ¹⁰ Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.

 

Do good to all people! A man reaps what he sows! These are messages to me that how I am is what I will get back.

 

I know often in our life we have crappy things handed to us on a silver platter so you may ask do I really deserve this? I'm not here to say oh you obviously did something terrible at some point and now you are reaping your rewards, would that be a compassionate response? I know that sometimes terrible things happen to us for what appears no reason at all...look at the lesson of Job. (If you don't know Job he was a man in the Bible who was a good man, a righteous man, and yet lost everything...but ultimately more was given to him...we'll have to talk about this in another blog) I am just here to say that I believe we reap what we sow and that God has an awesome plan for all of us:

 

Jeremiah 29:11

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

 

So the lessons He taught me today...don't judge others too quickly, be the person to them that He is to me!

 

May you all have a blessed and beautiful day!