During work today I had lots of time to ponder. The past, the people in my past - good and bad - the wherefores and whys and how comes regarding my responses to the situations I found myself in. I know one man who found himself in a bad situation in his youth, and he responded with temperate and patient actions that said, beyond a shadow of doubt, I will not allow this. I found myself in a similar situation and reacted with a bowed head acquiesced response. I will mold myself into something I am not in order to prevent myself from breaking. I thought about the ingredients that make us who we are and wondered why I would choose the one option while he would choose the other, and his way was better. I look at him today and aspire to achieve such inner strength. I peer at my spine in my minds eye and think about how much or how little steel there is in it. Ingredients. What makes one man lie to another? What weakness makes a persons devotion to God and his commandments dissolve at the first opportunity? Ingredients lie within us. They cause us to push forward and grow, or fall backward and wallow in defeat. They cause us to mistreat our fellow man, to bear false witness against them, To take from them, steal from them, rob from them their peace so that we will feel better. Or... To give to them, be patient with them, be gentle, kind, and loving with them. Tell them the truth, even if it wounds them, in order to strengthen their walk, Their life, their heart, their health. Ingredients. What makes us who we are? Are they fixed, or can some be taken out and others put in? I know the answer to that one. We are like a canyon with a river flowing through it. Time, water, wind, and cold weather alter the canyons appearance over time. Nothing stays the same. The canyon has no choice. We are human. We do. Winds will come, waters will flow, Storms will rain upon us. How we grow more beautiful or harden into ugly things is up to us, IF we are mindful. Careful. Wary. And Wise. To be watchful and prepared. And willing. Without willingness to suffer, there is no growth. What do you choose today? Lies or truth? Good or bad? Growth or stubbornness? The choice is yours. For the sake of those within your reach, Choose wisely. ♡ Leah
Posted on: Tue, 30 Dec 2014 01:52:25 +0000