Holding Your Tongue

It’s so easy to defend yourself.

Sometimes, you should.

You must.

But other times, it’s preferable to keep quiet, allowing the other to make a fool of themselves.

We are responsible only for ourselves.

Our actions.

Our words.

Our choices.

When you become agitated with your spouse, pause.

Takes maturity to look at things from their perspective.

Humility.

You could be wrong, you know.

And if you are, own it!

And if you’re not, say your peace in a quiet manner, and leave it.

You cannot convince others of your viewpoint if they refuse to move from theirs.

Remember, it’s their choice to walk in your shoes or not.

Just Iike it’s your choice to view theirs.

Goes for friendships, neighbors, co-workers, and your boss.

When your point of view is negated, your feelings thrown to the wall, you have a choice.

You can participate with the foolishness, upping the ante, or you can choose to walk away with your dignity intact.

I know what Jesus would choose, as he regularly chose it while walking this earth.

He chose the high road.

Make your point and go, feeling a bit of pity instead for their ignorance.

Fasten your crown, and declare once again, “None of this moves me.”

Photos by Shana Van Roosbroek & david laws on Unsplash

Not Responsible

When others choose, we are not responsible.

Make sense?

Is that an eye-opening statement or is it common sense to you?

We cannot control other people.

Everyone makes their own choices.

That includes your children.

When they are small, or still under your roof, you guide them to the right choices, giving them consequences when they poorly choose.

Why?

Because you are their mentor. Their guide. Their parent. Their authority.

When children grow out from your nest, their choices are their own.

Does not reflect you. At all.

When we acknowledge we are not responsible, we must recognize we cannot change others either.

We cannot beg our children to do what we want. Nor should we.

Decisions must be made on their own. Within their own conscience.

What can we do when our children make choices we deem unacceptable?

Love them anyways.

Be there. Fully. Not accepting sin, but accepting them. Always.

And we wait. We wait for them to come back.

While we wait, we pray. We get on our knees for their very souls who used to praise His name.

We know we aren’t responsible, but we feel we are. Don’t scoop up that burden.

Simply return them to God. He loves them more than you. His heart breaks when they think only of themselves.

You are not responsible for anyone else but yourself. Keep yourself in check. And give the rest to Him.

Photos by Max Goncharov, Kelly Sikkema, & Japheth Mast on Unsplash