BeyondSeeLevel

I remember when George Floyd was murdered, one of my good friends was clueless to all the things going on in society. She had no idea what the talk of the day was. She hadn’t heard of his senseless killing. She didn’t hear it on the radio or see it on television. How in the world could she not know what was going on?!

I’ll tell you why.

She was consumed with caring for her dying husband. The weight she was carrying was her world! It was taking everything within her to watch the man she loved slowly fad away.

I also remember when Barak Obama became the first black president of the United States. Much like my friend, I too was in a similar situation. Although I was aware, I had no urge to celebrate (in my mind I wanted to). But my mother was dying. And trying to care for my children, care for her (along with my sisters), make ends meet and navigate through holding on and letting go of my marriage to my drug-addicted husband, my world was very small. It was enough trying to carry that weight that nothing else around me seemed to matter.

My heart just is very heavy thinking about the person today, that’s so consumed with the heaviness of their own world, that the current events of today just don’t matter.

They don’t matter when your spouse is dying. They don’t matter when your parent or child is dying. They don’t matter when you’re sick and can’t get well. They don’t matter when you just receive a diagnosis of cancer. They don’t matter when you just got laid off and are worried about paying your bills. They don’t matter when you’re going through a divorce. They just don’t matter….

What a blessing it is that so many of us have space in our worlds for the current events of the day to matter. We have space in our worlds to major in the minor things.

Be thankful! Be very, very thankful for that space. I’m sure that person with the small, heavy world would be willing to swap with you. It’s such a dark and lonely place to be.

One day your world will be too small to care about the current events of the day. 😞

*Tressa Jo

At some point, we’re going to have to answer God’s call for us to grow up, become honestly self-aware, disciplined and have self-control. When we’re being contrary to that in any way, we have to stop blaming others. If it’s not in you, it wouldn’t come out of you. Truth is, that’s a heart issue! The circumstances just helped reveal it.

Whenever your personality overshadows the character God calls you to walk in by His Spirit (that is Jesus, Himself) it’s evidence of your own rebellion or rejection of the transforming power of the Holy Spirit. Having or knowing the Word of Truth doesn’t automatically mean you abide in it.

It’s not complicated. It’s as simple as the difference between light and darkness; holy and unholy; good and evil; Spirit and flesh. And regardless to what you think, believe, proclaim or profess, the fruit you bare reveals the choice you’ve made!

*Tressa Jo

You can place one situation or circumstance in the middle of a room. That room will have different doors allowing access. Entering the different doors gives different vantage points of that same situation. Entering one door, you see things differently than you would entering the other door. Both vantage points can offer perspectives that are true. But both vantage points can also have blind spots because of the limitations of only being able to enter one door. Thus not being able to see from both sides of the room.

Empathy is that thing that bridges the gap between the two doors. It is the ability (and willingness) to understand and share the feelings of another that enters through a different door.

Pride shuts the door of understating because it refuses to accept the fact that the room has more than one door; more than one legitimate vantage point; more than one lived experience. Pride will fuel contentions and conflict because of the differences.

Humility enables you to walk in one door feeling what you feel and thinking what you think. But also realize that those that walked in the other door also have a right to feel what they feel and think what they think. Humility will fuel curiosity and care despite the differences.

This necessitates open doors to open doors. Open to listen. Open to seek understanding. Open to not demanding your own way. Open to correction. Open to consideration. Open to compassion. Open to empathize.

Sidenote: Satan has always capitalized on our inability or refusal to empathize. And he always will!

We’re all benefactors of Jesus’s empathy and compassion!

When it’s all said and done, the only door that matters is Jesus!

John 10
11 I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved….
14 I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own.

*Tressa Jo