On Sunday, I heard something that reminded me how much power we have behind our thoughts, words, and behaviors towards others.
During the message, one of our pastors said, “How you see people impacts how you treat people, and how you treat people impacts who they become.” – J. Lewis
This applies to the people closest to us, but also to anyone we come across. When my thoughts are negative and I am holding onto resentments toward a person, my thoughts will interrupt my attempt to love them or treat them with kindness. I cannot carry things inside of my heart and my mind, expecting them not to impact my actions. When I focus on people’s mistakes or when I refuse to embrace the beauty of differences in other people, it is unlikely that I will treat them well. It is quite probable that my negative thoughts will pour over into my actions and behaviors towards others.
We have all heard the stories of what happens to people who are bullied and pushed to their limits. I have heard other stories about women or men who have turned to sexual immorality, homosexuality or sworn off marriage completely; all because of how their spouse treated them during marriage. There are countless stories of kids who experienced childhood trauma, growing up to become rebellious, angry, dangerous, etc etc…Truthfully, nobody owns our behavior except for ourselves, but we are still responsible for how our actions impact others.
I want my heart to be pure and my behaviors to be kind. I want the people I love to love themselves; and I want the people I meet to feel good about themselves after we encounter one another. It isn’t my job to condemn others, but it is my job to encourage them and to help them flourish or succeed. That can only come from loving words and kind behaviors, and those actions are derived from a loving heart.
Have a great week,
Neal
