Friday, July 9, 2010

Better Than Me and You

In today's society, many of us feel as though we are being judged.  There seems to be an unspoken, although sometimes it's verbalized, competition that surrounds us.  At times it's self inflicted, while in other circumstances, the message is clearly conveyed by another party.  Jealousy and doubt can creep in all too quickly.

What makes a person feel as though they are better (or less) than someone else?  Is it a status held in a high level career or a birthright and namesake?  Could the superiority come from wealth, a fancy car, or towering mansion?  Do we receive special "gold stars" for our extensive education, religious views, or being a famous celebrity?  Maybe you can hold your head high above the rest because you live a lifestyle without children, or maybe because you have one child or multiple children?  Are you simply more handsome than every person you meet or incredibly beautiful?  It's amazing how many reasons you can have for treating others as though they are beneath you.

A person's spirit is fragile.  It can be crushed when any of these instances of snobbery happen in life.  How do we turn this never ending issue around?  To start, I recommend sincere kindness.  A compliment or boost of encouragement goes a long way, especially during a bad day.  Walk a mile in someone else's shoes.  Have compassion for others.  Be a true friend.  Show someone you believe in them.

Everyone is special in their own way.  Each of us has a gift, or more than one.  Embrace yours.  Don't let others get the best of you and bring you down.

"Before God we are all equally wise- and equally foolish." - Albert Einstein

For every reader:  Have you ever made someone feel less than who and what they are?  Have you felt unworthy yourself (self inflicted or otherwise)?  Have you given someone, or has anyone given you, a much needed boost of encouragement?  Give someone a confidence boost over the weekend.    Share you encouragement stories. 



2 comments:

  1. I feel it most when my kids are made to feel less than in some way. Knowing at school, things like that happen all the time and I'm not there to protect them, is scary.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Excellent post. Like Diane, I feel deep pain when it happens to my kids.
    I think insecure people act that way because they feel their value is in what they have, or how they dress, or how they look, rather than who they are. I hope I'm able to raise my children to know that it doesn't matter what others think about them or say about them, only Jesus matters.
    Thanks for the reminder! I'll try to give someone a confidence boost this weekend. :-)

    ReplyDelete