The Worth Of Knowing

“You control your own body.”

I say it to my 3 year old after a scuffle with his sister.

“Ask her to stop. Move away from her. Find Mom or Dad. You are not in charge of her. You’re in charge of you.”

Later my 5 year old pulls out the phrase that’s been around since the beginning of time, “But he started it!”

“You’re in charge of your body,” I remind her, “It’s mommy and daddy and your brother’s job to control his body.”

I want to shout it to the world right now. Stop pointing to your little brother and control your own body.

Relationships would evolve. People would grow. Businesses would problem solve. Wars would dissipate.

But I can’t. I can’t control them. And that’s kind of the point.

So instead I try to let it sink into my own soul. “You’re in charge of your own body, Jen.”

When I feel stuck in tension or conflict or confusion, by God’s grace I still have a choice of how I react.

People say things that feel stupid or insensitive to me. “Ask them what they mean,” I tell myself, “If they’re not ready to have an amicable conversation – or you’re not – then change the topic. Move away. Create space. Pray.”

Love goodness more than you hate evil. Otherwise, your life will be consumed by evil and hate.

The moment I point my figure at someone else and say “but they…” as an excuse, I’m forfeiting my autonomy. By making my actions dependent on someone else’s I’m giving up my ability to choose something different for myself. Instead of living by the Spirit I’m living by how well or poorly someone else treats me.

“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”

“Live peaceably with all as far as it depends on you.”

See them as human first before you see them as “enemy.”

See your opposition as a person made it the image of God.