Everyone~ even the most confident person~ wonders at times what their purpose is, what they’re really meant to do, what are they REALLY good at, what are they doing HERE??? These are questions I go back to frequently in my own life and I feel I even have a pretty good idea of the answers for myself. I’m going to be exporing the specifics of finding that for ourselves even more in the future~ my brain has been stirring about this for a while.
But once in a while, part of the process of finding these answers is that you simply need a little affirmation…about what you’re already doing right.
In God’s word, we get the best affirmation there is. We hear that we are sons and daughters…heirs of the kingdom…what could be better than that?
Now and then, though, we need to hear some positive reinforcement from our friends and family…even strangers can say something that will give you a lift for the day…or at times, even change your life.
I was in Walmart the other day and a man I didn’t know came up to me and paid me a really nice compliment. Later, in telling my mom about it, she said, “Well, that has to feel kinda nice…” I jokingly said, “Well, if he’d had hair and teeth, I would have felt a lot better about it…”
But do you know, that stranger gave me a little lift that day. If nothing else, it made me smile.
I think of it often with people who serve all day, whether it’s at a restaurant or in a busy office…or dealing with customers at a bank who can be hateful…
One kind person can make all the difference in a sea of rudeness.
The little things really do add up…just as negative things you’re told on a frequent basis can add up to you feeling like a loser and that you’re not worth anything…hearing that you are God’s child and that you are special to someone can turn your heart around and really make you believe it.
It can go so far as to make you realize your purpose. That’s a big deal. When we feel good about ourselves, we are able to express our thoughts better. We’re confident to try something brave…and by being nice to someone else, we realize our main purpose is bigger than US.
It comes around full circle.
When you go to a restaurant, try to be kind even if the food takes too long to get there.
When you go to a store and get a snotty cashier, smile anyway.
Compliment someone today~ you just might make their day.
And more importantly, this shouldn’t just be reserved for strangers…sometimes I feel that we can be nicer to people we don’t know than we are to our own family. Our very highest praise and respect should be for the ones that we love.
Notice the good. Appreciate it. Say it out loud.