Let It Be part 3
People are going to do what people are going to do. They just are. Always have, always will. So even if you were to look at this idea of Revelation 22:11, "He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still," even if you were to look at it from a selfish point of view... that's the best way I can think of to avoid drama and frustration. Just rise above it. Let people be who they are. Let them do what they're going to do. Don't try to change people. Because you can't. That's one of the biggest, best, most important things my pastor ever taught me. And thankfully he taught it to me right when I was starting my ministry. Because if I came into ministry (or anything, really, any relationship) with the idea of needing to change people... well, its no wonder we see religious folk get worn out. Its no wonder we see people--ministers especially--burn out. Because if you're trying to change people you're GOING to burn yourself out. A whole lot of effort with nothing to show for it. And, listen, I get it. If you apply enough pressure you might see some limited results. If you scare someone badly enough they might stop doing what you don't want them to do. For a little while. As long as you're right there. But people are who they are. At the end of the day change can ONLY come from the inside. From knowing and believing that the love of God is inside, and from filling yourself to overflowing with that love that you've already been filled with. That's how we BE transformed into what we've already BEEN transformed into. Its by the renewing of OUR mind. And I emphasized "our" because I can't renew YOUR mind. Its yours. You're going to do whatever it is you're going to do with it. And, I kind of mentioned this in the other 2 parts of this Rant series, one of the hardest things in life is having the answer and watching it fall on deaf ears. Or having someone tell you after its too late that they figured out what you were talking about. So like I said, even from a selfish point of view, letting it be is smart. But even more so from a selfless point of view. Because if you're constantly trying to change someone, you aren't loving them. Love doesn't demand its (HIS) own way. Love loves no matter what. Unconditionally. Love loves because that's its (HIS) nature. YOUR nature. So you don't have to transform anybody else. It doesn't matter if they receive what you're giving. The reward of a deed well done is in the doing. If you've loved, then you've done your part. Do your best and forget the rest. If someone's mean, and your strategy is to be nice SO THAT they will be nice... you're setting yourself up for failure. Because while I believe we should absolutely kill people with kindness... they aren't always (or ever) going to respond the way we think they should. So your strategy should be to be nice. Period. And if they return your kindness with kindness... that's just the icing on the cake. But you can't MAKE people be nice. You can't make people ANYTHING. If your whole deal is controlling people, well, you're going to have a rough time with it. But if your whole deal is loving people no matter what... that makes it easy. Simple. And, quite frankly, that makes it worth it. That makes life worth living. And that makes life possible to live!