Jude Agbayani
It’s half-past three in the afternoon and this runny nose is pestering me. A cup of coffee was what I needed to perk me up. Plopped in front of the desktop, waiting for that writing prompt to fall on my lap. Nada. Then I saw this quote from Brightside on Facebook. It hit me right in the face: Keep loving those who love you.
I recently celebrated my birthday and have received a ton of love from my closest friends and family. The members of our discipleship group even surprised me, which I truly appreciate. I love surprises! Their gesture made me realize how much they value me, how much they love me. However, I was searching for friendship, love, and acknowledgment from other people.
Again, I was falling into the same trap of seeking approval of men. I wanted these group of people to like me and accept me as “one of them”. Who am I kidding? I will never win their likes nor their hearts. Even if I want to create meaningful relationships with them, they probably don’t need another “friend” in their already full friends’ list.
So, why do I have to wait for them to pay attention to me when there are already “a few good men (and women)” whom I have established a relationship with and will accept me, flawed and all? I have known these few good people for years, some recently. What we have is an eternal connection. We belong to the same body. We have one Spirit in us.
Even if we belong to the same spiritual family, we have opposing views, at times differing opinions, and a mix of personalities too. It takes a lot of getting used to. Only grace can shake off a strong personality, overlook a conflicting opinion, accept correction and rebuke, and extend forgiveness even if not sought.
Funny how this innocent Facebook post not only inspired me to write but it also reminded me of two things:
- I can’t please everybody.
- I should pay more attention to the people who love me.
So what do I now with the “others”? As mentioned, I will respect them. I will not be indifferent towards them either. I can’t force myself on them too, more so, my beliefs and my values. If they communicate, then I will respond. If the Spirit leads me to minister to them, I will without being too pushy or chummy. We can still be online friends and simply that for now…
