“All the dragons in our lives are perhaps princesses expecting us to be handsome and brave.
All the terrifying things are perhaps nothing but helpless things waiting for us to help them”
16 But Ruth said, "Don't force me to leave you; don't make me go home. Where you go, I go; and where you live, I'll live. Your people are my people, your God is my god;17 where you die, I'll die, and that's where I'll be buried, so help me God-not even death itself is going to come between us!"
Ruth 1:16-17
Loyalty, it seems, is often forgotten too quickly, too easily. It's easy to be loyal when things are going your way. It's easy to be loyal when you're getting what you want out of it. It's easy to be loyal when it suits you. It's easy. What happens, though, when the rubber meets the road, when a decision has to be made? What happens to loyalty when things get hard or when something better comes along?
I strive really hard to be loyal to the people I love, serve, and to those who have taken a vested interest in me. Over the years, I've learned that when someone takes time to pour into you and/or walk life with you, there should be a sense of "they chose me, I choose them". I call this reciprocating love.
Too often, I've found, people tend to "stick around" because they are getting their fill of what they need from you, never quite investing back what they are being given. Then when circumstances change, a girlfriend/boyfriend enters the picture, new friends, another job-related opportunity, they up and leave...forgetting where they come from and what time and effort someone has given toward their success. Give honor where honor is due.
"Let your yes be yes" the bible says. You can find great stories of loyalty in the bible. Some of my favorites are the stories of Ruth and Naomi, and David and Jonathan. They said yes to each other and served each other all of their days. In fact, they were intentional about it. They fought for each other, were always striving for the best for each other, together; never leaving because the "grass was greener on the other side", even if it really was. <---(Thats a blog for another day)
Commitment and loyalty is deeply rooted in a person's integrity and without your integrity, you've got nothing. Reciprocate the love of others, reciprocate the tenacious commitment of those who love you and serve you because they understand that you are worth it.
-M
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A few weeks ago, I wrote a blog called Fight For Your People where I discussed going all out for those that you believe in. Recently, I've been thinking about how much time you get to invest into someone and what you do with that time. Ive been thinking about how sometimes you get this rare opportunity to pour your entire self into someone to grow them and challenge them and push them forward even when they buck and fight back.
I love it actually, its what invigorates me, it energizes me. It brings the cosmos into focus for me in a sense. I typically go all out for someone that I believe in. That never fades for me. And in the season that God gives for me to walk along side that person, yes there are seasons, I've learned to be able to learn their story, their vision, their goals, wants, and help drive them towards it.
When that season ends though, you've got to let them go. You've got to trust the foundation that you've helped them build. And if you've invested your soul into that relationship, it may seem that everything has gone to crap when they leave. And thats ok...a "leaving" hurts. However, you have to look deeper into the divine plan. Sometimes, it takes a letting go to remind you of the things that make you, you. Its a huge reminder of what makes you strong. It makes you wiser and better equipt to deal with the next person you need to pour into and let go of. And so on...and so on.
You work and work, trying to teach those that are under you, those that you lead, to do the right thing. And you want to be so proud of them when they stand up for what they believe is right. But watching them destroy themselves, in order to do it, in order to be succesful in their dreams, to do what you've taught them, is just maddening.
Yes, it can be maddening, maddening but so worth it when they come back to you and you get to celebrate all that they've accomplished with and without you.
“All the dragons in our lives are perhaps princesses expecting us to be handsome and brave.
All the terrifying things are perhaps nothing but helpless things waiting for us to help them”
“All the dragons in our lives are perhaps princesses expecting us to be handsome and brave.
All the terrifying things are perhaps nothing but helpless things waiting for us to help them”
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