The summer between 3rd & 4th grade our family moved from Lubbock, Texas to Richland Hills,Texas. This was a devastating blow to my security. I was crushed and clearly struggling when my dad took me to Braum's for a conversation about friendship.
His first recommendation was to "Be the friend you are seeking in others." He believed if you concentrated on extending friendship to others in a kind and gracious manner you will always have an abundance of friends.
He also shared that I should become know as the person where the gossip stops. He said that it would always be spoken to me but I alone had the choice on how to use my influence. And he described the person who mixed gossip with their influence as one who walks around with gum on the bottom of their shoe. By that he meant something originally thought a tasty morsel becomes both annoying and embarrassing due to it's connection to you.
And he taught me how to listen for people's story and validate it. He said that if you look someone in the eye with compassion their story will come tumbling out. He suggested to me that it is indeed an honor to carry the joy or pain of that person's story. He said if the person continues to share the same story over and over then their pain is so great that they did not hear your heartfelt acknowledgement for their agony the first time. And so you continue again and again to be God's love reaching into their life until they CAN receive it.
He also suggested that I pray daily to see people as God sees them and from that insight choose to use my words to encourage others. He shared that we all carry around a list of "should ofs" that beats us up and that you never know the power your words will have to quiet the "should ofs" and release the "created fors" in someone.
I would have to say his suggestions have served me well and were so easily absorbed into my life because they were exhibited so clearly in his.
His first recommendation was to "Be the friend you are seeking in others." He believed if you concentrated on extending friendship to others in a kind and gracious manner you will always have an abundance of friends.
He also shared that I should become know as the person where the gossip stops. He said that it would always be spoken to me but I alone had the choice on how to use my influence. And he described the person who mixed gossip with their influence as one who walks around with gum on the bottom of their shoe. By that he meant something originally thought a tasty morsel becomes both annoying and embarrassing due to it's connection to you.
And he taught me how to listen for people's story and validate it. He said that if you look someone in the eye with compassion their story will come tumbling out. He suggested to me that it is indeed an honor to carry the joy or pain of that person's story. He said if the person continues to share the same story over and over then their pain is so great that they did not hear your heartfelt acknowledgement for their agony the first time. And so you continue again and again to be God's love reaching into their life until they CAN receive it.
He also suggested that I pray daily to see people as God sees them and from that insight choose to use my words to encourage others. He shared that we all carry around a list of "should ofs" that beats us up and that you never know the power your words will have to quiet the "should ofs" and release the "created fors" in someone.
I would have to say his suggestions have served me well and were so easily absorbed into my life because they were exhibited so clearly in his.
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