Feathers

 It is like a man who goes up on a tall tower - like the empire state building and rips open a feather pillow shaking all the feathers out. A few, fall at his feet and are easily recaptured, but most travel far and wide, to places unseen, unknown. 

Feathers aren't going to cause you pain when you run into them in a few years, they aren't going to stop you from fulfillment of a dream or making a friend. But gossip, just like those feathers, can never be re-gathered, it can never be taken back, you can never get back the spill of gossip - it will go to places unseen and unknown and when you encounter it again - it will cause pain. 

I am pretty sure everyone has experienced gossip coming back to them about themselves. When that happens, it is always tempting to correct the gossip, to identify the originator and to put them in their place.  But if I try to run it down I will never find rest or peace, it would be just as impossible as chasing down feathers dropped from the tower spire.  Imagine how ridiculous someone on the ground would look chasing these floating feathers and becoming upset when they could not gather them all.    I have grappled with this and realized that...

...when I  accept God's estimation of me, I stop worrying about what people say about me.

 Esteeming the praise of men, over the praise of God, creates in me a bondage of fear of men. (and women)

I am certainly not saying that we should live irresponsibly or disregard instruction, wisdom or correction. We should simply live our lives the best the Bible tells us how to. To love God, love people, submit appropriately, live humbly,  and try not to cause others to stumble through our behavior.

When I know I have been the topic of gossip, I often pray that God will recapture all those feathers for me. There is no way that I will ever be able to address it, no way that I could recapture feathers and convince others of the untruthfulness of the words spoken against me or my family. And in trying to undo the tangle of someone else's web - I too would need to climb a tower and rip open a feather pillow - I too would be guilty.

And one of my very favorite quotes from Mother Teresa

            
People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered.  Forgive them anyway.

            If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives.  Be kind anyway.

            If you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends and some genuine enemies.  
Succeed anyway.

           If you are honest and sincere people may deceive you.  Be honest and sincere anyway.

            What you spend years creating, others could destroy overnight.  Create anyway.

            If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous.  Be happy anyway.

            The good you do today, will often be forgotten.  Do good anyway.

         Give the best you have, and it will never be enough.  Give your best anyway.

         In the final analysis...

it is between you and God.  It was never between you and them anyway.

Psalm 62:5-6 NLT

Let all that I am wait quietly before God,
    for my hope is in him.

 He alone is my rock and my salvation,

    my fortress where I will not be shaken.

Goodnight,

Amanda