Who Do We Allow to Define Us?

Prayer-Soldier · Posted: Sat Jan 30, 2016 10:34 pm Post subject: Who Do We Allow to Define Us?

Who Do We Allow to Define Us?

Scripture:

And the word of the Lord came to me, saying: Before I formed you in the womb of your mother, I knew you: and before you came forth out of the womb, I sanctified you, and made you a prophet unto the nations.

You therefore gird up your loins, and arise, and speak to them all that I command you. Be not afraid at their presence: for I will make you not to fear their countenance. For behold I have made you this day a fortified city, and a pillar of iron, and a wall of brass, over all the land, to the kings of Juda, to the princes thereof, and to the priests, and to the people of the land. And they shall fight against you, and shall not prevail: for I am with you, said the Lord, to deliver you. (Jeremiah 1:4-5, 17-19)

Strive eagerly for the greatest spiritual gifts. But I shall show you a still more excellent way.

If I speak in human and angelic tongues, but do not have love, I am a resounding gong or a clashing cymbal. And if I have the gift of prophecy and comprehend all mysteries and all knowledge; if I have all faith so as to move mountains but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give away everything I own, and if I hand my body over so that I may boast but do not have love, I gain nothing. Love is patient, love is kind. It is not jealous, [love] is not pompous, it is not inflated, it is not rude, it does not seek its own interests, it is not quick-tempered, it does not brood over injury, it does not rejoice over wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Love never fails. If there are prophecies, they will be brought to nothing; if tongues, they will cease; if knowledge, it will be brought to nothing. For we know partially and we prophesy partially, but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. When I was a child, I used to talk as a child, think as a child, reason as a child; when I became a man, I put aside childish things. At present we see indistinctly, as in a mirror, but then face to face. At present I know partially; then I shall know fully, as I am fully known. So faith, hope, love remain, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
(1 Corinthians 12:31-13:13)

And he began to say to them: This day is fulfilled this scripture in your ears. And all gave testimony to him: and they wondered at the words of grace that proceeded from his mouth, and they said: Is not this the son of Joseph? And he said to them: Doubtless you will say to me this similitude: Physician, heal yourself: as great things as we have heard done in Capharnaum, do also here in your own country. And he said: Amen I say to you, that no prophet is accepted in his own country.

In truth I say to you, there were many widows in the days of Elias in Israel, when heaven was shut up three years and six months, when there was a great famine throughout all the earth. And to none of them was Elias sent, but to Sarepta of Sidon, to a widow woman. And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of Eliseus the prophet: and none of them was cleansed but Naaman the Syrian. And all they in the synagogue, hearing these things, were filled with anger. And they rose up and thrust him out of the city; and they brought him to the brow of the hill, whereon their city was built, that they might cast him down headlong. But he passing through the midst of them, went his way. (Luke 4:21-30)

Reflection:

Forces of society, unknown to us, seek to place us in categories from which winners and losers are determined. If we fit a certain mode, we are considered successful; but if we do not, the forces of society judge us and limit us to force us into a certain space. Others seek to make choices for us, defining what we are able to do and judging to what we are allowed to aspire. To a degree, our talents and efforts are considered, but how we are defined by our schools, our government and our occupations often determine the doors which are open to us.

For some of us, our place appears to be determined by the environment of our birth. From our moments as a child, expectations are set as to what we should or are likely to accomplish. Our schools categorize us until a time comes where we become defined by our occupation. We may have dreams, we may make choices, but there are many who stand to either enable us or place obstacles before us, to include ourselves.

We are conditioned to accept how others define us. It is often through their eyes by which we characterize ourselves, but before we allow the world to declare who we are, we should seek first to understand what God desires of us. It is He who created us. It is within His plan that He had a vision for us before He formed us within the womb of our mother. It is He who desires most that we fulfill our purpose, but He has left it to our choice as to whether we will do that for which He created us or whether we shall waste ourselves within the world. If we trust in Him, He will open our doors, He will remove our obstacles, He will grant us courage and strength. This does not mean we will not face challenge along our path, but He will remain beside us. He will encourage our heart. He will protect our soul.

We should not allow ourselves to be limited by what the world sees of us, for as we leave ourselves to the world, we will be limited by the world. We should consider that many poor and humble were selected by God to bring forth His works through them. It was by answering the call of God that a shepherd boy became king. It was those who were considered lowly in the land who were sent forth to make disciples of all nations. We might ponder, what if any of them had said no because they considered the task before them to be too difficult or that others might not accept them?

In prayer, we should ask the Holy Spirit to help us discover the gifts which God created within us. He created each of us unique such that we might share of who we are for the blessings of one another. Perhaps He calls us to perform small acts of kindness. Perhaps He seeks for us to do great things in small or unnoticed ways. Perhaps He has a story for us where our name will flow through the ages. Perhaps He created us to warm a single heart. What we must understand is that no matter our talents or gifts, the results we produce mean nothing without the greatest gift He has bestowed upon everyone, the ability to love.

As a child of innocence, we give love freely. As we grow, we learn selfishness and our capacity for love becomes clouded by the ways of the world. It is through the Holy Spirit by which we may regain our innocence. It is through the Holy Spirit by which we may be guided to do and accomplish with the blessings of love. If we allow Him to guide us, it will not matter what we have of the world for through Him, we shall receive the eternal wealth of love.

He has left it to our choice to accept the ways of the world or to follow His Word. In making our choice, we may be tempted to consider first whether our choice is acceptable to those who surround us; will we receive their approval? We may be tempted to choose as those who are blind of heart would have us choose. We may be tempted to seek to become as the world would mold us before we consider for what He created us. Blessed are those who open their hearts fully to Him, for no matter the challenge, He will be with them and He will guide them so that they may find their way to the blessings of His kingdom.

May the peace and blessings of the Lord be with you always,
Prayer Soldier