“And The Other Is Like It, Love Your Neighbor as Yourself”
One of the most impactful things my mom has probably ever shown me is the importance of valuing others.
She’s always been incredibly thoughtful and as a passionate baker brings baked goods to virtually any home dinner she’s invited to.
Even just this past week she sent me a few things she baked along with two handwritten notes.
It’s just natural for her, it’s a core part of the identity and value systems.
She’s the first to send handwritten thank you notes, the first to call you on your birthday, and the first to send love on a rainy day.
At my age, people don’t do handwritten notes much… maybe you’ll get a birthday text.
I wrote about something similar in the past. I was reflecting upon the different ways to congratulate people.
“The more you celebrate others, the stronger your friendship and bond will become.” — Julie Mullinsmedium.com
We are all unique people with unique perspectives and unique ideas and desires.
Along with this, we can not speak in the same manner to every single person and expect the same result.
People are NOT equal.
What does it mean to be equal?
Equal is defined as:
Adjective: Being the same in quantity, size, degree, or value.
Adjective: Having the ability or resources to meet (a challenge).
Noun: A person or thing considered to be the same as another in status or quality.
In this context, in the context of the way that we treat others, we look at the noun.
We must view others of similar status, quality, and value.
You cannot love your neighbor as yourself without thinking that you’re the best — but you must also love your neighbor and think that they’re the best.
What are we working towards?
“Those who want to go fast go alone,
those who want to go far go together.”
— African Proverb
There are billions of people around us.
What are these people looking for?
They might be looking for you to fall.
They might be two steps behind you waiting for you to slow up so that they can surpass you.
Are you moving? Yes.
If you take time to continually reassess your strategy, you would hopefully notice if you are moving closer or further…medium.com
Where are you moving to?
Things are consistently and continuously in motion. If we are sitting in the middle of the ocean sitting still, we are still moving. There are waves. There are currents. There is MOVEMENT.
Whether or not YOU are moving, everything around you is.
So either you move yourself or everything around you will move you — you decide.
As you move forward, you’re going to need help.
Nobody in the history of the entire earth has ever done anything of meaning by themselves.
Name one person, I challenge you to try.
You can’t, can you?
Martin Luther King Jr. wasn’t alone.
George Washington wasn’t alone.
Mother Teresa wasn’t alone.
Mohandas Ghandi wasn’t alone.
If THEY could not go at it alone, how do you expect to be able to go at it alone?
That’s preposterous.
“God can do more in a moment than humans can in a lifetime.” — Harrison Wendland
“Trust is a peculiar resource; it is built rather than depleted by use.”
“I don’t want to hear that someone can’t handle pressure. Everyone can handle pressure but most people choose not to you because it’s easier to stay safe in the comfort zone.” — Tim Grover
As we continue to think about the people around us, we need to understand that there will come a time that the value we provide will be priceless to them.
When somebody needs something that you are the master of, I hope you are still in touch with them.
I hope that when somebody is looking for someone with your skill set, they’re able to contact you.
“If they don’t know you they can’t flow you.” — Grant Cardone
What he means by that is that if people don’t know who you are, they can’t provide cashflow to you or pay you for your products or services.
“It’s not who you know that matters, it’s who knows you.” — Grant Cardone
Here’s the bottom line — don’t burn bridges.
End interactions with grace and peace.
There is never an excuse for ruining or tarnishing a relationship. Period.
I’m not trying to say that it will be easy to value others on every occasion, it won’t be. That’s the plain and simple fact of the matter.
There will be numerous occasions and situations where the last thing that you want to do is act with respect and peace. So I bring it back to what God says.
God knows much more than we do about valuing others.
He told the first people on the earth what they could and could not do — they disobeyed.
He gave people another chance — they disobeyed.
He flooded the earth and started again with Noah, the ark, and his family — eventually, people disobeyed yet again.
Even after all of that, God STILL sent His one and only son to save our lives. If that’s not valuing others then what is?
And what did Jesus say?
He said, “But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.” — Matthew 5:44–45 NIV
It’s most important that we call people up to their potential rather than tear them down.
Life is not easy and we ALL have different difficulties, different struggles, and different obstacles that will need to be overcome. Does that make one of us greater than another? Absolutely not.
Everyone wants the tallest building in the city… Don’t you? It’s the best view! You need to build your building taller…medium.com
“Remain conscious of your actions. Keep going forward. Pursue greatness.” — Harrison Wendland