What Gets You Riled Up?
Every once in a while, I look in the mirror.
I look into the eyes of the woman looking back into mine, and I wonder who she is and what makes her tick?
What gets her riled up?
(Yeah, I’m a little weird, I know. Just humor me, ok?)
What I mean is that every once in a while, I’m prompted to take stock of how I’m living. How well I’m using the gifts that I’ve been given. How well I’m making the world a better place. How well I’m doing with the opportunities that cross my path.
And then I think about how I measure “how well.” And then I get mad at myself.
Because you know what? I can’t say I’m doing enough. There’s always something more I could do.
It’s not always mine to do.
Recently, I found about a need. A pretty big need, in fact.
A friend is taking in two kids that have lived a harder life in their six short years than most of us will experience in our lifetimes.
My friend has never parented 6-year-olds before, so she doesn’t have neatly labelled boxes of hand-me-downs in her attic. She doesn’t have bunk beds. Or extra toys. Or coats and shoes in their sizes.
I wanted to give her all these things, but having never had 6-year-olds myself, I felt helpless. For a moment, I wished for my old job back so that I had piles of money so I could go buy stuff for her.
I got mad because I felt insufficient.
Then I thought “maybe my role here is to spread the word.” So I posted it on Facebook.
Then I got mad that people “like” stupid pictures of cats with hats, and share trite little sayings about Jesus and rants about the war on Christmas, but not one person stepped up to offer one piece of hand-me-down clothing.
I got mad that I couldn’t get others to meet my friend’s need.
But then I got a phone call from another friend who has been unemployed for a year, offering up some things her son had grown out of. And I thought of the hardships this friend has gone through in her life–unimaginable difficulties–and I saw God at work.
I saw one person truly understanding the broken heart of another.
And I saw how my role wasn’t to meet the need myself, or to get lots of people involved, but simply to connect one brokenhearted person to another.
What didn’t feel like enough to me? It was enough for God.
So what riles up the woman in the mirror?
I get mad at “ordinary.”
I seethe at the status quo.
I find myself frustrated when I settle.
We are meant for more. But we’re not meant to be or do it all.
We are meant to live in community. To all be individual parts of a whole body, working together to help each other, to encourage, to inspire, to make this world a better place.
We each have a part, we each have a responsibility. And while each of us has a different role, it’s critical that we all step up. That we say “yes.” That we live out the love that’s been given to us.
So when I look in the mirror, I’ll still get riled up about not doing enough, but I’ll also try to remember that I’m not the only one in the world.
What gets you all riled up? Leave a comment…
*Photocredit: Lovecocozombie (Creative Commons)
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About Christine
I am a writer, a project manager, and a corporate refugee with a heart for orphans around the world. My two daughters were adopted from Ukraine at ages 12 and 14. I post about writing, chasing dreams, and making a difference in the world, and sometimes I share fun snippets of fiction in-progress.
Great post, Christine.
Thanks for the excellent thoughts.
Thanks, Dean!
i get mad at the same things, christine – ordinary, status quo, settling. i always have this feeling i’m meant for more, but i often fall into the trap you described of trying to do it all. we all have gifts and talents, but we are not made to be all things to all people. that’s probably why there are other people around, a whole 7 billion of them.
great post!
Tim, you’re far from ordinary!
christine, thank you! hope you and the fam are having an amazing christmas eve!
Christine,
You’re absolutely right – when we have it within our power to help, we have the high privilege of stepping up.
However, some people cannot stand the discomfort in the short-term to press through to the long-term extraordinary. We’ll keep inviting them. We’ll keep living it.
We’ll keep spreading the word
You make a great point, Julia. It is easy to be dissuaded by discomfort, isn’t it? Keep living a great example!
Hi Christine,
Great post.
“And I saw how my role wasn’t to meet the need myself, or to get lots of people involved, but simply to connect one brokenhearted person to another.
What didn’t feel like enough to me? It was enough for God.”
This spoke to me. Especially the last part “it was enough for God.” I think God is often more pleased with us than we think. Thanks for sharing. This was a great reminder for me this morning.
Keep writing!
So happy to give a little hope today, Wayne. Merry Christmas!
what riles me up- when I see inauthentic living in others…. actually when I see it in me….
Thank you for the challenge- loved it!
Thanks for stopping by, Nancy…I can’t wait to get to know you better!
Loved your post, Christine. Especially loved your transparency and the fact you acknowledged you get angry at yourself.
You’re right, we are not meant to do everything. Even Jesus didn’t. He only did what the Father wanted him to.
I loved that your heart wanted to help the person in need and I loved that God led you to see your job was to connect two people.