I was simply talking with an old friend and in the middle of the conversation, they broke out into an uncontrollable laugh at something. Not something I said, but something they said. Normally this takes me a while to get used to. If you are telling the joke, you should have already gotten some of the laughs out of your system so we can enjoy the punch line. But this was not that kind of laugh. There was no joke, and no punch line, they were really ‘enjoying themselves’…. not at my expense, just enjoying themselves in our conversation.
My friend was not concerned about me at all. If fact, the more I questioned how much they were enjoying their own conversation, the harder they laughed! I finally said, “You are really enjoying yourself, aren't you?" They looked at me and said “Yes, yes I am!” NO shame at all… just fun!
As usual, this made me think. How much of our life’s joy depends on the responses of others? We are social people, so we love having good times with others, but how often do we wait to see who likes a post before we do? How many times do we look around the room to see if anyone else is enjoying the preacher’s teaching as much as we are? Maybe, just a simple movie that you really got a kick out of and almost didn’t go to because you heard it was not that good?
As usual, this made me think. How much of our life’s joy depends on the responses of others? We are social people, so we love having good times with others, but how often do we wait to see who likes a post before we do? How many times do we look around the room to see if anyone else is enjoying the preacher’s teaching as much as we are? Maybe, just a simple movie that you really got a kick out of and almost didn’t go to because you heard it was not that good?
What I got out of that simple encounter was this….If I don’t enjoy myself, I won’t really enjoy anyone else to the extent I could. If I don’t enjoy my own company, no one else will make my time worth it. If I don’t enjoy my own personal jokes, why wait for someone else to laugh? If I don’t love ME… why expect others to?
Matthew 22:39 says 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'
After that conversation, I made a commitment to ME. I am going to enjoy myself; enjoy my life, enjoy my purpose, enjoy being a Christian and enjoy the great people God allows me to encounter! I don’t have to wait for anyone to get on board. No waiting to see if you are compatible with me, I am compatible with me. My purpose is compatible with me. Everyone else gets to see me enjoying this wonderful life God has blessed me with!
So I encourage you today, remember you only have one life to live on this earth. You are your own best or worst ~constant company. Make a commitment to yourself that regardless to what this world throws at you or who is on your side or not, come rain or shine,
Enjoy Yourself!