It is funny what a camera can capture.
We have all seen the embarrassing footage of people doing odd things when they thought no one could see them. Sometimes it is laughable, other times we feel a slight cringe, knowing we have done some of the same things. My pastor once said "Don't do in private what you don't want seen in public." At first this advice sounded strange, but after hearing his explanation I understood. He said that many times we can get in the 'habit' of doing things, and we may forget we are in public and repeat the private habits- in public. I am sure many of us can identify with that. The hope is that in this camera ready world, no one has one ready and pointed our way.
I remember a private home security video that went public last year with over 72.4 million views! It was footage from a family's garage of a trespasser who entered in their garage every day to steal a hug from their dog. This young boy would ride his bike to the end of the garage every day after school and run into their garage, hug the dog quickly, and run back to his bike to escape. Of course this private moment for him was captured by the homeowners. The backstory is about a young boy who's dog died and his mother refused to get him another one. This was his way of coping with the brokenness of his little heart. He was unaware that the camera was rolling or that what he was doing in private for his own reasons, would soon be public. Now that it is out there, I couldn't help but think about what we could learn from this little boy, from his innocent act.
EMBRACE YOUR HEALING!
Many of us have been through life changing circumstances that have left us broken. Whether it is a relationship that was lost, a loved one that has passed away, a job that ended wrong, or even a friendship that turned sour. So many things we deal with from day to day and often we expect people to help us through every moment, every day, every way they can.
But they can't.
Sometimes we have to embrace our own healing. People were never meant to walk us through every problem and give solutions that work for us. One reason, God will never give anyone His place in your life and another reason, people actually have lives that can't accommodate all of you. So what do you do? Embrace your healing! Find out what you can do to be whole and do it.
I realize the little boy had a simple issue. He lost his dog, and couldn't get another one. His mother said they really didn't have time to give to another dog and perhaps the pain of seeing their son suffer from the loss added to the decision. But it is interesting to me that when the boy realized it may not happen, he went with another plan. He chose to borrow affection from another person's dog. He found what he needed somewhere else and gave himself to it, even if just for a moment.
I remember years ago counseling a couple that was having difficulty conceiving. They tried for a long time with no success. The doctors didn't give them much hope in having a child naturally and one of them was a bit open to adoption, the other was not. After listening to them and hearing their hearts, I could tell they had a lot to offer, but they were hurting. I prayed as I listened to them, because I already knew the direction God was giving me for them. I found a time to insert what I felt they needed to hear, and asked them why they had not really considered adoption. After hearing all the reasons, I simply said. "Adoption does not mean you give up on having your own, it just means that while you are waiting, you sow towards what you want."
Sometimes we have to give in areas that we want to receive, volunteer in areas that we are lacking and help those who are hurting just like we are.
EMBRACE THE BLESSING!
When we learn to press through our issues and find the silver lining, that is about the time we are setting ourselves up to embrace the blessing! I'm not saying we can 'trick' God into blessing us by doing something short term just to get what we want. God knows better than that and we should too! What it means is when we learn to be content where we are, when we learn to sow into the lives of others, when we learn to look for the joy and press past the cross, we find the blessing! In the midst of thinking of others and reaching out to others, we bless ourselves. The little boy thought he was getting a comforting hug, but the dog was also receiving a blessing! The bible says it is more blessed to give than to receive and when we capture that truth, we realize that we always hold the ability to be blessed. It is in giving unselfishly.
Today the young couple has a happy seven year old son that they adopted from an infant. They are blessed. They are still hoping for a child from their loins, but you can't tell them God has not blessed them with a child of their own. In the process a child who needed a home, has one.
Like the little boy in the video, do whatever you need to do without hurting others to get the next blessed thing. If you are not in a relationship with someone else, be in one with yourself and God! Learn to use your gifts and experiences to help others and embrace them as well.... they probably need it as much as you do.
Today the young couple has a happy seven year old son that they adopted from an infant. They are blessed. They are still hoping for a child from their loins, but you can't tell them God has not blessed them with a child of their own. In the process a child who needed a home, has one.
Like the little boy in the video, do whatever you need to do without hurting others to get the next blessed thing. If you are not in a relationship with someone else, be in one with yourself and God! Learn to use your gifts and experiences to help others and embrace them as well.... they probably need it as much as you do.
Oh, by the way:
The young boy 'Josh', he has his own puppy now! ( but he still visits his neighbor's dog)
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