The saying that we are the product of our environment is so very true! I read a story about 3 siblings who were homeschooled by their mom and ALL 3 went on to finish high school in their early teens. And as if that wasn’t awesome enough, the eldest is 18 years old and in Law School while the 15 & 13 year olds are set to receive their bachelor degrees soon.
What’s fascinating about this story is that the youngest of the crew was adopted which means that her ability to learn, her intellectual power💪🏽💪🏽💪🏽, wasn’t exactly a gift inherited from her biological parents but from the planting of good seeds and the nurturing of those seeds by the parents that chose her which allowed her to thrive and reach her full potential. Isn’t that just wonderfully remarkable!!
All too often we get frustrated when it seems people don’t use “the good common sense that God gave them” as my mom would say. But as I’ve matured, I realize more and more that “common sense” isn’t common at all. NOPE!! We make the unfair assumption that people know the things we know and get quite perturbed when they don’t know or understand simple things. I mean who doesn’t know that you shouldn’t put eggs at the bottom of the grocery bag to prevent them from being smashed? I know who…someone who has never had to bag groceries before. And who doesn’t know you need to change the oil in a car after the specified number of miles has been driven or risk burning the motor? I know who…someone who’s never had to do it because their parents have always had the oil changed for them.
What we should take into consideration is the fact that many have not had the same blessings or opportunities, or shall I say advantages, as others have. It’s unfortunate but not everyone was planted in good soil and lovingly nurtured by wonderful mentors who helped them develop their wisdom and knowledge as you may have been. Whether you had a parent, grandparent, uncle, aunt, teacher, coach, neighbor or even a friend to do it, you were blessed to have had at least one person who cared enough to pour into you and teach you the essential lessons of life. The realization that not everyone had the presence of a Heaven-sent mentor, not even in their parents, should be quite humbling because at the end of the day, it really could have been me or any one of you who ended up with such a sad fate.
When I was in college, I was getting ready for some event that I can’t remember now but what I do remember is my roommate asking me where I was going “dressed like that“. Confused, I took a moment to reassess my attire and confirmed that indeed I was clean and neatly dressed but she took the time to explain to me that where I was going required a higher level of dress wear. I was in my casual attire, jeans and a polo shirt (which is how I went to my interview for the only job I ever had up to that point at Popeye’s), while the event required business wear attire. Guess who didn’t have anything close to business wear attire in their closet…ME!! But my roommate remedied that with clothes from her own closet and THAT, along with other seeds she planted within me, has left a forever grateful footprint in my spirit.
So instead of becoming frustrated or berating someone or laughing at them behind their back for lacking what we consider “good common sense” knowledge, how about YOU be that amazing mentor who gets to bless them by empowering them and stimulating their growth as God allowed someone so graciously to do for you! And if you are on the receiving end, don’t miss out on your blessing by thinking you know it all and being unteachable because the moment you are unteachable becomes the moment you immediately stunt your own growth. As long as you are learning, you are thriving!
One of the greatest commandments God gave us was to “LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF”. Imagine the number of lives we could change if everyone actually put that commandment into action. THAT is how we make a difference! THAT is how we empower others and change lives! THAT is how we encourage and uplift someone even when they are in the most discouraging predicaments! THAT is how we help people live up to their full potential! And THAT is how we make God smile from Heaven…by doing our part!
By the way…if I’ve never told you this before, thanks Sandea💞
To have resounding compassion; that’s what I hear!!!