I have been taking a writing course the past seven weeks, and I have to tell you, it has changed me. It has changed me as a writer in many ways, but it has changed me to my core.
I have always felt I have a lot to say and never really held back in saying it.
My college roommate and I talked a lot, every day and night. Becca is a lot more reserved and quiet than I am. How she tolerated me and my talking, I will never know. Maybe she had earplugs I didn’t know about, and this was how she managed to fall asleep? But she was always extremely tolerant of my late night rants. She still is.
Becca and I talk and talk and talk. We can be serious, we can be silly, we can be crude; but whatever we say to one another, we know we are “safe.” Anything I say to Becca, she keeps to herself, and anything Becca says to me, I keep to myself. I have never once questioned whether or not I could trust Rebecca. Same goes for all of my other sister-friends. My sister-friend Lindsey has a saying, “Think it, don’t say it.” She is so wise. Sometimes I really need to think it and not say it, because my words aren’t always met with open hearts.
My writing class has taught me I need to share my words in a safe place, and I need to be safe with my words. I know my blog and this page are safe places for me to write and share. But not everywhere is a safe place for you and me to share our words. I know I have told y’all this before, but it bears repeating: I like to learn my lessons the hard way, and I hope by sharing, you will learn from my mistakes.
“If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, leave that home or town and shake the dust off your feet.” - Matthew 10:14 (NIV)
My loved ones and close, trusted friends? They are all safe places. I can share my words with them. But sometimes, toxic people in our lives are not safe places for us to share our words, and some people will not like you and me and this is okay. Jesus told us to shake the dust off our feet.
The dust signifies impurities. A lack of cleanliness. When you show the love of Jesus and share words of kindness but they are met with spite/hatred, this is more about the person’s lack of peace in their heart than it is about you. So shake the dust off your feet and move on. Jesus does not tell us to be doormats. He has far too much work for us to do for His Kingdom than sit around and talk to people who aren’t listening. And it is not only okay to distance ourselves from those people, Jesus tells us to do so.