Have you ever had that moment when a really big truck pulls up beside you in the parking lot? You know the kind. Big, Black, jacked up at least 5 inches with massive tires, entirely tinted out and with bars running along the body of the truck so you can actually step up into the monster machine. You know what's funny? When that door swings open and out hops this tiny little man who struts away triumphantly, knowing that his truck is bigger than your family-sized SUV.
That's funny.
It's funny because the first thing that usually comes to my mind is, WHAT ARE YOU COMPENSATING FOR?
Do you have a chip on your shoulder because you're short? Are you, like me, coming to terms with your receding hairline? What is it about your life that causes you to think that you need a big truck to prove to the world that you are a force to be reckoned with.
Now to be fair, I know people with trucks like this. I have friends with trucks like this, and the reality is I am painting with an extremely broad stroke, but I do so with the best of intentions. Generally, we respond to visual cues. It is for this exact reason that the phrase, "DON'T JUDGE BY A BOOK BY ITS COVER" is a thing... BECAUSE WE ALL DO IT!
You know what's funny? Taking a cheap shot or spouting off a wisecrack about the short guy in the big truck and all the things he must be compensating for, only to realize that each and every one of us is compensating for something. There is not one of us who is immune to compensation. Depending on your world, their is any number of ways that one could compensate. It could be as simple as a hair cut or an outfit, it could be as subtle as an attitude towards a certain person, thing, or way of thinking. We all deal with this.
We all have stuff. We all have baggage. We all have a chip on our shoulder. We all wear masks. We are all compensating for something... emotionally, spiritually, physically, psychologically... we've all got something.
And now it is time for us to stand up and be courageous. It is time for us to come to the understanding that we all have struggles and we all have strengths. It is time for us to understand that each and every one of us is a masterpiece, hand-crafted by Jesus Christ himself. We need to understand that we are all apart of something bigger, called the Body of Christ, that each of us plays an integral role, we each have a place, we all have a purpose...
It is time for us to create safe places for people to put down their baggage, remove their masks, and begin a journey towards wholeness.
So... what are you compensating for? What about that "thing" scares you the most? What are you hiding behind?
And... what would it take for you to be free from the very thing that you are hiding behind? What would it take for you to take a step towards wholeness?
I want you to know that I'm here for you! I've got you! Please don't hesitate to get in touch with me: brett@engagechurch.ca ... Thanks for reading... and remember at Engage Church we are all about REAL FAITH for REAL LIFE, there's enough fake in your life... #HopeNotHype
Brett Esslinger is a Husband, Dad, Son, Brother, Pastor, Speaker, Leader, Writer whose life goal is to help people unlock their potential and fulfill their life's purpose.
Follow Brett on Twitter, Instagram &Facebook: @brettesslinger and of course over on Snapchat at: brett.esslinger