Don't Lower Your Loyalty

Recently I read a news report about a farmer that shot his 50 cows and then himself. Regrettably, people commit suicide every day. The farmer’s story is unique only in that it also included the murder of cattle.

Sadly, this farmer believed that life wasn’t worth living. His hopelessness pushed him over the edge. How many millions commit suicide? How many more millions feel that way? How do we get to their hearts before they get to themselves?

If you think life is not worth living, look at Haiti: deplorable conditions, even before the most recent tragedy. How ironic, then, that so many in Haiti are clinging to life, and finding survivors has been the ultimate goal and greatest effort.

Here is a great lesson from Haiti: Hold on until help arrives. Rescuing people from self destructive thoughts and feelings may even avert some suicides. Rescuing people from self destructive thoughts and feelings includes rescuing them from their own destructive beliefs.

We are what we believe. Beliefs are powerful. Especially beliefs about self worth. Beliefs can be self fulfilling prophesies. What you believe about yourself helps or hinders you.

I like the word LOYALTY. One definition of the word loyalty is the state or quality of being loyal; faithfulness to commitments or obligations or faithful adherence to a sovereign, government, leader, cause, etc. We often think of loyalty in terms of capitols and countries. The lower the loyalty, the easier it is to take the city. But loyalty also can be applied to oneself. What is our self loyalty?
Don’t lower your loyalty, especially towards yourself, even if it appears the world is crumbling around you.

The world is moving so fast that we can feel out of our minds and at war with our moods. Happiness, peace, and rest, in a chaotic world, is not easy. We need to rise above changes, circumstances, and conditions, and cling to our spiritual roots. We must find strength in the scriptures and through our own spiritual experiences, because it is through these experiences we grow. We grow, not because we indulged ourselves in an extensive routine of self improvement, but because the Lord, through his grace and mercy, lifts us to higher levels. Consistent scripture study, not zealous scripture study is the key.

Self concern isn't always helpful in self improvement. Unceasing introspection and chronic self awareness is the kind of self temperature checking that leads to loneliness and isolation. It would be nice if it were easy: just exercise, exercise our personality until we become perfect. But perfection is not about exercising or self actualizing. We find ourselves when we lose ourselves in the service of others. We are filled as we are being emptied. It seems contrary to conventional wisdom, but personality and character calisthenics do not rescue the soul of man. Salvation comes in and through the atoning blood of Jesus Christ and in no other way.

To accept His rescue isn’t easy. Faith comes through a great deal of reaching and stretching. But the rescuing hand is there. He reaches out to you and asks that you cast your burden upon him. His atonement envelopes all of the dimensions of our soul that trouble us. He went forth “suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this is that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and sicknesses of his people.” Don't lower your loyalty toward Him.

Faith in the healing power of Jesus Christ also requires faith in self. For some it is sometimes easier to believe in Christ than it is to believe in self.

It starts with belief. It includes belief in self.

Hopefully you are not tired of the poems yet. Here is another one that I wrote that I think fits

Believe

Believe in yourself
and why you are here,
to grow from discouragement;
to overcome fear.
Believe
without becoming too boastfully bold,
but constantly reach
letting treasures unfold,
Believe in yourself
you are here today,
that when faced with grave doubts
you can kneel down and pray.
Believe in yourself,
there’s a place here for you
There’s a reason,
a purpose,
There’s a dream to come true.
So believe and begin,
Reach the stars and achieve
It all waits for you.
If you only
believe.