Be Empowered
Struggles come in all shapes and sizes, caring nothing of gender, race, age, nationality, financial status, creed or religion. It’s just a fact of life. Everyone has some kind of issue to work with regularly. It happens in families, work environments, communities, and churches. It seems especially apparent in political arenas. Consider the state of our elected officials. It seems they disagree on almost everything and are vocal and even vicious in their attacks of opposition!
These struggles between people, often boils down to wielding power. People become so consumed with their view, they can see no other and believe their way is the only right way. Since disagreements ensue, paranoia is planted and cultivated, which then causes accusations and then more issues. These issues and accusations creates divisions, which then creates even more disagreements. It becomes a vicious circle unless it gets stopped somewhere along the way. But it’s a decision to be made. It doesn’t just happen!
In our daily lives we deal with financial and job issues, marriage, children and teenager situations, aging parents, homelessness, education inadequacies, diet, health problems of all kinds, even issues related to our pets who have become such an important part of our family. Even in these scenarios, wielding power can be a component of the problem.
But having power is completely different than being “empowered.” Our power hungry ego is what drives us to push for control and obsess with gaining more and more than those around us. It doesn’t matter that what we obtain in material wealth, has little value in the long term, and leaves us insecure and constantly searching for new and creative ways, to grow more and more wealth.
As this insecurity grows, rest and peace seem only “friends” we once knew, so we turn to other forms, like substance or alcohol abuse, gaming, pornography, or any other kind of addiction you can imagine, which is only temporary and false. It is a deception that has become part of our society, and sadly more the norm rather than abnormal.
We are driven by our thoughts, whether positive or negative. When our thoughts are slipping down the slippery slope of self absorption we lose empowerment even as we try to wield power. The opposite of being totally caught up in ourselves is to inspire others to be the best they can be. This mindset often gives us unlimited personal power since this focus catapults us forward.
We are all people with a variety of backgrounds, upbringing, ideas, goals and perspectives. There are going to be different opinions on just about everything. But we need to take a step back and see the differences without allowing a power struggle to get the upper hand. Not everyone is right all the time. There are often more than one or even two options for agreement.
This is especially important in the world of disabilities. It seems, generally speaking, that if a person is not intimately affected by a disability, there is little or no interest. I was one of those until I started writing about it. It seemed I had ‘no reason’ to be involved. Yet this is a people group who need to be empowered to just survive their daily world. They live daily with struggles many non-disabled people can’t even imagine.
In your travels this week, look for ways to support rather than control a person with a disability. Remember their disability doesn’t define who they are! See the person first, and listen to their heart without turning a deaf ear because they are somehow physically different than you! Encourage your children, by your actions to be understanding, kind and accepting of those who are different. When we do this, we are empowering! What a great example that can be!
Photo Credit: https://tunein.com/podcasts/Kids--Family-Podcasts/Empowering-Ability-Podcast-p987687/