Rubbed

Many times in life we feel rubbed by people. But no one likes to be rubbed! In our own minds, the way we see things is the correct and accurate observation. Now if we could just get the other individual to see things from our perspective they would agree. So we spend our efforts on getting them to see where we are coming from, seeing what we see, observe what we observe and if we are able to do that, we are confident that they would come to our same conclusion.

I don’t think anyone likes being rubbed and certainly not if it is in a way to show that you are wrong. Embrace the rub! I like what one of my spiritual Dads told me many years ago after he witnessed me trying to stand against, what I felt was an attack on my character and actions. After the meeting was over, Larry said, “Ron, I think you would go a lot further if you focused on trying to listen to what he being said rather than trying to be heard! Excellent advice, but one that is not always easy to live by, at least for me!

I have a steel (a rod of steel that is rough, kind of like a smooth file) in my drawer that I use to sharpen my butcher knives. It is a real picture of Prov 27:17  As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend. Hard to understand how iron can sharpen iron but it works if it is done at the right angle. Same with our input into others. Do it from the right angle and it will sharpen, do it from the wrong angle and it will dull it even more.

So, embrace the rub! It has been my experience that the stone that is rubbed the most shines the brightest! I want to be one of the brightest stones on the beach.

D.O.V.E.