I notice everything. And honestly, itās kinda disheartening sometimes, having a mind that picks up on things I wish I didnāt have to notice. Itās a blessing the good Lord gave me, but sometimes I wonder if itās a blessing Iām still learning how to carry.
I notice the little things. The changes in peopleās behavior, the difference between their words and their actions, the intentions behind certain moves. I notice when something doesnāt add up, when someoneās energy changes, and when people think theyāre getting over on me.
And the crazy part is, a lot of the time, I donāt even say anything.
I just watch.
Not because Iām stupid. Not because Iām oblivious. And definitely not because I donāt know how to stand up for myself. Sometimes I genuinely want to see how far somebody is willing to go when they think nobody sees what theyāre doing.
I want to see whatās really in a personās heart when they have the opportunity to do right without anybody forcing them to. I want to know if their morals mean something to them when thereās no consequence for doing wrong. I want to see how much of God is actually in somebodyās heart when doing the right thing requires them to sacrifice something, tell the truth, or treat somebody fairly when they could easily do otherwise.
Because itās easy to talk about God. Itās easy to preach about being a good person. Itās easy to put on a good image when everybody is watching.
But what do you do when you think nobody notices?
Thatās what interests me.
Sometimes Iāll allow somebody to show me exactly who they are when I couldāve stopped the situation before it ever got to that point. And Iāve had to question myself about that because I know how it can look from the outside. It can come across as manipulative, like Iām setting people up to fail some test they donāt even know theyāre taking.
And maybe sometimes thereās a lesson in that for me, too.
Because if I already recognize something isnāt right, why am I allowing it to continue just to see how far somebody will take it?
Am I looking for understanding, or am I looking for confirmation of what I already believe about them?
Thatās something Iāve been reflecting on.
I think part of me just wants to understand people. I want to understand how somebody can look you in your face, talk about loyalty, love, honesty, and God, and then turn around and move in a way that contradicts everything they claim to stand for.
I want to understand how people justify certain things to themselves. How they can hurt somebody and still convince themselves theyāre the good guy. How they can know the difference between right and wrong but still choose whatever benefits them in the moment.
And maybe thatās why I observe so much. Iām trying to understand the heart behind the action.
But Iām learning that understanding people doesnāt mean I have to keep putting myself in positions to be hurt by them.
I can have discernment and still establish boundaries. I can give somebody grace without giving them unlimited access to me. And I can forgive somebody without pretending I didnāt see what happened.
Iām not perfect, and Iām not claiming to be some holy man who has everything figured out. Iāve got my own flaws, my own battles, and things God is still working on in me.
But I do believe thereās a responsibility that comes with the way I see things.
Iāve always felt like Iām supposed to help people in some capacity. To recognize things that might help somebody grow, to guide when I can, and to understand people beyond what they show on the surface.
In my heart, I see myself as a shepherd of men. Not because Iām better than anybody, but because I believe God calls some of us to help others find their way, even when weāre still trying to find our own.
And being a shepherd doesnāt mean judging everybody. It means having enough love to care about people, enough wisdom to recognize when something isnāt right, and enough humility to understand that you can be wrong, too.
I know I donāt know everything. I know my observations donāt automatically make my assumptions true. And I know God sees things in peopleās hearts that Iāll never be able to see.
But I also believe weāre supposed to pay attention to the fruit people produce, not just the words coming out of their mouths.
At some point, actions have to mean something.
And I think one of the hardest things about being somebody who notices a lot is learning when to speak, when to stay quiet, when to give grace, and when to remove yourself from a situation altogether.
Because sometimes I see the good in people so clearly that I want to give them room to become better, even when their current actions are showing me something different.
Sometimes I understand why somebody might be the way they are, and that understanding makes it harder for me to hold them accountable.
But understanding why somebody does something doesnāt automatically make what they did right.
And having a good heart doesnāt mean I have to keep letting people take advantage of it.
I donāt want to become so focused on seeing whatās in everybody elseās heart that I neglect whatās happening in my own.
Thatās the part Iām trying to get right.
I want to be able to recognize wrongdoing without becoming bitter. I want to be able to see through peopleās actions without thinking everybody has bad intentions. I want to be able to stand up for myself without feeling like Iām going against the same grace I believe God has shown me.
And most importantly, I donāt want to confuse being a man of God with being a man who has to tolerate everything.
Jesus showed love, but He also spoke the truth. He showed compassion, but He wasnāt afraid to confront hypocrisy. He served people without making their approval the measure of His worth.
Thatās something worth thinking about.
Maybe part of my growth is realizing that I donāt have to let somebody do me wrong just to see if theyāll choose to do right. Maybe sometimes the lesson isnāt in watching how far theyāll go, but in recognizing what Iāve already seen and having the courage to respond accordingly.
Because I canāt control whatās in somebody elseās heart. I canāt make somebody honest. I canāt force somebody to have integrity. And I canāt love somebody into becoming a person theyāre not willing to work toward being.
All I can do is make sure my own actions line up with what I claim to believe.
So call me the bad guy if you want. Think Iām naive because I give people chances. Think Iām calculated because I stay quiet and observe.
I know Iām still figuring things out.
But Iām trying to become a man who can see the truth without using it against people, love people without abandoning himself, and walk in faith without believing heās responsible for saving everybody.
I want to be a shepherd, not a judge. I want to lead by example, not by control. And I want to have enough discernment to recognize when God is calling me to be patient and when Heās giving me the wisdom to walk away.
Because thereās a difference between being able to see whatās happening and knowing what youāre supposed to do about it.
And maybe the real blessing isnāt just being able to notice what other people miss. Maybe itās learning how to carry that awareness without letting it turn your heart cold.
Iām curious if anybody else thinks like this.
Have you ever caught on to something but stayed quiet because you wanted to see how a person would move when they thought you didnāt know?
Have you ever struggled with the difference between giving people grace and allowing them to take advantage of you?
And how do you know when your silence is wisdom versus when youāre just avoiding a conversation you know you need to have?
Because Iām learning that just because I can see something doesnāt mean I have to sit there and watch it happen.
Sometimes the lesson is in what other people choose to do.
And sometimes the lesson is in what God is trying to teach me about myself through it.
Sent from my iPhone