Have You Ever Felt Left Out?

Have you ever felt left out?  Like no matter how hard you try, how often you ask… no matter how kind and loving you are… you feel like an outcast, always left out, and alone?  These feelings are something you can feel whether you’re in elementary school or 80 years old.  Being someone who has moved more times than I can now count… and at all different times in my life I know the feelings more than I want to…. but here’s something I want you to know even when these feelings creep in….

Know you are seen.  You are loved.  Know you are wanted.  YOU MATTER!!  You are special.  You were created in the image of your maker.  You are unique and as much as you think you don’t belong… you do!!  Your people are out there.  Whether it be 1 or 100… your people… your tribe… they are out there.  I truly believe there is a place for each one of us.

I know we live in a broken world.   A world that shuts people out.  That doesn’t accept different from “what I’ve always known.”  A world that can be unloving, unkind, and hateful!  A world that will tell you… you don’t belong.  It breaks my heart.  It breaks my heart that we don’t include the new person.  That we overlook someone because they are different than we are. We overlook them because we didn’t grow up with them.  Because we are scared of “new”.   We are willing and accepting of ugliness.  We point fingers and blame one another.  And I don’t think on this side of Heaven it will ever stop.

But I think we are better than this.  I believe we can do better… be better.  I believe we can at least make a dent in all the madness if we only try.  If we would think about the little eyes, ears, hearts that hear us… see us… mimic us (and I’m not just talking to parents… little ones watch everyone no matter their age & their relation… and they copy what they see and hear no matter if they know you or not).  I think we should do better for the little ones… I think we need to set a better example.  Be a better example.  I believe we can welcome people with open arms.  I believe that even if we have differences in (fill in blank) that we can still be loving and kind and friends.  I believe that we are all capable of changing our mindset… of changing what we’ve always done… and said and how we’ve always been.  Change is hard.. and scary.  Letting people into our lives that are new, different… not what you’ve always known… that’s hard.  But I truly believe it’s worth it!!  I believe it’s worth it because I’ve seen it first hand.  I’ve lived it first hand. I’ve had people welcome me and love me and embrace who I am!  

As someone that has been more times than I can count… and really still is the “new kid” even after 5 years of living in a new city… I URGE you to reach your hand outside your box of what you know and have always known.  Welcome people with open arms.  Love people.  Be vulnerable.  Be willing to let people into your circles.  Be willing and open even if it means you may/will get hurt.  Be open to growing.  Be open to having tough conversations.  Be open to  letting someone in that is different from you … because at the end of the day they may become your person!!