Would you rather be skinny or be told you have a big heart? Don’t answer too quickly. Take time to really think about it.
I think if some of us are real with ourselves, our heart would answer, “Big Heart” but our head would answer, “Skinny.” We know what the answer “should” be, but what is the answer really?
For those of us in Georgia, it is the end of the school year. The kids come into school with gifts for their teachers, flowers from their yard, and big smiles on their face because they know that in a few short days, school will be out and it will be summer. I received this in my mailbox today:
Words to describe Mrs. Swafford
It was in a cute little envelope and had my name on the front. It said it was from Claudia. I took lots of time to read the adjectives she had written about me and here is how the conversation in my head went:
“Oh Claudia…I am so proud of you for using Tagxedo that I taught you last week to make me something!”
“Let’s see, I am funny, kind, awesome, sweet, nice, and I have a big heart. Wow! She thinks I have a big heart…that is so cool! Skiny (aka skinny)…SKINY!?! She thinks I am skinny?!? I am sure she is just saying that because I told them last week that their moms would love to see that they are skinny on their mother’s day presents. Well, maybe she does really think I am skinny! That is so cool that she would even say I am skinny!”
Ok…what was my focus? Was it that I had a big heart? Nope. Was it that I am kind? Nope. My focus was solely on another person thinking I am skinny. It really is sad.
I stopped myself in my tracks and needed a reality check. A small voice said to me, “God will not care if you were skinny when you get to heaven. All He will care about is how big your heart was, how kind you were, how much you showed love to Him and others. He doesn’t care if you are skinny or not!”
Wake-Up-Call.
Sometimes in our journey to be more healthy, we get caught up in all of it and lose focus on what is really important. Four years ago when I was obese, my children in my class didn’t care if I was skinny or not. To some of them, I will forever be their “favorite teacher.” Just like those children, God only cares about our heart and our relationship with Him. Let’s not lose focus of what REALLY matters.
How do you answer the question, truly? Let’s get our head back in the game and remember that although we want to be healthy (aka skinny), what matters most are the matters of the heart!
