fighting my biggest battle

Hey there!

I LOVE audiobooks.  So, today I downloaded a book called The Four Agreements by don Miguel Ruiz.  In the book he discusses four agreements that if made, can allow you to experience peace in the midst of all hell.  Here are the agreements:

1) Be impeccable with your word
2) Don't take anything personally
3) Don't make assumptions
4) Always do your best

They seem very simple, but they are so wise.  What's remarkable is they have absolutely nothing to do with anyone else.  You don't have to get anyone's permission or buy-in to make these agreements.  You make them with yourself.  Which brings me to my lesson learned for the day: I have to take responsibility for my decisions, choices and actions.  At the end of the day it doesn't matter who has done or said what or whether or not I feel justified in my actions.  It's about taking responsibility for my response, rather than blaming someone else.

As I look back on current and past relationships, I can think of soooo many times that I've behaved badly and reasoned that I did x because they did or didn't do y.  The reality is it doesn't matter what they did or didn't do.  I have to live by my convictions or I'm being a hypocrite.  If I believe that I should love, respect, and treat others the way I want to be treated, then there's no room for conditions, such as saying as long as they treat me that way too.  No that's hypocritical and only creates strife in the relationship.  Rather than fighting against them for the treatment I think I deserve, I have to fight the battle within myself to resist the inclination to retaliate, and  I must walk in love not hypocrisy.

In the Bible, there's a scripture that says something to the effect of don't try and take the splinter out of your brother's eye, when you have a two-by-four in your own eye.  Ice cube said it another way: "you better check ya self before your wreck ya self."  And as my pastor has said, "my response is my responsibility."