Someone at work the other day called me "useless." For the first time in my life it didn't hurt. Because it's a lie. I am not useless, and she is wrong.
I am one of those people that through my life has attracted that kind of treatment. It's never been on a massive scale. It's usually quite subtle. But over the years it has raked my self-esteem away into nothing. And it's not going to happen anymore.
I've just left a job working in a horrible office of tension, of stress. "Self-esteem? You won't want that here. Only the big guns can have that. You're an admin assistant. You can just be a shell. Because, who needs to be anything really to photocopy, to file, to deliver the post? You are nothing. And we will not encourage you or support you in anything. We do not need to. Because you are nothing." Said to me? No. Implied daily? Yes.
But I am not nothing. I am made in the image of God. God who is Love. Who loves me so much that He sent His one and only Son to die for my sake. That's how much he loves me. Beyond all imagining. And so, I am not nothing. I am His, and He is mine. And bullies, He loves you too. Because of Him, I can forgive you. Because of Him, my self-esteem is returning. Because of Him I know you've fed me lies. I'm sorry I ever believed you. But I am stronger now. I pray that you are stronger too, and that treating others like this does not need to be your crutch any longer. I pray that you are free from the pain you feel that means you have hurt others, through no fault of their own.
This week is Anti-Bullying Week in the UK. Sometimes bullying is so obvious. Sometimes it is not. Look out for those around you. Be there for them. Build them up and encourage them. Because they are not nothing. Help them to report it. Because no one should stand for it. In school or work, it is never OK. People do not deserve to be made to feel less than they what they are.
Useless? Nothing? Lies.
I am His and He is mine.
Thank you for stopping by and for the encouragement. We serve a great a great, GREAT God don't we? He can bring people who have never met together at just the right time and give them just the right things to say. Thank you for being used by Him!! ♥
ReplyDeleteThis post was very good as well! And very important. I was bullied a lot in high school and it has (as my post proved) been hard to move past those feelings of inadequacy that reoccurring bullying can often bring. I love the fourth paragraph you wrote!!
♥ k.elizabeth
http://amillionlittlesomethings.blogspot.com
We do indeed! Thank you for being used by Him too. There is a great community of Christians out there, and I love that we have the internet to help us connect with others who we wouldn't get to meet normally :)
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for your kind words. I'm glad you like the post. I wasn't sure if it made sense, but I knew that I had to write it. My feelings of inadequacy are still a struggle, but this incident made me realise just how far I have come, praise Jesus!