I heard this sermon a while ago, from John Wagner, about Christian Humility. (Googled Humility + Sermons in an attempt to feel like I was challenging myself to deal with this thing called...pride.)
One of the things he said in there really bothered me, because it goes against the stuff I've heard from people trying to encourage me to grow a backbone. 'Don't be a doormat' 'They're just taking advantage of you because you let them' ' They're not really your friends, they're just using you'... And so the term 'doormat' leaves a bad taste in my mouth.
You bend over backward and people walk on you, on their way from one thing to another. They've just walked in mud and other nasty stuff, so they're leaving dirt all over you. They're not offering to take you with them to the land of milk and honey, but instead they're leaving you outside to deal with the leftovers. And on top of that it's raining, or worse.
Can Christians claim the 'right' to stand up for themselves? Do I have space, as a Christian believing that I am nothing except what God has given and made of me...do I have space to stand up and be assertive? Especially about the pet peeve I talked about in my last post!?
I'd like to think that yes, I do.
So where does 'doormat' come in?
John Wagner pointed to Jesus, who came down to earth, lowest of the low, and let them tie him up, beat him, spit on him, and kill him. Laughing and scorning him. Despite the good news he was living out as a direct result of their actions. As Christians, life is NOT a competition, it's a subjection. Life is about others. Look to the good of others, not to your own good. Be a doormat.
The doormat analogy still bothers me, though, until I think about John 14 again: the footwashing passage. As Jesus' followers, we've been told to go through the earth, preaching the good news and making disciples of all nations. Part of what this looks like is being willing to touch someone's dirty smelly feet, cleaning them of the dirt and grime that comes from living and walking in this world--both physically and spiritually.
And what is a doormat? It serves as a place to leave the dirt behind...so that it doesn't get into the clean house. And so, it's true. 'Doormat' is legitimate. I still don't think it means the twisted version of meek, but that it refers more to a humble, selfless drive to honour God with our servant actions towards our neighbour. In everything.
But, and you can definitely see in my post from the wee hours of this morning: I want to twist it the other way. I think I want to hide barbs and nails in between the tame bristles which so effectively remove mud and dirt on their own. I want to be recognized as a hero for being a doormat. (Just picture a doormat with a cape, some sort of super cleaning power, and sexy underwear) Yet I'm abusive while doing that, because I let myself get bigger and more important than I actually can be. I feel like it's legitimate for me to freak out when they're stepping on me without even noticing--but what does that accomplish, except their blood all over me?
Ugh.
This might be getting messy.
One of the things he said in there really bothered me, because it goes against the stuff I've heard from people trying to encourage me to grow a backbone. 'Don't be a doormat' 'They're just taking advantage of you because you let them' ' They're not really your friends, they're just using you'... And so the term 'doormat' leaves a bad taste in my mouth.
You bend over backward and people walk on you, on their way from one thing to another. They've just walked in mud and other nasty stuff, so they're leaving dirt all over you. They're not offering to take you with them to the land of milk and honey, but instead they're leaving you outside to deal with the leftovers. And on top of that it's raining, or worse.
Can Christians claim the 'right' to stand up for themselves? Do I have space, as a Christian believing that I am nothing except what God has given and made of me...do I have space to stand up and be assertive? Especially about the pet peeve I talked about in my last post!?
I'd like to think that yes, I do.
So where does 'doormat' come in?
John Wagner pointed to Jesus, who came down to earth, lowest of the low, and let them tie him up, beat him, spit on him, and kill him. Laughing and scorning him. Despite the good news he was living out as a direct result of their actions. As Christians, life is NOT a competition, it's a subjection. Life is about others. Look to the good of others, not to your own good. Be a doormat.
The doormat analogy still bothers me, though, until I think about John 14 again: the footwashing passage. As Jesus' followers, we've been told to go through the earth, preaching the good news and making disciples of all nations. Part of what this looks like is being willing to touch someone's dirty smelly feet, cleaning them of the dirt and grime that comes from living and walking in this world--both physically and spiritually.
And what is a doormat? It serves as a place to leave the dirt behind...so that it doesn't get into the clean house. And so, it's true. 'Doormat' is legitimate. I still don't think it means the twisted version of meek, but that it refers more to a humble, selfless drive to honour God with our servant actions towards our neighbour. In everything.
But, and you can definitely see in my post from the wee hours of this morning: I want to twist it the other way. I think I want to hide barbs and nails in between the tame bristles which so effectively remove mud and dirt on their own. I want to be recognized as a hero for being a doormat. (Just picture a doormat with a cape, some sort of super cleaning power, and sexy underwear) Yet I'm abusive while doing that, because I let myself get bigger and more important than I actually can be. I feel like it's legitimate for me to freak out when they're stepping on me without even noticing--but what does that accomplish, except their blood all over me?
Ugh.
This might be getting messy.
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