Autonomy

Why are you using such big words? What’s it mean anyway?

Breaking the word down backwards it says, ‘my auto”, and if it’s your car you can drive it wherever you want. But the Greek meaning is self-legislation, self-governance. This means you are to be in charge of your life, your actions, your decisions. Basically, you tell yourself what to do. (You drive your life where you want it to go.) You tell yourself what is best for you and do it. You don’t need other people telling you what they think you should say, do, think, where to go to school, who to marry, what to like, dislike, who to vote for etc, etc, etc.

Autonomy is a self-regulating freedom. As with any freedom and freedom to make your own decisions, we have guidelines in communities, cities, states, countries of what is allowed or not allowed, and our freedom must abide within those guidelines. But autonomy is a wonderful thing. Many countries in the world and over the centuries had no such freedoms. They were always told what to do and when.

But we have the freedom, ability, to decide if we want a better life we can go after it. We want a better relationship with our friends and family, no one can stop us. We want to give up a bad habit or two, we are able to direct our lives that way. There is no law preventing you from doing any good thing you want to do. We don’t tell other people what to do and conversely, we don’t let others tell us what to do.

We get to decide what’s good and beneficial for us and ours and move in that direction. We do not need permission from higher anybody to do the right thing.

Now what do I really want to do – to see happen in my life for good? How could I make it happen? The reins are in my hands.

Let’s get the ball rolling!

Words

Words are a platform.

A platform can be stood upon like a stage for a performance. A platform is made to hold materials and workmen while building a house. A platform can be the floor of a tent a camper or a chicken coop. A platform is what allows people to get off and on trains, busses and planes. The platform is a means of support.

It can be built quickly with not much to it or built to last a long time. It can be raised or lowered. It can be taken apart and rebuilt.

Some platforms are made of stone and last for decades.

How does this apply to my words?

Will my words, (what I say) support me and my family and friends? Will they help them stand, or will my words be weak and cause them to fall. Will my words be solid enough for them to hold onto during stormy life times? Will my words raise a platform of hope and encouragement?

We cannot see words after they’re said, however, they can still ring in people’s ears days, years, decades later. Many are still being heard centuries later – passed on by word of mouth or in writing.

Everybody is talking, saying something now-a-days. They want to be heard, noticed, listened to.

I want to examine my platform…my word platform. Do I have the right kind of materials to build it. Do I need to find some better type lumber? Will I use particle board or solid planks? Will I pick a beautiful board or will any old crooked, knotty board do? Will I use cheap nails that bend when driving them or use steel screws to hold my message together? Will I make the framework sturdy to hold the weight of truth and good, or will it be flimsy and anyone can rip it to shreds.

Will my words bring clarity, stability, comfort, and hope for another person?

We can do this folks. Yes, it will take some effort and maybe new learning, but there’re lots of lives that just need some place secure to stand while they put themselves back together.

Can they stand securely on your platform? Can I stand on mine?

Hanging on By a Thread…

Don’t cut the thread! Don’t give up on yourself!

“A bruised reed He will not break, and smoking flax He will not quench; He will bring forth justice for truth.” *

Even God, Himself won’t cut the thread or give up on you. He is for all of us underdogs. We who have tried and failed and tried and failed, sometimes given up but still trying.

You have worth and value inherently inside you because you were made in the image of God. Don’t believe anyone who tells you there is no value in you, or you have no place or aren’t needed and have nothing to offer. God did not say that about you and his word is tops!

He will never tell you you’ve gone too far, made too many mistakes and are unfixable. He can mend your life. He can mend your family. He can mend your friends. That’s what he does. He just needs your permission.

Tell Him about your thread…

*Isaiah 42:3 NKJV